The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-10
BAD COMPANY.
Sermon by Rev. T. De Witt Tai
mage, D. D.
Young Men Should Beware of Skeptics,
Idlers and Pleasure Seekers - The
Ways In Which They Seek to
Lead the Upright Astray.

In his recent sermon at the Brooklyn Tab,
ernacle DR.. Talmage chose for his text Prov
erbs Xiii, 20: "a companion Of fools shall
be destroyed The eloquent preacher spoke
as follows:
'sNay it please the court" said a con-
victed criminal, when asked if he had any
thing to say before sentence Of death was
passed upon him, may it please the court,
bad company has been my ruin. I received
TIE blessings Of good parents, and, IN re-
turn, promised to avoid all evil associations.
Had I kept my promise should have been
saved this shame, and been free from the
load of guilt that hangs round me Ike avul-
ture, threatening to drag me to justice for
crimes yet unrevealed. I, who once moved
in the first circles of society, and have been
the guests of distinguished public men, am
lost, and all through bad company"
This is but oneof the thousand proofs that
the companion Of fools shall be destroyed.
1t is the invariable rule. There is 4 well
man in the wards Of a hospital, where there
are hundred people sick with ship fever,
aud he will not be so apt to take the disease
as good man would be apt to be smitten
with moral distemper, if shut up with in
iQuitors companions.
In olden times prisoners were herded to-
gether in the same cell, but each one learned
the vices Of all the culprits, so that, instead
Of being reformed by incarceration, the day
of liberation turned them out upon society
beasts. not men.
We may, in our places Of business, be
compelled to talk and to mingle with bad
men, but he who deliberately chooses to as
sociate himself with vicious people IS en-
gagged in carrying On a courtship with
Dellah, whose shears will clip off all the
locks of his strength, and he will be tripped
into perdition. Sinis catching, is infectious,
is epidemic. l will let you look over the
millions Of people now inhabiting the earth,
and challenge you to show me good man,
who, after one year, has made a choice
and consorted with the wicked. A thou
sand dollars reward for one such instance.
I care not how strong your character may
be. Associate with gamblers. and you Will
become gambler. Clan with burglars, and
you will become burglar. Go among the
unclean, and you will become unclean. Not
appreciating the truth Of my text, many
young man has been destroyed. he wakes
up some morning in the great city, and
knows no one except the persons into whose
employ ne has entered.
mark him, measure him, and discuss him.
The upright young men of the store wish
him well, but perhaps wait for formal in
PRODUCTION, and even then have some deli
cacy about inviting him into their associa-
tions. But the bad young men Of the store
at the first opportunity approach and offer
their services. They patronize him. They
profess to know ali about the town. They
will take him anywhere he wants to go-H
he viii pay the expenses. For if good
young man and a bad young man go to some
place where they ought not, the good young
man has invariably to pay the charges. At
the moment tife tieAet IS eee- paid foc> the
-champagne settled for, the bad young mn
feels around in his pockets and says: II
have forgotten my pocket book In forty
eight hours after the young man has en-
tered the store the bad fellows Of the estab-
Nshment slap him on the shoulder familiar
", and, at his stupidity in taking certain il
lusions, say:
young friend, you will have to be
broken ia;'' and they Immediately proceed
to break him in. Young man, in the name
of God wara you to beware bow you let
bad man talk famiharly with you. If such
an one slap you on the shoulder familiarly,
=
until the wretch crouches in your presence
There is no monstrosity Of wickedness that
can stand unabashed under the glance OF
purity and honor. God keeps the lightnings
of heaven in his own scabbard, and no human
arm can WELD them; utGod gives toevery
young man a lightning that he may use, and
that is the hghtningof an honest eye. Those
who have been close observers will not
wonder why give warning to young men
and say, beware Of bad company
First-I warn you to shun the skeptic-
the young man who puts his fingers in his
vest and laughs at your old-faahioned re-
Iigion, and turns over to some mystery OF the
Bible and says: Explain that, my pious
friend; explain that" And who says: ''No-
body shall scare me; I am not afraid OF the
future; I used to believe in such things. and
so did my father and mother, but have got
over it." Yes, he has got over 1t; and i
you sit in his company little longer, you
will get over it too. Without presenting
one argument against the Christian religion,
such men will, by their ieers and SCOTS and
caricatures, destroy your respectT Tor that re-
legion which was the strength Of your father
in his declining years, and the pillow Of
your old mother when she lay a-dying.
Ans IlUIS LII COIIIC "A1OLA IAAe-O OiNo0S~
ing Young infdel will have to die, and then
his diamond ring will fash no splendor in
the eyes Of death, as he stands over the
couch. waiting for his soul. Those beauti-
full locks will be uncombed upon the
. pillow, and the dying man will say: u
can not d!e-I can not die" Death standing
ready beside the couch, says: '4ou must
die; YOU have only half a minute to live;
-
s.No," says the young infdel, 'shere are my
gold rings, and these pictures; take them
all'' siNo,' says death, what do care Tor
pictures your soul" 'Stand back, says
the diving infdel. Il will not stand back"
SAYS Death, for you have only ten seconds
now to live: want your soul" The dying
man saws: ssDon't breathe that cold air into
nv face. You crowd me too hard. 1t is get.
ting dark in the room. o Godn' ''Hush,"
saws Death, ''you said there was no God"
ssPray for me- eXclaims the expiring inf
del ''Too late to pray" says Death, ''but
three more seconds to live, and will count
them off-one-two-three." He has gone!
Where, Where? Carry him out-out, and
bury him beside his father and mother, who
died while holding fast the Christian relig-
ion. They died singing; but the young in
hdel only said: ''Don't breathe that cold
air into my face. You crowd me too hard.
1t is getting dark in the ROOM
Again urge you to shun the companion
ship of idlers. There are men hanging
around every store, and Office, and shop
who have nothing to do, or act as If they
had not They are apt to come in when the
firm are away, and wish to engage you in
conversation while you are engaged in your
regular employment. Politely suggest to
such persons that You have no time to give
them during business hours. NothAng
would please them so we'll as to have you
renounce your occupation and associate
with them Much Of the time they lounge
around the club rooms, or the doors Of en-
CINE houses, or after the dining hour stan(:
upon the steps of a fashionable hotc:
or an elegant restaurant, wishing to
give you the idea thai that is the