Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-03-15
CROSSING THE RUBICON.

CROSSING THE RUBICON.
d The Rubicon was a small, almost an insig-
niticant stream, and yet great Caesar paused
ere he plunged into it's waters and gained
the opposite shore. Why did he pause?
q Because with all his love of glory and con-
ouest, there yet fingered a doubt of his
RIGHT to take the destiny of his country and
his people into his hands, and rtthlessly
bring destruction upon them. To his hon
or he hcsitated, yet to his shame he plunged;
zone. The world is full of hesitating, halt.
inc Caesars who pause for u moment on
Bthe brink of some temptation, then plunge.
into it saying, "The die is east" No man
ever allowed the waves Of drunkenness to
byerwhelrn him who did not pause Oh the
brink of this fearful, surging Rubicon, and
count the cost, yet after all, madly plunging
I'm. Learning too late that the waters of
Iethe will not wash away the stains from
the reckless plunge. That conscience for a
ine will arrest at the brink, but after fire.
lnent hushings, and deadenings, no warn
Ing voice to hold back, when temp
tation assails.
When the murderer has coolly and DELHI
erately planned the attrocious deed, he
Strikes far from the mortal part. Why? be-
cause his conscience is not dead but sleeping,
There is a narrow Rilbicon yet dividing him
from utter loss and ruin. A "seventy times
seventy" opportunity for him to turn his
pack on evil and walk in the light of a good
conscience. Yet he closes his ear to the
faint calls of mercy and compassion, plunges
fhe blade. and sees the water close behind
him, and himself stranded on the entrance
70 the murderer's Kingdom. Why does the
man pause and his hands almost forget its
cunning when he has lifted the pen to make
Alhe stroke and becomes a forger? There
yet fingers about him the aroma of an easy
conscience, when he could look the world
n the face and not finch or blush. The
Eaaces OF mother, wife and children COM
Spetofe his brain tor a moment to"be pushed
ahsde. The pen is lifted, the stroke is made.
u he kablcon passed-leaying mother, wife,
afh1aren, honor, name and chances for the
aatIlre on the other side.
NO one enters a downward path who does
''ot nfst shrink back from it with Horror. It
a'lh'y De opened to them in the most alluring
k"se' anu yet conscience stands there as a
hrfi monitor, urging a hurried retreat.
Il ne ttublcon may be passed more than once
q e"ch temptation standing in the place of
Hs',s stream, the doubt that almost transfixed
~ tempted with honor at first, ceases to
''e'sh heavily. After a time, the waters of
'''e stream really look pleasant and Inviting
~ more doubts, and panses, but frequent
p,uoses. But as sure as Caesars mad
IS Drought war and pestilence into the
eroa. VI ms country, so surely will the
.oss'hs OF any Rubicon which divides right
wrong, truth from, talsehood, honor
.ol Shame, bring a train of evils, misery
,.su uanapplness to the reckless plunger, as
t fe1' Us to all who are bound to them by the
j nature, affections and by principle.
wen it is, that life is interviewer with
nese kabicons to arrest the downward ten
onas may oi human nature and held doubling
oA-she@ baak,>,te reason--and RIGHT to