The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-11
Advice TO a Young Man.

My son, you will soon learn that the
only really great sins are the ones you
have not committed. If the '.man
without sin" had been a possibility, the
stone which he would have cast at the
woman ia en- in adultery wonld have
been pebble. and even in casting it he
would have made an effort to throw too
high, and so miss the culprit. But any
one of the Pharisees, hypocrites, money
changers, eNtortiOners, uSurers, liars,
knaves of various degree, standing
about her. was ready. willing and anx-
ious to fire whole brick yard at her. l
think indeed, old men are more charita-
bic always than young people. As the
years go on. and your temptations are
more varied, your faults and stumbles
more nu nerouS, as your own wicked
ness takes on little wild scope. YOU
will cease to thank God that you are
not as other men are, and will lie sur
pr sed to learn how much people are
like other people, and how greatly do
people resemble each other, and your
sympathies and charities will grow
broader together Youth is ever impet-
uous. alike in its faults AMI judgments.
You will be able to see the mote in your
brothers eye until YOU begin wearing
spectacles. At twenty-one on viii for
give your brother if he offend you one
time. pr pvided he plead for your orgive-
ness with ample apologies and promi 'es
OF refrrmat on; ut forty you may forgive
him seven times, and at sixty. having
uncounted times tasted the sweetness of
infinite forgiveness yourself YOU may
be able to forgive him until seventy
times seven" 1t is all well enough for
you now to say away with him, every
time cul prit is broug in fear and
trembling before the bar Of your iudg-
nent: wnen you have walked Over the
burn ng plowshares yourself, your
voice will be more ready to pardon.
Just now. you believe in the spotless
beauty OF blind answering Justice. and
so you find your fellow servant which
owes you one hundred pence, and lay
hold of his throat and shout ''pay me
that thou owest" and cast him into
prison because he can not. But by and
by, wnen YOU strike balance sheet
with your Lord. and see that you owe
Him one hundred pounds and haven't
world. you will 90 back. throw open
the prison doors so wide that the sun
light of mercy and charity will 90
streaming down the long corridors into
every cell. wish you would cultivate
this virtue of charity little more while
you are Young. Iwsh you could see
how beautiful it is before your eyes are
washed clear with your own tears. 1t
would make your young manhood
grander, for
Not the Kings crown. nor the deputed sword,
The Marsnars luncheon, nor the Judge
robe.
Become them with e-half so good grace"
And furthermore. my boy, if you are
looking around for some one to punish
for broken laws, if you are seeking a
.horrible example, with which to illus
trate your lecture or sermon, don't 90
down into the slums to look for him
Don't look about your congregation or
the community for some unfortunate
whose struggles and temptat ons and
falls will point the moral you seek to
enforce. Just look for the horrible
example" right on the platform where
you are standing alone. Look for him
in your own pulpit, my boy. If you
cant find as great sinner there as Is
necessary to illustrate the beauty, the
condescension. the inconceivable grand
eur of dying love and inunite grace,
come right down out of the pulpit.
You've no business on the rostrum.
If all the sinners YOU know
are down in the congregation,
you're too good for this world, my
boy. Heaven is your home, and l am
afraid you will feel 4 little lonesome even
there. when you learn that most ex-
cellent minister of the Gospel named
Paul once rated himself below Frank
Rande and Billy McGlory. Before
you go hunting around lot ..hor1ble
example," my boy. 90 away into some
sol tarv place by you self. sit down and
ask yourself some hard Questions abou.
Yourself and answer them like mau
and then. f you find yoa are too good
to .'horrible example your own lect-
ure and sermons, send for me, and
will come up on the platform beside
you and pose for ANYTHING impressively
and drea fully wicked that you may
wish. Once in awh lie. my boy, l have
occasion to use ''horrible example
myself. hut never pick him out OF
the congregation. my boy, uever.-Bur-
tin0ton Haukeve>