The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-27
THE YOUNG MANS CHOICE.
Rev. j. H. Doddrdge's Sermon Last Evening
at F1etcher-Place Church.

Rev. j. HI Doddridge's Sermon Last Evening
at F1etcher-Place Church.
There was a large congregation last evening
at Fletcherplace Church. The music, under
the direction of the chorister, p. M. Gallahue
was good, and was appreciated. The pastor
Rev. j. Fl. Doddridge, preached an earnest and
forcible sermon on the subject of 1.-The Young
Mans Choice" The text chosen was, "By faith
Moses, when he was come to years, refused to
be called the son Of Pharaoh's daughter; choos-
ing rather to suffer affection with the people of
God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
season. esteeming the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had
respect unto the recompense of the reward.
Heb. XII, 4-26.
The speaker said: We have before US young
man who is just going to make choice of his life
work. Highly educated in all the wisdom and art
of his times, polished manners, accustomed to
minele i'll the society of Pharaoh's court, he has
''come TO years" and must make choice for him
self.
Two ways lay before him. One led to the
court. the palace, the throne. This way must
have flied the young mans mind with the,
dream Of a glittering crown, the scepter of pow
er, courtly splendor and regal honor. The other
way was to join his fortunes with the Hebrew
nation. hated, despised, suffering reproach,
burdened with CALLING chains of slavery and
sniarting under the lash of 1.-THE task
master'-but they were Gods people
He saw more. To refuse to be called the son of
Pharaohs daughter was to incur the dispeasure
of the ruler, this is clearly means in the orig
inal word rendered refusel. and be subject to
all the indignity and cruelty of his people. He
refused it all, choosing rather to suffer the
Affections of Gods people.
Why did he refusef He knew that all was
mot gold that gtters." Ho was too finely edu-
Gated to be caught with show, or banbles, or
gewgaws or tnsel. unlike the fast young man
of to-day, who is ready to- chase any bubble that
sparkles in the sunlight. 1t would have ne
cessitated his renouncing his parents. which
only the unnatural son would do. The prodigal
and prof1igate forsake the paternal house It.
would have been a direct violation of
the divine precept, which, in after years
he was called to formulate. Honor thy father
and thy mother" 1t would have been to COM
promise his religious convictions. Just here is
the danger to our young men today--not that
they choose the outright sinful, but enter upon
life where their religious convictions are stihed
Ten years ago young man Of my acquaintance
went out from Christian home with good
habits spotless life, and religious principles
be entered commission house that handled
spirtuous liquors. When demonstrated WITH
he said: There is money in it," To-day he is a
his religious CONVICTIONS
2 Again, influences which he had no
control enter into this choice in that of every
young man. His early religious training tuition
impaired to him by his mother while
she was acting as his nurse. At what
age he went to court we have no means of as
eertaining He was certainly old enough to have
been we'll instructed in the principles OF true
religion These early impressions ere potent for
good evil, and have much to DO with shaping
the future of the child. We sometimes censure
when we ought to pity, chide when we ought to
comfort How carefully we cught to guard our
public schools. None but those holding
Christian principles ought to be permitted to
hold such positions. To what extend his choice
was determined by mothers influence the In
fnite alone can know. The ejaculation what
would the world have been without John
WesleyY' ought to give place to What would
John Wesley have been but for the early training
of pious motherp l am led mare and more to
believe that mans life is largely the harvest of
the seed sown by mother Napoleon
always the work of his mother"
George Washington said that the teaching and
influence of his mother had more to do in shap-
ing his course and marking out his destiny than
all other influences put together Andrew
Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Emmanuel Kant
all have expressed themselves in equally strong
terms of the molding influence of mothers
hand on their lives The mothers of to-day are
determining in a large measure the future choice
Of their sons
8. Immediate influences that effected his
choice. He saw that there was more gain or
profit In the affection Of good people than the
pleasures of sin. Observe the comparison is not
made between the, pain anguish, wretched-