Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-10-11

chain of early gracious influences!
But all people between thirty and forty
years of age yes, between forty and fifty
aye, between fifty and sixty years. and al
septuagenarians as well, need surrounding
conjunction of good influences. In Sing
Sing, Auburn, Moyamensng, and all the
other great prisons are men and women who
went wrong in mld-life and old age. We
need around US Gordon OF good influences
We forget 10 apply the well known rule thai
a chain is no stronger than its weakest link
If the chain be made up of thousand links
and nine hundred and ninety mine are
strong, hut one is weak, the chain will be
in danger of breaking at that one weak link.
| We may be strong in thousand excellences
and yet have one weakness which endangers
us. That is the reason that we sometimes
see men distinguished for whole round OF
virtues collapse and go down. The weak
link in the otherwise stout chain gave way
under the pressure. The first chain bridge
was built in Scotland. Walter Scott tells
how the French initiated it in bridge across
the Seine. But there was one weak point
in that bridge. There was a middle bolt
that was Of poor material. but they did not
/ know bow much depended on that middle
bolt OF the ch lin bridge.
On theopening day procession started, led
on by the builder Of tho bridge; and, when
| the mighty weight of the procession was
/ fairly on it, the bridge broke and precipi
tated the multilude. The bridge was all
right except in that middle bolt. SO the
| bridge of character may be made up Of
| mighty links strong enough 10 hold noun
tain but IL there be one weak spot, that one
! point unlocked after may be the destruction
| of every thing Aud what multitudes have
gone down for all tiIle and all eternity, be
cause in the chain bridge of their character
there was LACKING strong middle bolt. Ho
had but one fault and that was avarice;
hence, forgery He had but one fault, and
that was the burning thirst for intoxicants:
hence. his fatal debauch. She had but one
fault. and that an inorlinati fondness for
dress. and hence her own and her husbands
bankruptcy She had but one fault, and
that a quick temper; hence the disgracefu
outburst What we all want is TO have put
around us a strong chain Of good influences
Christian a IS relation Il 4 link. Good litera-
ture is link II DIT Of prayer is a link
Church membership ID a .ias. Scripture re.
search Is a link Faith IN God is link
Put together all these influences. Make a
chainl
Most excellan. Is II for rs TO get into com
pany better than ourselves. If we are given
TO telling vile stories let as put ourselves
among those who will not abide such utter
ance. If we are stiugy lot Us put ourselves
among the charitable. If we are morose let
us put ourselves among the good natured.
If we are given TO tittle-tattle let US put our.
selves among those who speak no i'll Of their
neighbors. If we are dsspondent let us Put
ourselves among those who make the best
OF things. II evil is contagious, am glad
TO say that good is also catching. People
go up into the hill country for physical
health, so If you would be strong in your
soul, get you of the lowlands into the
attitudes of high moral association. For
many Of the circumstances of our life we are
not responsible. For the place Of our ma
tivity not responsible; for cur features, our
stature, our color, not responsible; for the
family relation in which we We're born for
our natural tastes for our mental character,
not responsible. But we are responsible for
the associates that we choose, aud the moral
influences under which we put ourselves.
Character seeks an equilibrium. A. b. is a
good man. Y. Y. is a bal man. Let them
now voluntarily choose each others society.
A. b. will lose part Of his goodness, and
Y. T. part OF his badness, and they will
gradually approach each other in character
and will finally stand on the same level
One Of the old painters refused TO look at
poor picture' because he said il damaged
his style A musician can not afford to
dwell among discords, nor can a
writer afford TO peruse books Of in
ferior style, nor an architect walk out
among disproportioned structures. And
no man or woman was ever so
good as to be able to choose evil as
sociations. Therefore, / said, have it a rule
of your life to go among those better than
yourselves. Can not lind them. Then what
pink of perfection you must be- When
was your character completedl What a
misfortune for the saintly and angelic of
Heaven that they are not enjoying the i'm
proving influence of your society! All, il
you can not find those better than yourself,
it is because you are ignorant of yourself.
Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees hypo-
critics
But as remarked in the opening, in sacred
and in all styles of literature chain means
not only adornment and royalty Of nature,
but sometimes captivity. And | suppose
there are those in that sense deliberately !
and persistently making chain. Now, |
here is young man of God physical health,
good manners and good education. How
shall he put together enough links to make
a chain for the down-hill roads will give
him some directions. If no can not stand
cigars, let him try cigarettes. think cigar.
cites will help him on this road more rapidly |
because the doctors say there is more poison /
in them, and so he will be helped along faster, |
and have the more confidence in proposing |
this because about fifty of the first young |
men of Brooklyn during the last year were |
according to the doctors reports, killed
by cigarettes. Let him drink light wines |
first or ale or lager, and gradually he
will be able TO take something stronger, and
as all styles of strong drink are more and
more adulterated, his progress will be facil- 1
itated. With the old-time drinks a man
seldom got delirum tremens before thirty or
forty years of age; now he can get the mad
ness by the time he is eighteen. Let him
play cards enough money put up always to
add interest to the game. If the father and
mother will play with him that will help by
way of countenancing the habit. And it will
be such pleasant thing TO think over in tho
day of judgment when the parents give ac-
count for the elevated manner in which they
have reared their children Every pleasant