The Brookhaven leader., 1889-08-01

thirty men and women to look after thcss
poor wounded fellows. As they came,
sone from one part OF the land, soma
from another, no one asked whether this
man was from Oregon, or from Massa-
chusetts, or from Minnesota, or from New
York. There was a wounded soldier, and
the only question was how to take OF the
rags most gently, and put on the baudago
and administer the cordial. Aud whea q
soul comes to Col He does not ask where
you came from CT what your ancestry
was. Healing Cor all your wounds, par
don for all your guilt, comfort for all
your troubles.
Then, also, 1 counsel you, il you want
to get back, TO quit all your bad associa-
. tions. One uuholy intimacy will All your
soul with moral distcmper. In all tho
ages of the churca there has not been An
instance whore nan kept one evil asso'
ciate and was reformed. Among the four
teen huadred millions Of the race not ono
instance. Go home to-day, open yoar
desk, take out letter paper, stamp on en-
velope, and then write letter something
like this:
"My Old Companions-I start this day
for Heaven. Until l ana persuaded you
will join me in this, farewell"
Then sign your name and send the let
ter with the first post. Give up your bad
companions or give up Heaven. 1t is mol
ten bad companions that destroy a man,
nor five bad companions, nor three bad
companions, but one. What chance il;
there for that young mau saw aloGg tho
street, four or five young men with him,
halting in front of grog shop urging
HIM to go IN, he rosistins-violently re
sisting-until after awhile they forced
him to 60 in? 1t was a summer night an !
the door was left open, and 1 saw tho
process. They held him fast, and the Y
put the cup to his lips, and they forcei
down the strong drink. What chance is
there for such q young man?
| counsel you also seek Christian adj
vice. Every Christian man is bound TO
help you. First of all, seek God; then
seek Christian counsel. Gather up all the
energies of body, mind and soul aud, ap-
pealing to God for success, declare this
day everlasting war against ell drinking
habits, all gambling practices, all hogsea
of sin. Half-aud half work will amount
to nothing; it m1st be a Waterloo,
Shrink back now and you are lost
Push on and you are saved
A Spartan General fell at thf
very moment of victory, but ht
dipped his finger in his own blood and
wrote on a rock near which he was dy
ing, Sparta has Conquered" Though
your struggle to get rid Of sin may seem
to be almost a death struggle, you can
dip your fager in your owl blood aud
write on the Rock of Ages: "Virtory
through our Lord Jesus Christ" Oh,
what glorious news it would be for some
of these young men to send home to their
parents. They so to the post-ofIlce every
day or two to sec whether there are any
letters from you. How anxious they are
to hear.
Some one said to a Grecial Generals:
"What was the proudest moment in your
lifeE" He thought a moment, and said:
'"Fhe proudest moment in my life wa7
when | sent word home to my parents
that had gained the victory" And the
proudest and most brilliant moment in
your life will be the moment when you
can send word to your parents that you
have conquered your evil habits by tho
grace OF God and become eternal victor.
On, despise not parental anxiety! The
neither father nor mother, and You viii
go around the place where they usel to
watch you and find them gone from tho
house. and gone from the field, and gone
from the Heighborhood. Cry as load for
forgiveness as you may over tho mouul
in the churchyard, they will not answer.
Dead! Dead! And tAen you viii take ont
the white lock of hair tlat was cut from
your mothers brow just before they buried
her, and you will take the cane with
which your father used to walk, and yoa
will think and think and wish that you hal
done Just as they wanted you to and
would give the world if you had never
thrust pang through their dear old
hearts.
God pity the poor young man who has
brought disgrace ol his fathers name!
God pity the young man who has broken
his mothers heart! Better if he had
never been born-bot,or II, in tho first
hour Of his life, instead of being laid
against the warm bosom of maternal
tenderness, he had been cOfined and
sepulchered. There is no balm powerful
enough to heal the heart Of one who has
brought parents to a sorrOWlul grave and
who wander about through the dismal
cemetery, rending the hair and Wriuging
the hands and crying: "Mother! motherw
Oh that o-day, by all the memories Of
the past and by all the hopes OF the future
you wou}d yield your heart to Godl Ma
your fathers God and your mothers Go
be your God forever!