Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-06-12

IaD6TQaCi6 IO-udy. AlIor cA ApouuuiuS =
the Scriptures he gave out that popular
hymn by A. M. Toplady, beginning:
Your harps, ye trembling saints.
Down from the willows take.
He took for his text Proverbs xiii, 20. ga
companion of fools shall be destroyed" !"
Follow ing is verbatim report of the SER
mon:
sMay it please the court" ",said convict
ed criminal, when asked if he had anything
to say before sentence of death was passed
on him, ''may it please the court, bad com
pany has been my ruin. l received the
blessings of good parents, and, in return,
promised to avoid all evil assoeiations.-
Had kept my promise Ishould have been
saved this shame, and been free from the
load of guilt that hangs round me like
vulture, threatening to drag me to justice
for crimes yet unrevealed. I, who once
moved in the first circles of society, and
have been the guest of distinguished public
men, am lost, and all through had COM
pany."
This is but one of the thousand proofs
that the companion of fools shall be destroy
ed. 1t is the iuvariable rule. There is
we'll man in the wards of hospital. where
there are hundred people sick with ship
fever, and 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 iniquitons companions.
In olden times prisoners were herded to-
gether in the same cell, but each one learned
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 10 talk to and mlngle with bad
men; but he who deliberately chooses to
associate himself with vicious people is en-
gagged in carrying on a courtship with a
Delilah. whose shears will clip off all the
locks of his strength, and he will be tripped
into perditon. Sin is catching, is infec-
tious, is epidemic. will let you look over
the millions of people now iDhabiting the
earth, and l challenge you to show me a
good man who, after one year, has made
choice and consorted with the wicked, A
thousand dollars reward for one such in
stance. / care not how strong your char
acter may be. Associate with gamblers.
you will become gambler. Clan with
burglars and you will become burglar
Go among the unclean, and you will become
unclean. Not apprecating the truth of my
text, many young man has been destroy
ed He wakes up some morning in the
great city, and knows no one except the
persons 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 Of the store wisf
him we'll, but perhaps wait for a formal in
PRODUCTION, and even then have some deli
cacy about inviting him into their associa
tioDs But the bad young men of the stor'
at the first opportunity approach and offe
their services. They patronize him. The!
profess to know all about the town. The.
will take him anywhere thet be wishes t.
go-if he will pay the expenses. For if
good young man and bad young man g
to some place where they ought not, th
good young man has invariably to pay th
charges. At the momsnt the ticket is to b.
paid for, or the champagne settled for tn
bad young man feels around in his pocket
and says: II have forgotten my pocket
book" In forty eight hours after the youn!
man has entered the store the bad fellow
of the establishment slap him on the should
er familiarlg, and, at his stupidity in takin.
certain illusions, say: "My young friend
Immediately proceed to break him in
Young man, in the name of God warn yO
to beware howyou let bad man talk fami
iarly with you. If such an one slap 20
on the shoulder familiarly, turn round an
give him witheripg look, until 'he wretc
crouches in your presence. There is n
monstrosity of wickedness that can stan
unabashed under the glance of purity an
honor God keeps the lightniDgs of heay
en- in his own scabbard, and no human arI