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

ernacle DR.. Talmage chose for his text Prov
erbs xiii, 90: "a companion Of fools shall
be destroyed The eloquentpreacher spoke
Rs follows
''May it please the court" said con-
yicted criminal when asked II 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. Ireceived
the blessings Of good parents, and, In re-
turn, promised TO avoid all evil associations.
Had kept my promise l should have been
saved this shame, and been free from the
load Of guilt that hangs round me like avul-
ture, threatening to drag me TO Justice for
crimes yet unrevealed. 1, who once moved
in the first circles Of society, aud have been
the guests Of distinguished public men, am
lost, and all through bad company"
This Is but one Of the thousand proofs that
the companion Of fools shall be destroyed.
ID Is the invariable rule. There Is well
man in the wards Of o 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, II shut up with In
iquitous 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
socfate himself with vicious people is en-
gagged In carrying OH courtship with a
Delilah, whose shears will clip of all the
locks Of his strength, and he will be tripped
into perdition. SIMS catching, is infectious,
Is epidemic 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
end consorted with the wicked. A thou.
sand dollars reward for one such instance.
/ care not how strong your character may
be- Associate with gamblers, and you will
become gambler. Clan with burglars, and
yGu will become a burglar Go among the
unclean, and you will become unclean. Not
apprsciating 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 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 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 patronise him. They
profess TO know all about the town. They
will take him anywhere he wants TO go-ii
he will pay the expenses. For II goot
young man and bad young man go to som'
place where they ought not, the good younl
man has invariably to pay the charges. A
the moment the ticket is 10 be paid for, tn
champagne settled for, the bad young mai
feels around in his pockets and says: "
have forgotten my pocket book" In forty
eight hours after the young man has en-
tered the store the bad fellows Of the estab
lishment slap him on the shoulder familiar
ly, and, at his stupidity in taking certain II
lusions, say;
"My young friend, you will have to b
broken In" and they Immediately process
TO break him in. Young man, in the nam
Of God warn you TO beware how you let
bad man talk familiarity with you. II suel
an one slap you on the shoulder famillarly
turn round and give him whitening look
until the wretch crouches in your presence
There is no monstrosity Of wickedness tina
can stand unabashed under the glance o
purity and honor. God keeps the lightning
Of heaven In his own scabbsrd, and no humai
arm can WELD them; but God gives tDever.
young man a lightning that he may use, an,
that is the lightningof an homes. eye Thos
who have been close observers will no
wonder why / give warning to young nel
and soy, "Beware Of bad company"
First-I warn you TO shun the skeptis-
the young man who puts his fingers in hi
vest and laughs at your old-fashioned re
ligion, and turns over to some mystery Of tn
Bible and says; Explain that my piou
friend explain that" And who says: "No
body shall scare me; am not afraid Of tn
future; used TO believe in such things, an
30 did my father and mother, but have 20
over t." Yes, he has got over IL; and
you sit in his company little longer, yo
will get over II too. Without presentin
one argument against the Christian religion
such men will, by their jeers and SCOTS an
caricatures, destroy your respect for that RI
legion which was the strength Of yourfathe
In his declining years, and the pillow 0
your old mother when she lay a-dyinf
Alas a time will come when that blusteI
ing young infdel will have TO die, and the
his diamond ring will fash no splendor
the eyes Of death, as he stands over th
couch, waiting for his soul. Those beaut
full locks will be uncombed upon th
pillow, and the dying man viii say;
can not die-I can not die" Death standin
ready beside the couch, says: "You mus
die; you have only half minute 10 live
let me have II right away-your soul
emo" says the young infidel, "here are N
gold rings, and these pictures; take thcl
alln s'No," says death, ''what do care Il
pictures i-your soul" "Stand back" say
the dying infidel. ~ will not stand back,
says Death, ''for you have only ten second
now 10 live; want your soul.r The dyin
man says: "Don't breathe that cold air int
my face. You crowd me too hard. II Is ge
ting dark In the room. o Godp Hush,
says Death, "you said there was no God.
spray for me-" exclaims the expiring INF
del. "Too late TO pray" says Death, "bt
three more seconds 10 live, and / will cour
them off-one-- -two--three.n He has gone
Wherel Wherei Garry him out--out, an
bury him beside his father and mother, WI
died while holding fast the Christian relil
Ion. They died singing; but the young Il
fidel only said: "Don't breathe that col
air into my face. You crowd me too har'
IL Is getting dark In the room"
| Again Iurge you 10 shun the companion
ship Of idlers. There are men hangin
around every store, and ONCE, and shol
who have nothing To do, or act 40 II the
had not. They are apt TO come in when u
firm are away, and wish 10 engage you
conversation while you are engaged In yot