The Russellville Democrat., 1889-06-13
"RUINOUs COMPANY"
A Trite Sermon on the Evils of
 Bad CompanionAhip.
The PtFst Downward stsp-Ths DaBgers of Ialen ess--HeaIthfgl and Danger ous sport--Nau's Good and
 Bad Angel.

eGmp1uioo of fooia snail os 1sslfosSas-- Pf0yerbs ziA.. e.
 "lay tt please the court" said con- victed criminal when asked if he had any thing Co say before sentence oE death was passed 8pJn him, " may it please the court, bad company has been my ruin. received the blessings of good parents, and sr return. promised to avoid all evil associations. Had I kept my promise sho1lI have been saved this shame, and been free from the load Of guilt that Laug7 around ms ike a vulture, threat elias to drag ne to justice for crimes yet uareyealsd. l, who once moved fin the first circles Of society. and have been the guest Ot distinguished public men, sm lost, and slt through bad company"
 This is but one Of the thousand pr0Ofs that 'Ae companion Of fools shall be de- Etroyel. It is the invariable rule. There is @ veil uau ia the wards Df a hospital, where taere are 8 hundred people sick with ship fever, and hs will not be 80 apt tg take the disease Gs a good man would be art tg be suitteu with moral distem- per # shlt uy with iuiquitOus cOmpan- ions. la oaIen times prisoners were her1ed together ln the same cell, but each one learned the vices Cf all the culprits, e9 that. instead Df being reformed by in- generation. the day Ot liberation turned them ogt upon society beasts, not men. We may, iu OuT places of business, be com peled to talk 10 and mingie with bad men. but he who deliberately chooses to associate himself with vicious people is engaged in carrying on courtship with s DrliIah. whose shears will clip of all the lgcks os his strength, and he will be iriryed into perIltion. Sin is catching, is infectious, is epidemic I will let you look over the millions Of people nov in- La1Hlng the earth, and challenge you 10 show me good man who, after one year, hos made choice md consorted with the wighed 4 thousand dollars reward for one such instance, 1 care not how strong your character may be. Associate with gamblers. yOu will become a gambler. Clan with burglars, and you will become Q burglar. Go among the uuclsan, and you will become unelean.
 Not appreeiatiug the truth of my text, many a young man has been destroyed. He wakes up some morning in the great city, and knows no one except the per sons into whose employ he has entered. As he goes into the store all the clerks mark him, measure him and discuss him. The upright young men cf the store wish him well, but perhaps wait for a formal introduction, and even then have some delicacy about inviting him into their associations. But the bad yonng men of the store at tho first opportunity ap- proaeh and offer their services. They patronize him. They profess to know all about tbe town. They will take him any where he wishes to golf he will pay the expenses. For # a good young man and bad young man go to some place where they ought not, the good young man has invariably to pay the charges. At the moment the ticket is to be paid for, or the champagne settled for, the bad young man feels aroIud in his pockets and says: 'I have forgotten my pocket book.p
 In forty-eight hours after the young man has entered the store the bad fellows of the establishment slap him on the shoulder familiarly, and, at his stupidity iu taking certain allugions, say: "My young friend, you will have to be broken in;" and they immediately proceed to brake him in. Young man, in the name of God, I warn you to beware how you let bad man talk familiarly with you. r such an one slap you on the shoulder familiarly, turn round and give him a whitening look, until the wretch crouches in you presence. There is no monstrosity Of wickedness that can stand unabashed under the glance Of , urity and honor. God keeps the lightniags Of Heaven in His own scabbard and no human arm can yield them; but God gives to every young man a lightning that he may use, and that is the lightning of an honest eye. Those who have been close observ- CTS will not wonder why give warming to young men, and say: Beware of bad coTopany."
 First 1 warn you to shun the skeptic- the yohng man who puts his fingers in his vest and laughs at your old-fashioned religion, and turns over to some mystery Of the Bible and saysi Explain that, my pious friend; explain that" And who says: Nobody shall scare me; am not afraid of the future; used to believe in such things, and so did my father and mother, but have got over it." Yes, he has got over it; and f you sit in his com pany little longer you will get over fl, too. Without presenting one argument against the Christian religion, such men will, by their jeers and scoffs and cari- catures, destroy your respect for that re- ligion which was the strength of your fa- ther In his declining years, and the pillow of your old mother whom she lay a-dying. Alas a time will come when that buster sng young inhdel will have to die, and ihen his diamond ring will flash no splendor in the eyes of Death, as he stands over the couch, waiting for his soul. Those beautiful locks will be un- combed upon the pillow, and the dying man will say: ''I can not die--I can not die"
 Death standing ready beside the couch, says; "&cn must die; you have only half a minuy2 Co live; let mo have it right away--your soul" ''No," says the young infGe;, "here are my gold rings and these pictures; take them all" "No," says Death, "what do I care for pictures I- your soul." "Stand back" says the dy- ing lnddel. 'I will not stand back, ,D says Death, ''fOr you have only ten seconds now Co live; l want your soul" The dy- ing man says; Don't breathe that cold air into my face. You crowd me to hard. It is getting dark in the room. o GodY" Hush" says Death, ''you said there was no God" Pray for me-" exclaims the expiring infdeL "foo late to pray" says Death; "but three more seconds to live, and ] will count them off-one-two three" He has gone! Wheref WhereY Carry him out--Out, and bury him beside his father and mother, who died while holding fast the Christian religion. They died singing, but the young infdel only BaidI Don't breathe that cold air into my face. You crowd mo too hard. It is getting dark in the room.
 Again, urge you Co shun the compan- ionship Of idlers. There are men hang ing around every store, and office, and shop, who have nothing to do, or act as if they had not. They arc apt to come in when the firm arc away, and wish Co en- gage you in conversation while you are engaged in your regular employment. Politely suggest Co such persons that you have no time Co give them during busi- ness hours. Nothing would please them so well as tO have you renOunce yoar oeeupa- ton and associate with them. Much Of the time they lounge around the olub-rooms