The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-03
ga Companion of Fools Shall be
Destroyed" tho Text
He Who Deliberately Associates
With Vicious People
Is Engaged in Carrying On "a
Courtship With Delilah.
Whose Shears Will Clip of All the
Locks OF His Strength and He win
BIO Tripod into Perdltion-sin
is Infectious.

I. Dewitt Talmage, DID,, preached ut
the Tabernacle today. After expounding
the Scriptures he gave out that popular
hymn by A. NJ. Toplady, beginning
Your hArps We trembling saints
Down from the willows take
lie took for his text Proverbs Kill, 20:
"a companion Of fools shall be de-
stroyed." Following is verbatim report
OF the sermon:
"May Il please the court" said con-
vic,ed criminal, when asked II he had
anything to say before sentence OF death
was passed upon him, may 1t please tho
court, bad company has been my ruin.
received the blessings Of good parents,
and, IN return, promised TO avoid all evil
associations. Had kept my promise |
should have been saved this shame, and
been free from the load OF guilt that hangs
round me like vulture threatening TO
dag me TO justice for crimes yet unre-
yealed. /, who once moved in the first
circles OF society, and have been the guest
oil 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 de-
slroyed. II is the inyariable rule. There
IL well man in the wards Of hospital,
where there are hundred people sick
with ship fever, aud hc will not be 30 apt
20 take the disease rs good man would
be apt 10 be smittcn with moral distcmper,
ii shut up with iniquitous companions.
In olden times prisoners were herded
together in the same coll, but each one
learned the vices OF all the culprits, 50
that, instead Of being reformed by incarco-
ration, the day OF liberation turned them
out upon society beasts, not men.
We may In our places Of business, he
compelled 10 talk 10 and mingle with bad
men. but lac who deliberately chooses to
associate himself with vicious people Is
engaged In carrying on courtship with a
Dclilah, whose shears will clip oil all the
locks OF his strength. and he will be
trippod into perdition. Sin Is catching, Is
infectious, is epidemic. will let you look
over the millions OF people now inhablt.
ing the earth, and challenge you 10 show
me a good man who, after one year, has
made choice and cOnsOrtcd with the
wicked. A thousand dollars reward for
one such instance. caru not how strong
your character may be. Associate with
gamblers, you will become gambler
Clan with burglars, aud you will become
n burglar. Go among the uncloan, and
You will become unclcan. Not apprcciat-
ing tie truth Of my text, many a Young
MAJ. has been destroyed. lie wakes up
some morning IA the great city, and knows
no ono except tho persons into whose cm-
ploy be has entered.
IS he goes into the slorc all the clerks
mark him, measure him and discuss him.
The upright Young mcn ol the store ,wlsl
him we'll, but perhaps wal have some
introduction and eyep him into their ~.
delicicy aboU, The bad Young men Of the
Hociations first opportunity approach and
s,cr their services. They paironizo him.
Thoy profess Ia know all about the town.
They will take him anywhere that he
wishes 10 gO-ii ho will pay the expenses.
For u a good young man and bad young
man go 10 some pluco where they ought
not, the good young man has invariably TO
pay the charges. Al the moment the
ticket Is 30 be paid for, or the champagne
settled for, the bad Young man feel,
around In his pockets and says. II have
forgotten my pocket book. In forty.
eight hous after the young man has en-.
tered the store the bad fellows of the
establishment slap him on the shoulder
Familiarity, and. at his stupidity ~ taking
certain illusions, say "My Young friend.
you will have to be- broken IN" aud they
Immediately proceed 10 break him In.
Young man, in the name Of tod warn
you 70 beware bow you let n bad man talk
familiary with YOU. II such am one Sian
YOU ON iho shoulder lamiliarly, turn ruund
and give him a whitening look. until the
wretch cr0uchcs ia your presence There
D. no monsirosiiy Of wickcdnrss that can
stand uhIbashcd under the glance ol
purity and honor. Tod keeps the lght.
ninn Of heaven In hi own scabbad and
no human arm can cid them, hu, GoI
tiyos 10 every young man a lightning tina
! q may usc, aud that is the lightning o
an honest eye. Those Who have bcpr
Close Observers will not wonder Why CIV,
warning 10 young men and cay, "lIcWar
Of lad Company
flnt warn you TO shun the skeplic-
the young man who puts his fingers In ht
Vet and laughs n your old fashioned ~
llfun, aud turns over to some mystery a
The Bible and SAYS Explain that. m,
pion1 friend, explain that" Aud VIII
Gays Nobody shall scare inc. am NO
hlfnl ui the luturc, | used 10 believe h
such things, aud 10 did my father AM
inolhef, bot have got over Il" Yes. n
has fo' over lt and u YOU sii IN his com
pany little longer, YOU will get over Ii
TOO, without presenting ono arpumcn
nfainsi the Christian religion such me
VIII, by Their lccu aud fC0ds aud c,ric1
tnfc1 destroy your respect Tor that rclgio
Which vas the strength ol yolr father /
hia declining yoau, aud thr inflow nf Won
mother when she lay "a. wing Alal
;lme vill come when that u.us,criugy0un
lhhnol Nil have % die, aad 'hcn BIZ al.
moad nng viii cash no splcndor In m
eyct Of Death, as be stands over the couc
waiting ior hs I0ul Those bcautili
locks viii be unc0mbrd upon tho nj
low, and the dying man win saw. .
cannot de- capnH die" beatl
standing ready beside the couch s,,'
you must die, you have only half a mit
ute 10 live, let me have IL light away.
your soul. enc" says the young ipl
del, hero are my gold nugs. and The.
pictures. take them all. mo- ts,
Death, what do / care Tor pictured MOI
soul" Stand back, saws the dying in
del. II will not stand back" saya beat
''ior You have only ten ~ onds nov
live. want your soul" The dying m.
sayr Doris breathe that cold ai into n
face. You crowd me too hard. Il sg,
ting dark In the room. o God" Hush
says Death; ''you said there was no God
pray for me, says tho expiring innl
Too late to Prey" says Death "b