The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-06-14

brow are the blossoms Of paradise, and In
whose cheek II the flush Of celestial sum-
mer. Her name il Religion.
Her ways are ways Of pleasantnesa,
And all her paths are peace.
Decide soon, young man.. on. what
direction you will take. There comes
such moment of final decision-why not
this? One evening 1 saw a man at the
street corner evidently doubling as to
what direction he had bettertake, his hat
lifted high enough so you could see he had
an intelligent forehead, and he had stout
chest and a robust development Splendid
young man. Cultured young man. Hon
ored young man. Why did he stop there
while so many were going up and DOWN.
The fact is that every man has q good
angel and a bad angel contending for the
mastery of his spirit and there was q
good angel and a bad angel struggling
with that young mans soul at the corner
Of the street. Come with me-" said the
good angel;: 81 will take you home;. I
will spread my wing over your pillow;
will lovingly escort you all through life
under supernatural protection; will bless
every cup you drink out of, every couch
you rest on, every doorway you enter; I
will consecrate your tears when you weep
your sweat when you toll and at the last
I will hand over your grave to the bright
angel of a, Christian resurrection. In an.
swer to your fathers petition aud your
mothers prayer L have been sent of the
Lord out of Heaven to be your guardian
spirit Come with me-" said the good
angel in voice of unearthly symphony.
s'No, no." said the bad angel, "come
with me; I have something better to offer.
The wines I pour are from chalices of be.
witching carousal. The dance I lead is
over floor tesssllated with unrestrained
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 prim-
rosed Come with me.". The young man
hesitated at time when hesitation was
ruin and the bad angel smote the good
angel until it departed, spreading wings
through the starlight upward and away,
until a 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,
he hesitated no longer, but started
on a pathway which is beautiful
at the opening. but blasted at the
last. The bad sngel, leading the
way, opened gate after gate, and at each
gate the roa1 became ronghsr and the sky
more lurid, and what was more peculiar.
as the gate slammed shut it came to with
a jar that indicated that it would never
open. Passed each portal, there was q
grinding Of Locks and showing of bolts;
and the scenery on either side the read
changed from gardens to deserts. and The
June air became a cutting December b asst,
and the bright wings of the hal angel
turned to sackclotb, and the eyes of light
became hollow with hopeless grief, and
tbs tounta aims, that At he art had tossed
with wine, poured forth bubbling tears and
foaming blood, and on the right side of
the road there was a serpent, and the man
said to the bad angel: "What is that SER
pent?" and the answer was: THAT is the
serpent of singing remorse." On the left
side the road there was q lion, and the
man asked the bad angel: what is that
lionr' and the answer was: THAT Is the
lion of all devouring despair" A vulture
flew through the sky, and the man asked
the bad angel: what is that vulture?"
and the answer was: That is the vult-
ure waiting for the carcassss Of the
slain"
And then tbs man began to try to pull of
Of him the folds Of something that had
wound him round and round, and he said
to the bad angel: 'What is it that twists
me in this awful convolutionp and the
answer was: THAT is the worm that never
diesW And then the man said to the bad
angel: what does all this meanf
trusted in what you said at the corner Of
the street that night; l trusted it all,
and why have you thus deceived
me?" Then the last deception fell of
of the charmer, and it said: II was sent
forth from the pit to destroy your soul;
watched my chance for many a long year;
when you hesitated that nj ght on the street
l gained nv triumph, now you are here.
Ha Ha! You are here. Come. now, let
Us fill these two chalices of fire and drink
to darkness and woe and death. Haili
Hail."
0, young man, will the good angel
sent forth by Christ or the bad angel sent
forth by sin get the victory over your
soul? Their wings are interlocked this
above you, contending for your
destiny, as above the Apennines eagle and
condor fight mid-sky. This hour may de.
eide your DESTINY. God helD Won To