The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-10-22
DIR. TALMAGE ON THE PERIIS OF
YOUNG MEN IN CITIES.
The Story of Two Young Men and the
Paths They Travelled.

sermon especially directed to young men.
His subject was "'Two Young Men Who
Came to live in the City" the text being,
Ponder the path of thy feet" from
Proverbs iv, 81. In opening DIR. Talmage
drew the following graphic and familiar
picture:
1t was Monday morning, September %,
at a country depot. Two young men were
about to take the cars for the city. The
father had brought them in the wagon
with two trunks. The evening before had
been a sad time in the old farm house.
N~eighbors came in to say good by. In
deed, all the Sunday afternoon the farmers
were strolling over from the adjoining farms
for they wished to bid these young men
good-by. They had heard OF their intend
ed departure, and some were hoping for
their great success, and others without
saying it were hoping for them a city fail
over, their conversation about the crops
of the preceding ummer and the apple
crop yet to be gathered, was interlarded
with talk about the prospects of Edward
the young men. Edward, Il years of age,
Nicholas, 10 years of age. But Edward
was quicker to learn, and hence knew as
much as the elder brother, Nicholas. They
were both brown faced and hearty, for
they had gone through the whole currieu-
lum of country sports by which the muscle
is developed and the chest filled out. On
Monday morning the father and mother
had both expected to so to the rail train,
accompanying the sous, but at the last
moment the mother backed out, for she
said she did not feel very well that MORN
ing, and her appetite had not been very
good for three or four days, 81 she
said she would bid them good-by at the
front door of the old farm house. What
the mother did, where she went after the
wagon started, | leave other mothers to
guess. Nothing much was said ON the
way to the railroad station, but as the TO-
c%onotis came whlstling around the curve
the father put out his hand, somewhat
knotted at the knuckles and joints, stiffen-
ed years ago by a stroke from a scythe,
and said, ''Good-by, Edward; good-by,
Nicholas. Take good care of yourselves,
and write as soon as you get there, and
tell us how they treat you. Your mother
will be anxious to hear Landed i'll the
city, by inquiry Of the policemen on the
street corners, and the questioning OF car
drivers the two young men soon found the
commercial establishments to which they
were destined, places quite far apart, for it
is astonishing how far two places may be
apart i'll the same city, especially If there
be a difference Of habit. Practically, a
hundred miles from Bowling Green to
Canal street. Practically, a hundred miles
from Atlantic avenue to Fulton street.
Then the preacher traced the careers of the
two young men. Edward formed bad as
sociations, became d~issipated, lost his sit
u%ation, and was finally killed in a low
haunt in the city. Nicholas became a
Christian, and went on from success to
success. Continuing, DIR. Talmage said:
What was the difference between these
two young men? Religion. The one de
pended on himself, the other depended en-
God. They were rocked in the same era
die, they lay OF the same maternal heart;
they had the same opportunity of educa-
ton; they came to the city the same day.
If there was any difference Edward had
the advantage for he was quicker to learn,
and all the neighbors prophesied him sue
cess over and above Nicholas. But behold
the tremendous issue. From this audience
there came up many voices, saying: 'Did
you know those young men?" | did.
Ibid you know those parents? ?" Very
intimately. You say: ''Then tell us the
| city, tell us the street, tell us the last
name. You have excited our curiosity.
Why not tell MS ALE" | will. There is
nothing fictitious about these W charac-
tiers except their naraes. They We're not
only two, but ten thousand. In every city.
in every street, in every cemetery. They
are on my right hand to-day, and on my
left, and they are above me. Those invul-
nerable through religious defense. Those
destroyed through city allurements. Some
of them will be characterized by longevity
| in beautiful homes, others will 20 to carly
graves in infamy, and in the name Of
! almighty God | stand here to give you the
choice between the destiny of Edward and
that Of Nicholas. Two histories. Two ex-
periences. Two worlds. Two eternities.
Standing here as you and do at the forks
of the road, something tells me this morn
ing that if | just let the people know about
the two terimi of the roads they will take
| the right road. Before me in this audi
encc. and in the invisible audience back of
this-for through the generality of Journal
ism | am permitted to talk to the people in
all the neighborhoods and towns and cities
of Christendom-in this visible audience,
and in the still greater invisible audience
there is IA vast multitude who have no
quite made up their minds which road to
take. ''Come to usr' cry all the voices OF
sin, Come with u.s. cry all the voices
of unrighteousness, While there is another
voice that says Come with me. ], the
Lord God, /, thy Friend, |, thy Rcdeemer
Come with me, come with mei' What
annoys me so much is that SO many mcr