The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-12-08

He determines that he viii not be
bound again. But Ia an evil hour.
when he does not think, when in the
whirl Of social gaiety and fellowship
temptation springs upon him with
unwonted force. And IL NAV be, the
snow-white hand Of beauty, thar, as
Gods good angel, ought 10 stand be-
tween his soul and danger, lifts 10 his
lips the tempting cup and bids him
drink and nothing fear. And Satan,
standing there beside her, whispers TO
his giddy heart with angels voice,
You have broke the withes yOu are
a man you have nought to fear" And
with a laugh he casts another die.
He'll wins? lie plunges widely down
into iHtOxicatiOn. Perdition rolls her
mighty surges close in upon him. The
Philistines Of death unmasked charge
on him. Startled at last, and terror
stricken by the roaring thunders Of
destruction, and lacerated by the swift
descending lash of conscience, lac
makes an almost superhuman effort,
breaks the ropes that bind him, and
walks erect and free. Now he for
swears the cup forever. lie lays his
hand, perhaps, on Gods holy book,
and vows that he will never touch
another drop. Oh, that he might
keep THAT vow! That prudence might
be his guide and counsellor. But
alas Going where he should not 60,
stepping beyond the line where pru-
dence bids him halt
TEMPTATION
breaks in against him in terrific, mad
dening STORM Passion RACES, reason
staggers to and fro; Satan cries
you broke the withes and snapped
the ropes, why should you fear? You
may stop whenever you choose" Pre-
sumption rises up and sides with Sa-
tan, and he makes the venture. All,
/ little does he think '.there is time by
US unseen that crosses every path the
| hidden boundary between Gods pa
! thence and his wrath" He has reached
/ the boundary. He steps across il, and
/ all at-Once victorious hell breaks over
/ the shore and rolls and lashes round
/ him the whole continent of manly
strength, honor and resolution sunk ;
| submerged forever beneath the BOOM
ing and triumphant deep of beastly
passion, shame and destruction Dew
lis dancing on the fiery crests of mock
ing pillows, howl and yell against
him. Amazed, transfxed with hor-
rOr, agonized to frenzy, he leaps and
cries Il will go out, as at other times
before, and shake myselfw But he is
nerveless, For God is gone; angels
Ofmercy fed. Hope removed her extern
guished lamp forever. Eternal night,
STOPPING from her ebOn throne, fans
and flaps him with her sable wing
CrOwding through the darkness with
/ Gov.v- oxroe aud
on each thunderous billOW, fiends ride
in and furies charge against him
They seiez and fasten on him; they
pierce his eyes with forked lightning
they bind him fast with kissing snakes
and crawling serpents; they drag min
down, down, down, upon the grimy
bottom of perdition's deep, and there
| beneath the everpluuging and victori
. Gus main of degradation, lashed to the
[ seething rocks of ruin, they cOmpe
and goad him to grind out the red no
. meal of shame, despair and agony for
ever and ever.
OH, YOUNG MEN,
!, over whose infant cradles fond moth
d ers have bent so many times with ten
= derness, and breathed out many /;
prayer and many an earnest wish {,
Y God on your behalf, what if thOs
: mothers now are dead, and those lip
d so eloquent on your behalf are colo
f and silent in the dust? Have you in
= TERED their memory? You have no
Y buried them; they are fresh an,
II green in your own memory tO-nigh
Y and cannot die until the best Of you
V own nature dies. They are standing
d yonder by the throne of God. Goo
d has made those prayers and hope
t your living advocates, and given then
v lips to plead and eyes to weep for you
f and if you will not heed and listen {,
9 them now, as their sweet voices rims
t through your memory and come chin
5 ing down from Gods eternal throne
where they are always heard, then re
T. member, or, remember, that the tim,
4 is coming when those same prayer
G and hopes will meet your soul, like
5 disappointed angels weeping, anC
through the gloomy eyes and thu
hopeless rounds of darkening eter
nifty, they will follow You, and 10y
+ their very love aud tenderness, de
/ spised and unrequitted, they viii
: make V, ur hell Of self-reprOach anC
D hopelessness a double hell.