Connecticut western news., 1891-12-17
SHARES FOR WEAK MEN.
OR. TALMAGE BREACHES AT ANN AR BOR ON NETS FOR THE SOUL.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Dec. l3. Our l citizens ill large numbers have avaied themselves of the opportunity of hear ing Dr. Talmage, who is visiting the 1 city by invitation of the students of the university. Last night a vast audience 1 greeted the famous Brooklyn preacher at his lecture. and this evening, when he was announced to preach a special sermon to young men, there was no ] building in the city that would accom- modate all who wanted to hear him. His text was Proverbs i, l7, Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird"
 Early in the morning l went ouf with fowler to catch wild pigeons We Lastened through the mountain l gorge and into the forest We spread out the net. and covered up the edges of it as we'll as we could. We ar ranged the call bird, it's feet fast and it's wings Tapping, in invitation to all | fowls of heaven to settle down there. We retired into a booth of branches and leaves and waited.
 After awhile, looking out of the door of the booth, we saw flock of birds in the sky They came nearer and nearer, and after awhile were about to swoop into the net, when suddenly they darted away. Again we waited After awhile we saw another flock of birds They came nearer and nearer until just at l tl,1. xvl,on oL <o swoop they darted away.
 The fowler was very much disap- pointed as we'll as myself. We said to each other. What is the nlatter2" and Why were not these birds cauglt?" We went out and examined the net. and by d fiutter of d branch of a tree part of the net had been conspicuously exposed, and the birds coming very near had seen their peril and darted away When saw that, l said to tln 1 old fowler, That reminds me of a passage of Scripture, Surely in vain is tlIe net spread in the sight of any bird " Now, the net in my text stands for temptation.
 The call bird of sin tempts men on l Iioll p%lllt to punt anu Olu to branch until they are about to drop into the net. If man finds out in time that it is the temptation of the devil, or that evil men are attempting to capture his soul for time and for eter nity. the man steps back. He says, Fl an not to be caught in that way; | see what you are about; surely in vail l iC tln i,, fho cirr If bird v
 THE SUBrLETY OF THE DEVIL.
 There are two classes of temptations - tile superficial and the subterraneous ] those above ground, those under ground. If man could see sin as it is he would no more embrace it than he ! would embrace a leper Sin is a daugh ter of hell, yet she is garlanded and i robed and trinketed. Her voice is a warble Her cheek is the setting sun. Her forehead is an aurora She says to men: Come, walk this path with me; it is tlvmed and primrosed, and the air is bewitched with the odors of the hanging gardens of heaven; the l rivers are rivers of wine, and all you ] have to dois to drin! them up in chal ices that sparkle with diamond and amethyst and chrysoprasus See! It is all bloom and roseate cloud and heaven"
 Oh my friends, if for one moment the clloring of all these concerted voices of sill could be hushed we should see the orchestra of the pit with hot breath blowing through fiery flute, and the skeleton arms on drums of thunder and darkness beating the chorus, "The end thereof is death."
 l want to point out the insidious temptations that are assailing more es pecially our young men. The only kind of nature comparatively free from temptation, so far ;ts l can judge, is the cold. hard, stingy, mean temperament. What would Satan do with such man if he got hims Satan is not anxious to get d man who after awhile may dis pute with him the realm of everlasting meanness It is the generous young man. the warm hearted young man, the social young man that is in espe ciaI peril. A pirate goes out on the sea, and one bright morn; ,g he puts the glass to his 1 eye and looks off, and sees an empty vessel floating from port to port. He ] says Never Inind that's no prize for us But the same morning he puts i the glass to his eye, and he sees a vessel coming from Australia laden with gold, or vessel from the Indies laden with spices He says. That's our prize; bear down on itl" Across that unfor 1 tunate ship the grappling hooks are i thrown. Tic crew are bIindfolded and are compellt to walk the plank. It is not the eu. ty vessel, but the laden 1nerchantlnan that is the temptation to the pirate.
 And a young man, empty of head, empty of heart, empty of life--you want no Young Mems Christian association to keep him safe; he is safe. He will not gamble unless it is with somebody else's stakes. He will not break the Sabbath unless somebody else pays the horse hire He will not drink unless some one else treats him. He will hang around the bar hour after hour wait ing for some generous young man to come ill. The generous young man comes ill and accosts him and says. Well. will you have drink with nIe today?' The man. as though it were a sudden thing for him, says, Well well, if you insist on it, l will will. l."
 Too mean to go to perditiOn unless somebody else pays his expenses? For such young men we will not fight. We would no more contend for them than Tartary and Ethiopia would fight as to