Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-05-20


may be the sinful offers of the world, though
rich and luxurious as the provision OF the
kings table, We must be willing TO refuso
them IL nothing be left Us but plain pulse
Oh, how We want the faith and courage OF a
Daniel and Paul, but how we dread the
hot atuozphere Of trial, in which their
graces rpened. The richest fruits of re-
ligion grow in the su,try tropics OF trial. II
you want pearls you must dive for them. IL
you want gold you must dig for 1t. The
richest parts Of California AMI Australia ara
under ground. Depend upon it II no prun-
iug, no fruit; no climbing, no elevation; no
battle, no victory; no cross. no crown. Had
there been no NebuchldneZzar, there would
have been no Daniel. Even so it has been in
all ages. The flames that have flashed up
from the stake have been so many llumina-
tions of Christii II Triumph.
When God would make a great light OF
truth and holiness in the world, he often
takes great prosecutions and with them
strikes fire. The DEVILS hate is Gods glory,
Had it not been for the prosecutions Of EN-
peror Vslerian the world would not have
known OF tue courage of a Cypriau, and if
the tyranny OF Diecletiau hid never been
known, the triumphant grace would not have
been seen which made MaIimilian, when
sentenced to death, eIclaim God bs
praised Had not the bandits Of Piedmont
pursued the Waldenses through the valley
of the Alps, and the iufuriate decree put to
massacre the Albigenses OF France, the world
would have hal fewer illustrations OF Chris.
tian heroism. BE Joseph before Pharaoh.
Be Paul tefora Felix. Be Daniel before
Darius
Again let the story of Daniel teach us the
beauty OF that youthful character which re.
malus unblemished and upright when away
from home. Hal Daniel on arriving in
Babylon, plungel into every excess his
friends in Jerusalem would never have heard
OF it, His dissipation aud renuncl ton OF
religion would not have cast one sorrow on
the family hearth where ne had lived or tho
old family Bible which he used to read. But,
though far away from home, he knew that
COTS oye watched him and that Was
enonEh. 1t is not every young man who
maintains the same character when absent
TINT was maintaiue at home.
Frederick watching his fathers shoep
among the hills or thrashing rye In tho barn
is far different from Frederick on tho Stock
Exchange. How often does tho kind, retr.
ing spirit become bold etfrontery. and tho
accommodating, self sacrificing disposition
once exhibited among brothers and sisters
becomes q cold and urresponsiye sclhshness,
aud econo ny, wastefuiness and open handed
charity, tight hstod Ctingtness, and tho
keeping OF good hours is changed TO mid.
night rcvelry.
probably address young men now, dis
tant from their fathers houss, and others
who, still under the parental roof look for.
ward to a time when they will depart alona
10 conflict with the world and among stran.
gers be called to build up characters for
themselves. Happy for you, oh, young
man, il you shall, like Joseph, be the same
when living with wicked Pharaoh as with
pious Jacob, or Daniel as pure in Babylon as
in Jeru "a lem. There IL no passage in mans
lie OF more thrilling interest taan the day
in which he leaves home and goes of to seek
his fortune The novelty and romance con.
noctei with the departure may keep the
young man from any poignant sorrow hut
parents, who have seen the destruction
among strangers OF thos, who wore con.
sideret promising youths, cannot help feel
ing that this step Is full OF momentous i'm
portance Before the youth left home all bis
conduct was under GTrctionate guardian
ship
Outbursts of folly, careleSness and i'm
proprietv of manner and looseneSs OF speech
were kindly repr0ve', aud although the re-
straiut seemed sometimes too severe yet
hours Of sober reflection have convinced
him that it was sRlutary and righteous But
behold how the scsue changes. The father,
through the intercce1ing of metropolitan
friends hls secured the son a place in some
bank or store or otlc2. Schoolmates, on the
night before his departure como TO take
taeir farewell of the young adventurer.
That morning he takes a last walk around
the old pla,,, and going past some loved spot
a sly tear may start but no one sess it. The
trunk is on the carriage, and after warm
Goodby away they spe ID over the hills. Set
down nmil cxctemeuts and among com.
panions not overscrupulous as to their words
or deSds temptations troop around tho
stranger. The morning comes, but no fami-
ly altar, and the Sabbath, butt no real quiet,
and perhaps at the sanctuary the faces are
all strange and no Que cares whe ther he
goes to church or whether ho docs not 60.
Long winter evenings arrive, and how shall
they be spent' On mis- way home from his
place OF business he saw flaming placards
announcing rare performances and that this
was positively the last night
At the door of his cherries boarding.
house no one greetS him, and the evening
meal is insipi1. for no ono csres whether he
eats or does not eat. The room In the third
story that evening seems doeful and repe!.
ling. A book suatched up from tho stand
| proves to be dull, for no sister Is there to
look over with him. In despair he rushes
out, reckless as to where he goes II only he
can see something to make him stop think
| ing. That night may be the turning point in
his history Once within the fatal circle ot
| sin, and the soul has no power to repel 1t. On
| that dark sea he is launched, where the
CLEAN of Joy is only the fash Of the pit and
the roar OF laughter is only tho creaking of
! the gates Of the lost.
In many a country churchyHrd Is now
the grave of some youthful spirit that went
away 1.-THE and bounding, but came home
diseased and crushed and blasted TO disgrace
| the sepulcher OF his fathers. Yet this exo-
dus must be made. AS from far distant hills
! rivers find their way through tunnels to
great cities. SO from far distant points of the
country it is necessary that stroam OF un-
corrupted population shall pour into our
great thoroughfares to keep them puro and
manage the traffic Of the world, Muttudos
of such are constantly making their depar-
ture from home.
Tomorrow morning all OF the thorough
fares leading toward the great cities OF our
land, on steamboat and rail car, there will
DO young adventurers for the first speeding
away from their homes in order to try their
fortune in town. Tho Lord stretch forth
His arm for the deliverance OF these Daniels
away down in Babylon. Wherever your
lot may be cast in far inland town or 10
some great seaport, maintain In your absence
the same principles OF morals and roligion
which may have been instilled by parental
solicit ude.
And while you may feel in your heart and
lie the advantages OF early religious culture
forget not those TO whom you are chiefly in
debted, and pray that as age comes upon
them and the night of death begins to fal
in their pathway, the hope Of heaven may
beam through the darkness, lustrous anC
steady as the evening star. The Lord for
bid that by our conduct we should ever brinG
disgrace on fathers name or prove re-
creant to the love of n mother. The poe
did not exaggerRte when he exclaimed:
How sharper than serpenps tooth, 1t lis,
To have thankess child.