The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-06
CCHING SUMNER,

The question just now is, "Whcre are you
| going for the SUMMER 1t Is passing strange
that, in many cases, Christians answer this
with as little reference to religion or even
morals as Lot showed when he "pitched his
! tent at Sodom," not for a summer only but
for settlement, because the scenery was at
tractive and the real estate promising.
A hundred dollars or so Of increased sal
cry often brings father to Sodom on the
frontier, with a family Of sons and daugh.
ters, who are likely to repeat the history OF
Lots children, even as he is repeating the
folly of Lot himself. 1t is hard enough to
| be good in the best surroundings, especially
| in Youth, and therefore the choice of home
should have reference to the chances OF
teart-breaks and soul-breaks as to real es-
tate booms,
Lot first mortgaged and then bankrupted
the morals Of his family to secure wealth and
position, both of which he soon lost, and so
much of his scanty righteousness also that
| no one but God could see that be was any
| thing but the ashes Of bu.ned-out saint.
At best he was only "burning flax" that
| gave no light in Sodom, not even enough to
save one soul in his own household. he
| turned bis blind eye to Sodom's morals and
| saw ONLY the suburban land "well-watered
| and fertile and so was wrecked, not only
financially but morally.
1t is pity that pointed sermon on Lots
| folly could not be preached TO every COM
| pany of people moving westward, Where
there is not only the best and worst of land
| to choose from, but also the best and worst
| of moral infences. Why is it that parents
so often forget that it is iaT safer 10 invest in
a home where there is 4 ''schoolhouse on
every hilltop and no saloon in the valley"
| than in one of the Sodoms where the saloon
Is trapping for boys and girls, with state
| protection, al the while?
Abraham chose the place of his encamp-
| mcnt where his family altar would be Sc.
cure. but was more successful even IN land
than Lot. who sacrificed everything for it.
| One can have the best Of land with the best
of morals if he will seek them.
Even in selecting 4 summer home. moral
influences should; not DE ignored, for one
summer may determine who.e career. In
one class of summer resorts. the young men
are solicited to drink and gamble and to
crush conscience by Sunday pleasures AT
one of these resorts, one OF the young men
| being found dead drunk was Laid out" and
surrounded with candles for Il wake" con-
tlucted with drink and laughter. in which
the Christian young ladies shared the laugh
ter. if not the drink.
Thousands Of Christian parents pitch their
tents for the summer at such Sodoms, and
then wonder at the waywardnesI Of their
sons and daughters, and this, too. when they
could have gone to ChautauIua or some OF
the other Christian resorts, refined, healthy,
convenient. where these temptations are rlS-
idly excluded. more natural and not less
iovous recreatiors being substituted.
Let us choose even our summer homes
where our altars will not be destroyed, but
their flames famed to greater strength by
pure fcllowships even in our play: whence
We NAV return. not weary through dissipa-
ton, but strengthened by true recreation.--
rDr. Crafts in Y. NJ. Era.