The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-03-26

;luslon that thoy arc obnoxious.
There is nothing more dcpraving than
attendance upon amuscmentS that are
luil or lnnuendO and low suggestion.
Inc young man enters. At first he sits
lar back, with his hat on and his coat
collar up, fearful that somebody there
may know him. Several nights BASS on,
lie takes of his hat earlier, and puts his
coat-collar down. The blush that first
came INTO his cheek when anything mdc-
cent was enacted comes no more to his
check. Farewell, young man! You
have probably started on the lonr road
which ends in cOnsummatc destruction.
The stars ofhopc Will 90 out one by one,
until Jou will be left in utter darkness.
Lear you not the rush OF the macls!rom,
IN wEosc outer circle your boat now
dances, making merry with the whirlmg
waters? But you are being drawn in,
and tho gentle motion will become ter
rllic agitation. You cry for help. In
vain! You pull at the oar to put back,
but tho struggle Will rot avail ! You
Will be tossed, and dashed, and ship
wrecked, and swallowed in the whirlpool
that haS already crushed in its wrath ten
thousand hulks.
l saw beautiful home where the bell
rang violently iatc at night. The son
had been OF III sinful indulgcnccS. His
comrades were bringing him home.
They carried him to the door. They
rang the bell at one O'Clock in the morn
ln%. Father and mother came down.
They were waitn. for the wandering
son, and then the comrades, rs soon as
the door was opened, threw the prod-
gal hcadlong into the doorway, crying.
"Thcrc he is, drunk as q fool. IIa, hap
W hen men go into amuSCmcnts that
they cannot afford, they first borrow
what they CanDOt earn, and then they
steal what they cannot borrow. First
they 90 into embarrassment. and then
INTO lying, and then INTO theft; and when
Il man gets as far on rs that, he does
not stop short Of the pcnitrntiary. There
is not prison in the land where there
arc not victims Of unsanctilicd amuSc-
mCntS.
How brightly the path OF unrCstrainrd
amusement opens. I'hC NOln~ man
says, "Now am on for good time.
Never mind economy. l'll ret money
somehow. What Il fine road. What a
beautiful day for i ride. Crack the
whip. and over the turnpike , Come.
boys, ill hi"h your glasses. Drink ,
Long life, health, plenty of rides lust
IKE this" llard-workinT men hear Tie
rlattcr of the hoots, and look up and
say, "Why, wonder where those lrl-
lows get their money from We have
to toll and drudge. Thcy do nuthiny!'
10 these gay men lilc is a thrill and an
excitement. They stare at other prn-
pie, and in turn arc stared at. The
watchrham iin"lcs. The cup tuams.
The checks flush. The eyes flash. The
midnight hears their outlaw. They
They ,ioStlc decent men on
the sidewalk. They take the name oi
God III vain. They parody the hymn
they learned ut their mothers knee and
to all pictures Of coming disaster they
cry out, "Wh0 cares '" and to the coun-
sc! OF some Christian friend, "Who are
N"u:' Passing along the street some
night. YOU hear Il shrek in a grOg-shop,
the rattle of the watchmur.s club, the
rush OF the police. What Is the matter
NOW: On, .hiS reckless young man has
been killed i'll Il grog-shop FIGHT. Carry
him home 10 his fathers house. Pa
rents will come and wash his wounds.
and close his eyes III death. They iur-
Give him all he ever did, although he
cannuC i'll his silence ask il. The prodi-
cal has cot home at last. Mother will
20 To her little garden, and yet .hc
sweetest flowers. and twist them into a
chaplct for the silent heart OF the way
ward boy, and push back from the
h!Uatrd brow the lOnL locks thai were
once hcrprldc. And the air will be- rrn,
with the agony. The "rcAt drumatSt
says, 'llow ShArpcr than a scrprnt'S
tooth 1t IS TO have Il thauklcsS child.N
30 further, an:! say those are Uu-
christian amuscncnts which become the
chici business OF 4 mans lie. Life is
an earnest thinG. Whether VIC were
born in palace or hovrl whether we
arc ailiucnt or pinchcd, we have TO work.
If you do not sweat with toll. you Will
sweat with disease. You have a soul
that Is to be transIigurcd amidst the
p"mp OF judgment day: and after the
sea has sung its last chant, and the
mountain shall have como down in an
avalanche oi rock, you will live and think
and act. high on q throne where scraphs
sing, or deep i'll a dungeon where demons
howl. Ina world where there is SO
much to do for yourselves. and so much
to do for others. God pity that man who
has nothing to do.
Your sports arc merely means to an
end. They are allcviations and helps.
The arm of toll is the only arm stronw
enough To bring up the bucket out Of .hc
deep we'll OF pleasure. Amusement is
only the bower where business and phi
lmthrOpy rest while on their way to
stirring achievements. Amusemcnts
are merely the vines that grow about the
anvil Al toll, and the blossomnr of the
hammers. Alas! for the man who
spends his illc in laboriouslv doing moth
inc, his days in hunting up loungin.-
places and loungcrs, his nights in seek
ing out some gasliyhtcd toolcry! The
man who always has on his sporting
jacket, ready to hunt for came in the
mountain or fish in the brook. with no
time to pray, or work. or read. is not SO
we'll oil as the greyhound that runs hv
his side, or the fly bait with wh}rh he
whips the stream.
n man who does not work, docs no,
know how to pray. II God had intrn-
UcU lis tO OnOt hiD,r Inf lnu,,b bo v.,,,ll