The Forrest City times., 1891-03-20

l 60 further, and say those arc uuchris- tan amusements which becomo the chiof business of mans life Life is an earnest thing. Whether we were born in . palace or hovel; whether VIC arc afiuent or pinched, VIC havc to work If you do not sweat with toll, you will sweat with dis ease. You have soul that is to Do trans figured amidst the pomp of . judgment day; and after the sea has sung It's last chant and tho mountain shall havo come down in an avalanche of rock, you will live and think and act, high on throne where seraphs sing, or deep in dungeon where demons howl In 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 ts an cad. They are alleviations and helpS Tho arm of toll is the only arm strong enough to bring up the bucket out of tho deep well of pleasure. Amusement Is only the bower where business and philanthropy rest whilo on their way to stirring achieve ments. Amusements arc merely tho vines that grow about the anvil of toll. and the blo.soming of the hammers. Alas for the man who spends his life in laboriously doing nothing, bis days in hunting up lounging- places and loungers, his nights in seeking out some gas-lighted fooleryi The man who always has on his sporting jacket, ready to hunt for gamc in tho mountain or fish in the brook, with no time to pray, or work, or read, Is not as well of as the greyhound that runs by his side, or the fly bait with which he whips the stream.
 A man who does not work docs not know how to play. If God had intended us to do nothing but laugh, he would not havo given us shoulders with which to lift, and hands with which to work, and brains witklhich to think. Tho amusements of life merely tho orchestra playing whilo the great tragedy of life plunges through its five scts-infsncy, childhood, manhood, old age, and death. Then exit tho last earthly opportunity. Enter the over whelming realities of an eternal world
 l go further. and say that all thosc amusements arc wrong which leod into bad company. If you SO to any place where you havo to associate with the incorporate, with the unclean, with tho abandoned, however well they may be dressed, in tho name of God quit 1t, They will despol your nature. They will under mine your moral character. They will drop you when you are destroyed. They will not give one cent to support your children when you arc dead. They will weep not one tear at your burial. They will chuckle over your damnation.
 Again: Any amusement that gives you a distaste for domestic life is bad. How mary bright domestic circles have been broken up by sinful amusements The father went of, the mother wont of. tho child went off, There arc today the frag mcnts before mo of blasted households. Oh, If you have wandered away, 1 would like to charm you back by the sound of that one word "home." Do you know that you have but little moro time to give to dome.- tic welfare? Do you not see, father that your children arc soon 10 so out into the world, and all tho influence fer good you are to have over them you must have now? Death will break In on your conjug.l rela- tions. and alas, if you have to stand over the grave of one who perished from your neglect!
 l saw wsyward husband standing at the death bed of his Christian wife. and saw her point to q ring on her finger, and heard her say to her husband. Do you sec that ring?' He replied, "Yes, see it" Well" sho said. do you remember who put it thcre?" "Ycs," said he. II put it there" and all the past seemed to rush upon him. By the memory of that day when, in the presence of men and angels, you promised to be faithful in joy and sor- row, and in sickness and in health; by the memory of those pleasant hours when you sat together in your new home talking Of a bright future; by the cradle and the joyful hour when one life was spared and another t~ tai, f,.>l rk,y, lifted up the hands and called for help and you knew he must die, and he put ono arm around each of your necks and brought you very near together in that dying kiss; by the little grave in Greenwood that you never think of without g rush of tears; by tao family Bible, where amidst stories of heavenly love. is the brief but expressive record of births and deaths; by the neglects of the past and by the ascnies Of the future; by a judgment-day, when husbands aud wives, parents and children. in immor- tai groups, will stand to be caught up in shining array. or to shrink down into dark ness; by all that, beg you to give to homo your best affections
 An my friends, there Is m hour coming when our past life will probably pass before us in review. It will bc our last hour. If from our death pillow wo have to look back and see a lfe spent in sinful amusement, there will be dart that will strike through our soul sharper than the dagger with which V.rgiuius slew his child. The memory of tho past will mako us quake like Macbeth. The inlquities and rloting through which we have passed will come upon Us. weird and skeleton as Meg Merrillies. Death, the old Shylock, will demand. and take. the remaining pound of flesh, and the remaining drop of blood; and upon our last portunity for repentance and our last chance for Eeaven tue curtain wIu forever urvp.