The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-12-09

remember NTlG1l J1ao Master E0IIeGB uOSIlJ2l
in Philadelphia was opened during the war a
/ telegram came saying: "rhere VIII be three
hundred wounded men tonight, be ready 20
take care of them" and from my church there
went in some twonty or thirty men and women
! to look after these poor wounded fellows. As
they came, some from one part of the land.
some from another, no asked whether
this man was from Oregon, or Massachu-
sets, or from Minnesota, or from New York.
There was wounded soldier, and the only
question was how to take off the rags most
gently, and put on the bandage, and admin
ister the cordi4. And when soul comes to
God, He does not ask where you came from
or what your ancestry was. Healing for all
your wounds. Pardon for all your guilt.
Comfort for all your troubles
Then also counsel you, if you want to get
back, 10 quit all your bad associations. One
unhOly intimacy viii Gil your soul with moral
distenper. In all the ages of the church
there has not been an instance where man
kept one evil associate and was reformed
Among the 1 400, ,0O0, 600 Of the race not one
instance. Go home to-day, open your desk,
take out letter paper, stamp and envelope,
and then write letter something like this:
sMy old compani0psi | start this day for
heaven. Until 1 am persuaded you will join
me III this, farewell"
lUGn Slhu JOuI A1dAAC, anu SO4A0 N-O ASSoNA
with the first post. Give up your bad com
panions, or give up heaven. 1t is not ten
bad companions thai destroy man, nor five
had companions, nor three bad companions,
but ono. What chance is there for that
young man l saw along the street, four or
five young men with him. halting in front of
a grog shop, urging him to go in, he resist
ing, violently resisting, until after while
they forced him to go in9 1t was summer
night, and the door was left open, and saw
the process. They held him fast, and they
put the cup to his lips, and they forced down
the strong drink. What chance is there for
such young mani
counsel YOU also, seek Christian advice.
Every Christian man is bound to help you.
If you find no other human ear willing to
listen to your story of struggle, come to ne,
and will, by every sympathy of my heart,
and every prayer, and every toll of my hand,
stand beside you in the struggle for reIorma-
ton; and as l hope to have my owH sins for
given and hope to be acquitted at the Judg-
Inent seat of Christ, 1 viii not betFay you.
First of all, seek God; then seek Christian
counsel. Gather up all the energies of body,
mind and soul, and, appealing to God for
success, declare this day everlasting war
against all drinking habits, all gaming prac-
tices, all houses of sin. Half-and-half work
Shrink back now, and you are lost. Push on,
and you are saved. A Spartan general fell
at the very moment of victory, but he dipped
his finger in his own blood and wrote on
rock near which he was dying: Sparta has
conquered" Though your struggle 70 get
rid of sin may seem TO be almost death
struggle, you can dip your finger inyour own
blood and write on the Rock of Ages: ''Vic-
tory through our Lord Jesus Christ"
Oh, what glorious news it would be for
some of these young men to send home to
their parents in the country these holidays
which are coming. They go to the postofice
avery day or two to see whether there are
any letters from you. How anxious they are
to heart You might send them for holiday
present this season book from one of our
best publishing houses, or complete ward
robe from the Importers palace, it would not
please them half as much as the news you
might send home tomorrow that you had
given your heart to God. 1 know how it is
in the country. The night comes on. The
cattle stand under the rack through which
burst the trusses of hay. The horses just
having frisked up from the meadow at the
nightfall, stand knee deep in the bright straw
that invites them to lie down and rest The
perch of the hovel is full of fowl, their
feet warm under the feathers. In the old
farmhouse at night no candle Is lighted,
for the flames clap their hands about the
great black log, and shake the shadow Of the
group up and down the wall Father and
mother sit there for half an hour, saying
nothing wonder what they are thinking
Of After awhile the father breaks the
silence and says: "Well, 1 wonder where our
boy is In town to night?" and the mother an
swers: ain no bad place, | warrant you; we
always could trust him when he was home,
and since he has been away there have been
so many prayers offered for him, can
trust him still" Then at o'clock-for they
retire early in the country-they lneel down
and commend you to that God who watches
ia country and in town, on the land and on
the sea
Some one said to a Grecian general: "What
was the proudest moment in your hfe2" He
thought moment, and said; "The proudest
moment in my life was when 1 sent home
word to my parents that L had gained the
victory And the proudest and most bril-
liant moment in your life viii be the moment
when you can send word to your parents that
you have conquered your evil habits, by the
grace OF God, and become eternal victor
Oh, despise not parental anxietyl
The time will come when you will have
neither father or mother, and you will go
around the place where they used to watch
gone from the field, and gone from the
Cry as loud for forgiveness
as you may over the mound In the church
yard, they will not answer. DeadI deadl
And then you will take out the white leck of
hair that was cut from your mothers brow |
just before they buried her, and you will |
take the cane with which your father used |
to walk, and you will think and think and |
wish that you had done just as they wanted |
you to- and would give the world If you had |
never thrust a pang through their dear old !
hearts. God pity the young man who has |
brought disgrace on his fathers nansl |
God pity the young man who has broken his |
mothers heartl Better if he had never been |
born-better if in the first hour of his life, in
stead of being laid against the warm bosom
Of maternal tenderness, he had been coffined |
and sepulchered There is no balm powerful |
enough to heal the heart of one who has |
brought parents to sorrowful grave, and
who wanders about through the dismal cem-
etery rending the hair and wringipg the
hands and crying: "Motherl motherl" Oh,
that to-day by ell the memories of the past (
md by all the hopes of the future you would
yield your heart to God. May your fathers
God and your mothers God be your God for
sverl