Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-11-29
Paying the Fare.

That was an expensive voyage which Jonah
made when he " fed from the presence Of the
Lord and ran away to Tarsbish. He found
a ship just ready to sail, and " he paid N,
fare hereof." But he paid dearly The
prophet who ran away from God, lost his
money, lost bis time, lost his credit, lost the
approval Of his conscience and of his God
and would have lost his life but for a miracu-
lous interpositiOn. All this was the fare -
which one man paid for SHINING.
But many Of our readers may be commit
ting the same terrible mistake. For no path
seems to most people so easy and pleasant to
travel, as the path Of sinful inclination. 1t
is what the Bible calls walking in the way
Of a mans olrn heart and in the sight Of bis
oiea eyes" One man, for example, is entirely
absorbed in making money. When this be-
comes a greedy appetite, the money.lover
must pay for it with daily anxiety and worry,
and he runs the fearful risk of being eaten up
with covetousness Gold may be a useful
servant but it is Il cruel master. 1t is not
easy to own II, without its owning us. Where
one man like Lenox, or Peabody, or Wetmore,
or Dodge, makes it rich blessing 10 others
thousands make it the ruin Of their souls
Love Of money drew Lot to the fertile valley
Of Sodom, and 4" he paid the fare thereof in
the destruction of his family Love Of money
made Gebazi knaye be 81 paid the fare in
an incurable leprosy. Love of money was
one Of two sins for which Judas paid with the
suicides rope aud everlasting infamy No
man can make money safely and wisely, un-
less he holds his earnings as trust from God
lnto no road do young persons press more
eagerly than the road to sensual indulgence
No turnpike is more Travelled, aud none ex.
acts more terrible "toll" He who travels
1t must "pay the fare" thereof The licen-
tious man pays it in shame, and sefloathing,
IN remorse and "rottenness Of the bones "
No young maiden can take these hot Goals
into her bosom without being fearfully burn
ed. The beautiful but ill-fated girl from New
Jersey whose tragical end few weeks since
awakened such universal thrill of horror,
may have taken only one false step at first
But how far that led 1t requires but one
step to 60 down Niagara. Hundreds of young
men are pressing in every night to houses OF
wanton pleasure, bent only on enjoyment
But over the door of every house of infamy
the finger of inspiration has written, This
house is the way to hell, going down to the
chambers of death"
All along the seductive pathways of self.
indulgence God places his toll gates of retri-
button. | sometimes pass in the streets a
wretched looking man who often needs the
help Of policeman to convey him to his des.
olated home. He was once rich and respect.
ed. Poor victim of the bottle--he is "pay-
ing the toll' on the DEVILS turnpike. The
heartless dram-sellers who furnish him the
poison for guilty gain, will have to pay theirs
when they reach the judgment bar of God
We cannot stop to recount all the penal
ties which men and women have to pay for
SHINING. The costiest thing IN the world is
sin. 1t costs purity Of conscience, aud costs
the favor of God. 1t will cost at the last the
loss of heaven. Thesin of grieving the Holy
Ghost has cost many one ererlasting per.
dHion