The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-01-21

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OF parental restraint, assumes that he is
wise beyond his years. He pitties faith
er and mother, the old man and woman,
that they know 40 little; | can take care
of myself, l don't ask any odds Of the
old man or the old woman.
A boy that will call his gray-haired
father and mother, the old
man, the old woman, ought to be sent
10 Jail for sixteen years Uaughter.) i
say il not 10 incite levity. Who is that
old woman young manp Its your moth
or, who entered almost the valley of
death 10 win your life at the peril of her
own. Who Is that old woman? IL is
the mother on whose lap you pillowed
your head in infancy. Who is that old
woman? It's that mother who sat all
night long by your cradle bathing your
brow when the fever was burning; II is
that mother who sat 10y your cradle TO
guard you from the grasp Of the death
angel which sine feared would claim You
as It's victim.
Again, il a young man dislikes home
restraints and council, he will seek other
associations, and he can always find
them, he learns 10 swear. How differ
emily he uses the name Of God than
when he lisped il beside his mothers
knee. Angels rejoiced to hear his
prayer of childhood; now devils shout
for Joy "a they hear him utter the name
of Him who died upon the cross.
Again, the next step is, he shuns the
honse Of God; the saloon is preferable,
and then down and down he goes until
at last he dies away from God. He
commenced his descent quite gradually;
first throwing off parental restraint,
seeking evil associates, and on and ON
he went until we find him lying on the
street pavement weltering in his own
blood. We have returned To our sui
eide mentioned near the opening of this
discourse. We look upon him in his
bloody garments; we wonder If he had
any friends Yes one we know of, Je-
sus, the sinners friend. But we con-
tinue 10 wonder, did I've have n mother.
Oh. how she will mourn. / wonder il
his father is living? OH how his heart
will bleed. Perhaps he has wife,
whom he swore, few years ago AT the
marriage altar, he would love, protect
and cherish. Poor creature, how she
will weep. Perhaps he has children.
Oh, already can hear them cry as
father is being brought into the house
dead. We look and wonder. We say,
presume that forehead, now covered
with suicidal blood and matted hair,
was once covered by kisses from a
mothers lips; that that hand now grasp
ing in death the fatal weapon once
clasped Bible. We turn from the
sight, sick al heart, and exclaim, 80,
God how steep the road; how quick the
descent to ruin and 30 death.
Again, compare, il you please. the
young suicide with another young man,
whom | will now introduce to you.
Perhaps they were schoolmates together;
they played together on the same lawn
in childhood; waded through the same
brooks, and when the church-bell sent
forth its chime on Sabbath morning.
with Bibles in their hands they wended
their way to church and 10 Sabbath
school together. One listened 10 the
voice of instruction "a IL fell from one of
| Gods servant, the other needed IL not.
| Follow them on. the young man who
| listened tO instructions voice cannot fell
lowship sin, he parts company with the
ungodiy boy. lie grew 10 manhood; he
called his father, father. not the old
man, and mother was called 10y her BIZ
/ ble name, which ~ mother instead Of
old woman; he was proud Of his mothes
aud loved his father: he grew mp re-
| spected OF men: he was honest, kind
aud true; he filed important positions;
| II not rich, he was respected and loved.
"a IA. ia IA L l.
I ing at the door, he opeas il, messen-
ger il there, he says come home your
mother is dying. He rushes 10 her bed
side; she takes him by the hand and
SAYS. my son, I'm dying. but go in
peace. You will meet me in Heaven,
/ viii You not?' "Yes mother, I'll meet
YOU there She smiles. and this excla-
nation falls from her dying lips, with
\ closed eyes she uttered, IL die in peace,
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.
/ O God.
He follows that parent TO the grave.
he weeps tbs true, for the great deep
| III human ailiiction IL brok-
en- mp, but while the earth is falling on
that coffin lid he renews his covenant
before God 10 meet her beyond the
River. He returns home that night;
he prays 20, God / thank Thee that
thou did'st give give me n godly father
and praying mother, and that the
hallowed influence OF their lives con-
strained me TO accept my mothers
God again But, my Young friends,
not only does life Of sin bring sor-
row TO parents and friends, and ruin
upon your own selves, but by walking
contrary to good instruction, you are
helping to shape the immortal destiny
of others; don't forget the fact that
you will continue 10 live here after you
are dead. All men have postum
nous existence, a double immortality
one he takes with him, the other he
leaves behind. The very life we are
now living will be reflected in others.
All Of US are erecting monuments
which will stand when we are gone
Ii will be a monument of enduring
beauty, or a monument Of abiding
shame and disgrace.
Do you desire TO secure Eternal life,
do you desire to live in grateful re-
membFance on earth, then listen TO in
struction, live life Of moral purity,
Of holiness. and many will rise up and
call you blessed. Three voices are
sounding in your ears tonight, each
designed 10 seal instruction TO your
hearts.
Conscience has voice aud saws 20
you tonight, obey Christ; he who sins
against conscience sins against God,
for 1t is Gods vicegerent in the SOUL
It's voice is heard tonight in every
breath as you sit before me. It pleads
with you now to heed instruction 4
voice. Will you do IL? Some Of you
may have father and mother who nev.
er pointed you to Christ. IL so, how
sad. Yet conscience asserts her Lawful
prerogative and tells you lis better &c
obey God than man.
Another voice il heard. IL may be
the voice Of a mother, either living oI
dead. OH these voices plead with
you tonight. Does not some OF you
hear in imagination the voice Of q
sainted mother who has been many
winters sleeping under the snow, but
who once 80 tenderly cared for you
and pointed you Christ? IL there not
some in this crowded house tonight
either young or old, who will resolv,
to commence a new life2 Many of you
have had holy surroundings in youth
aud lived m a Christian atmosphere al
your lives. "Ohl let me plead with
you tonight by the memories Of th,