The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-06-05


replied 'By dealing IN an article that thcu
mayest deal In II thou wilt-ciyilityn Al
ways be courteous, but at the same time
firm. Say no as II you meant It, Have II
understood In store and shop and street that
you will not stand In the companionship OF
the skeptic, the idle, the pleasure seeker
Rather than enter the companionship OF
such, accept the invitation TO better feast.
The promises Of God are the fruits. The
harps Of Heaven are the music. Clusters
from the vineyards Of God have been pressed
into the tahkards. The sons and daughters
Of the Lord Almighty are the guests. While
standing at the banquet to fill the cups and
divide the clusters, and command the harps,
and welcome the guests, 10 o daughter OF
God on whose brow are the blossoms OF
paradise, and in whose cheek Is the flush Of
celestial summer. Her name Is Religion.
Her ways arc ways Of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
Decide this soon, oh, young man, what d.
rection viii you take There comes such q
moment Of final decision-why not thisl
One night saw young man at the street
corner evidently doubling as to which di-
rection he had better take, his hat lifted high
enough TO see an intelligent forehead, and
he had stout chest and robust develop
ment. Splendid young man. Cultured
young man. Honored young man. Why
did he stop there while so many were going
up and downl The fact IL that every man
has good angel and bad angel con
tending for the mastery OF his spirit,
and there was a good angel and
bad angel struggling with that young
mans soul at the corner Of the street.
"Come with me,n said the good angel; II
viii take you home; will spread my wing
over your pillow; will lovingly escort you
all through life under supernatural protec-
ton; will bless every cup you drink out
Of; every couch you reston; every doorway
you enter; will consecrate your tears
when you will weep, your sweat when you
toll, and at the last will hand over your
grave to the bright angel Of a Christian
resurrection In answer 10 your faith
er's petition and your mothers prayer,
! have been sent OF the Lord out OF
heaven to be your guardian spirit. Come
with me-" said the good angel, In o
voice Of unearthly symphony. 1t was
music like that which drops from Lutte OF
Heaven when a seraph bregthes on 1t. mo,
no." said the bad angel, "come with me; /
have something better TO offer; the wines
pour are from chalices Of bewitching
carousal; the dance lead is over floor tes-
selated with unrestrainedi indulgences; there
is no God TO frown on the temples OF sin
where / worship. The skies are Italian.
The paths tread are through meadows,
daisied and primrosed. Come with me-"
| The young man hesitated at time when
hesitation was ruin, and the bad angel snrote
the good angel until 1t departed, spreading
wings through the starlight upward and
away, until door flashed open In the sky,
and forever the wings vanished. That was
the turning point in that young mans
history; for, the good angel flown, be hesi-
tated no longer, but started on a pathway
which is beautiful at the opening, but
blasted at the last. The bad angel, leading
| the way, opened gate after gate, and at each
gate the road became rougher and the sky
more lurid, and what was peculiar, as the
gate slammed shut it came to with jar that
indicated that 1t would never open. Passed
each portal, there was grinding oflocks and
q showing Of bolts; and the scenery on either
side the road changed from gardens TO des
erts, and the June air became cutting De
cember blast, and the bright wings Of thu
bad angel turned TO sackcloth, and the eye
OF light became hollow with hopeless
grief, and the fountains, that at the start ha'
tossed with wine, poured forth bubblini
tears and foaming blood, and on the righ
hide the road there was a serpent, AM
the man said to the bad angel: "Wha
ia that serpentir and the answer was
"T'hat Is the serpent Of stinging remorse.
On the left side the road there was
lion, and the man asked the bad angel
"What is that lionl" and the answe
was: THAT Is the lion of all devourini
despair A vulture few through the sky
and the man asked the bad angel: "Wha
Is that vulturei" and the answer was
"That is the vulture waiting for the car
cases Of the slain" And then the man be
gan TO try TO pull of Of him the folds o
something that had wound him round ant
round, and he said 10 the bad angel: "Wha
is II that twists me in this awful convolu
tion2" and the answer was "That is tn
worm that never diesw And then the mai
said TO the bad angel; "What does all thi
meant trusted in what you said at tn
corner Of the street that night; trustc'
IL ALL and why have you thus dc
ceived meln Then the last deception
fell OF the charmer, and II said: ~ wa
sent forth from the pit TO destroy you
soul; watched my chance for many lon
year; when you hesitated that night on tn
street, gained my triumph; now you ar
here. Ha! hal You ere here. Come, now
let us fll these two chalices Of fire, an
| - n - a. A.. "A us.a