National Republican., 1888-01-28

emn." His talks on recent events at the
Tabernacle on Friday nights excite great
interest. Following is what he said tonight:
-, Within the last few days, all up aud down
Tue land. there have been fearful accidents
young people hurled against posts or upset,
breaking limbs or dashing out lives More ia.
talities of this kind than usual, because for
years there has not been such favorable woa-
theT for this juvenile recreation Aud then
such events are now considered more worthy
Of telegruphy than formerly for boys are bet
ter appreciated than they used TO be, aud their
sports attract more and more consideration.
The accidents of the last few days have been
dreadful and II is evident that in all our cities
these sports need regulation by the authorities,
but they dc, mot require suppression. ! have
been fearful, in view of these accidents, that
such amusements would be prohibited. Con-
sidering the fact that all the boys in America
who could get a sled, whether gilded and from
the hardware store or two hickory withes bent
back and eYtemporaneously fastened, have
been riding down hill, there have been fewer
accidents than might have been expected.
gherc are dangers attached TO all recreatlons
,velocipedes. bicycles, garden swing, horse
back riding, ball playing, pitching quoits aud
gymnastics. In all these nmusemcnts lives
have been slain. If we prohibited all things
thAt nave dangers attached we would stop all
pleasures and all activities IL IL dangerous for
you TO eat, you might choke. 1t is dangerous for
you 10 walk down the street, for, slipping on
an ornngeneeling, YOU might iplure your spine.
II is dangerous to breathe, for you might in
hale malaria. By all means let city authori-
ties regulate coasling and steer 1t clear of tele
graph poles ana foot passengers; but enact no
city ordinance against the outbreak of health
ful human nature.
Within sight OF my window for many days
the procession of sleds flying down hill and
crawling up-ior what genuine boy wOlld not
walk up to- ride down-the shout OF domonstra.
tive Blte, the clear sweep Of fun that imper-
lied neither life nor limb have been something
for all good men and women TO smile over aud
rejoice IN. That is the way our youth are to
get muscle and nerve aud exuberancc for the
work which they win be called TO do when
they arrive amid the twenties and the thiriics
and the forties and the ilfties of earnest life.
The boys who skate no pond, strike no ball,
@ S no m Kt,e, & Mnndle en- no honp, coaS @ no hll VII
The truth is that too many men by the time
they are forty forget that they were ever ten,
,hoy. were ever fifteen. Give the children ali
the fun they can have. DO not expect them
TO stay at home and bathe your gout.
Multiply all their facilities for sport. The
way to crowd out bad amusements Is TO in.
crease innocent amuscments. When your boy
is dead, If that overwhelming grief should
strike your soul, you Will feel more salts
faction in thinking of what pleasures you gave
him than what unnecessary self-denials you
inflicted upon him.
In all the questions that como up between
men and boys, count me on the side OF the
boys, and all / ask Of the latter, In compen-
sation OF this defense is, that some time they
night, and with lantern ahead to show the
way, and boys foot behind TO steer the craft,
they give me q free, swift ride, like flash
going down from Cumberland street to the
foot of the park. Do not let us stand project
ing the shadow OF our sorrows upon the sun
shine of boyhood and girlhood. After while
come. 1t will come soon enough. let them
le happy while they may. Let us not have
less but more sporiiulness for the young
Indeed it keeps one fresh to have these things
Gong on around us. A good, healthy man at
fifty is as a boy with added experience, a
woman isa an old girl. summer is but an old
iC tpo,r In Ito No oh, all
lc USEFUL in proportion as we, keep young in
our feelings. There is no use for fossils except
IN museums and on the shelf. Like young
did in childhood. You thought that long ago
you got tfrorssih with ''T0asting" dlG ''hlip1
man mans buff and ball playing, but our lives for
games over egain. We climb, slowly. up the
hill Of life and then go quickly down. What is
that but coastingG You say what racket
the neighbors' boys come in il seems as If they
would tear the house down. Father be pa
iient," the sensible wife Gays I'VE once played
the father Is playing 1t now, II he only knew
i. Much of our time in life we go about
blinaiolded oyer mistakes. trying TO
stand round the ring and litter, and break
out, with halfsuppressed laughter, ana
push us ahead and twitch the corner OF orr
clutch something, with both hands and an.
nCurce 10 the world our capture. The blind
fold is taken from our eyes, and amid the
we have after all caught, the wroog thing.
What is that but "blindman's sbufl' over
again! Better be patient with the youngsters.
much Time with the ball and bat? Why, in
one sense life is great game OF ball" We
all choose sides andgather into denominations
and political parties. We take our places on
the ball ground. Some are 10 pitch; they are
the radicals. Some are to catch; they are the
conservatives. Some are 70 strike; they are
those fond of polemGs and battle. Some are
TO run; they are the candidates. There are
four hunks youth, manhood, old age, aud
death. Some one taxes the. bat, lifts L, aud
strikes for the prize ana misses II. while the
man who was behind catches IL aud goes
in. This man takes his turn at the bat. sees
The Lying ball OF success. takes good ain and
Tspectators. We all have chance at the ball.
SonMgOf us run to all the four hunks. from
youth TO manhood, from manhood to old age,
bound with uncomfortable mirth; coming to
the second we run with slower but stronger
tread; coming 70 the third our step Is feeble;
out. We throw down the bat on the black
hunk Of death, and, in the evening, catchers
cred and the table spread. Better be ienient
Of childrens sports, since most people all their
lives are playing the old games over again.
The religious event Of the week Is the spirit
land there seems readiness for Gospel inilu-
once. In those churches where. especial SER
vices have been held there have been marked
awakenings. Last Sabbath night about hun
dred rose for prayers in this building.
The fact Is, there are IN this country hun.
dreds OF thousands Of people ready oaGcept
the voice OF dogma or dldGe,ics, but warm
hearted Invitation Will do the work, the
aGGs s0d 20 How OF % Gop @
are the metaphysics and the fastdiousness
and the namby.pambyism of the church Of
God. Let our Christian laymen go, forth in
earnest DOmmpllltiDQ of ulOriDuS
iieion. '''1'1'",''' u '1' "'''''"' -
The only way this work will ever be done
will be by spontaneous and wide spreading
Old.fashioned revival OF religion meetings, in
which the rhetoric and the conventionalities
of the church shall not be allowed to freeze
ont the spirit, meetings In which the prayers
shall be all aiiame and the eXhortations as
earnest as those of men and women escaping
from foundering steamer intoa manned life
boat.
have one panacea for all political. social,
domestic and individual needs, revivals that
shall sweep all before them, the ,surGes over
riding house TOP anu city hall aud capito!ean
buildings and the nation-revvaIs that will
set The continent to praying; rcvivals like that
OF lsG! multiplied BY twenty, opening thedters
ior religious worship, turning storehouses into
anxious seats, making the teleGraphy OF blsI.
mess information halt for messages OF salvation
from city to ciiy, the Lord Almighty doing by
churches as yet have done in a century.
From what We have seen during the past
few days, We know God Is willing TO open the
nIOlbutcS VI suNllE mercy. LcJ all ODSluGlCS
bo heaved out Of the way. Come, north
wind and blow thou south upon this garden
Of God. While in some places ministers OF re.
ligion are assembling to discuss the low state
ofreligiOn in the country, am glad thattnere
are many Christian pastors who, looking over
The flock that God has given them and the
field tho Lord has called them TO culture, have
cause for great rejoicing. Let us all arouse a
work for each one tO do, No one able to do
that work for you or for me, aud very short
time In which To accomplish It.. Eternity be.
hllu us, eternity before rs, and God NIL around
Us.
Perhaps the most stirring facts Orthe " ,ek,
and indeed of the last mNnth, are the sull len
eNits out of human life Nobody seams 10
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