National Republican., 1878-06-17
ALESSON FROM LIFE.
Drawn by Or. Lanahan at the Foun-
dry Church.
The Critical Periods Of n Young Mans Life
Leaving Home and Choosing Business
or Profession-some of the Tempta-
tions which He Has to Encounter
Battling with the worid-A Text
from Adam Clarke's Life.

Rev. DR.. Lanahan, at the Foundry Church
yesterday morning, said Connected with q
choice Of business Is the critical period Of q
separation from home. A living stream of
young men is all the time flowing from the
rural districts of the country to tho large
towns. They como with benediction linger
ing upon their souls; they come from the sa-
cred influences of homo. The cmissaries Of
the devil are always active, always in earnest.
The theatre, the bowling saloon, the gam
bling table are some of the things the young
men are called to encounter The period is
critical and momcntoJs. Those who yield are
carried to eternal ruin There are those who
turn deaf ear to the sncn of pleasure by
the weekly letter home, telling them
they have not forgotten the lessons
inculcatcd there. They still hold East to their
integrity. Happy are such parents when they
get those letters. Tho choice of u business or
n profession, o. n separation from home may
be regarded Us an outward trial; but beneath
this outward trial there is n mOmentnus strug-
gle going on. II is the critical period Of doubt
in relation to Christian truth. At home the
young mind receives the teachings Of Chris
tianity with confding faith. There he re-
CARDS the Bible as the Book of God he re.
CARDS the Sabbath as the sanctuary oi God (;
he regards the forms Of religious service With
respect. From Nome tho young mind Is
brought in conflict with other minds
and often perverted. The Bible loses
its hold upon tho conscience; it is
not what it once was. Reverence for the
forms OF rclgioa pass away like morning
dream; tho clouds of doubt thcken and
deepen the soul is drifting upon stormy sea-
| 1t is a crisis in that mans life. There is an
other critical period through which young
men pass. II Is when he enters upon the SER
! vice of an employer 4 young man enters
business house which he considers is conducted
upon good principles. Rcawakcns to the fact
that he Is IN an establishment that Is con-
Quoted upon fraud. He thought he was going
into place of purity; that he was going
there to give the energies of his life to the bus
iness of another man, and through that busi.
ness he should serve himself and the public
| He finds himself in the midst of den Ofrob-
bcS. There are two courses Of conduct left
open one is to hold fast TO his integrity, and
the other is to quit the infernsl place
Adam Clarke, man of our own denomina-
tion, but who in a higher sense belongs to all
Christian people and who became a great
scholar, was the son Of poor parents, and in
early life was hired to linen merchant. One
day a piece of linen was found too short.
! Come" said the merchant, "wo can easily fix
this; we will pull it and stretch it out"
Adam Clarke had neither ears nor heart for
such conduct, and he positively refused. A
long argument followed, but Adam held fast to
his integrity he was told TO find employ
elsewhere that he was not fitted for that
business; but the memory of Adam Clarke
lives to-day. What beautiful case of hon
esty we have in the colored man upon the auc-
tion.block. A knd-hcartcd old gentleman
went up to him and said: "If buy you will
you he honcst2' Tho man turned his black
face toward the speaker and replied: ''Sir, |
will be honest whether you buy me or not"
| could almost predict if that man had been
given half a chance he could have swept his
way in the business of life
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