The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-23

III doSoCidIiOuS InuC WOulu uamaSo your
Christian character. Take only those |
associations that will help you. A
learned man said, eff stay with that
man Fenelon any longer l shall be
Christian in spite Of myself" Iu other
words, there is a mighty power in
Christian ASSOCIATIONS. Now, what
l<nd OF associations shall wo, as young
seek after? think we ought
to get into company better than our
selves, never going into company worse
than ourselves. If we get into company
a little better than ourselves, and there
are ten people in that company, ten
chances to one we will bo bettered. If
we get into company little worse than
ourselves, and there be ten people in
that company, ten chances to one we
will be made worse than we were before.
Now. when a young Christian enters
the church, God does no ask him to re-
tire from the world. The anchorlte that
lives on acorns is no nearer heaven
than the man who lives on partridge
and wild duck. Isolation is not demand. :.
ed by the Bible. A man may use the
world with the restriction Ofnot abusing
IL. But just as soon as you find any
surroundings pcrniciOus to your spiritual
interest, quit those associations. This
remark is espically more appropriate
to the young. Now it is impossible
that the young and untroublcd should
seek their associations with those who
arc aged and worn out.
AS GCd inter ded the aged to associ-
ate with the aged, talking over the past
and walking stan in hand long the
same paths they trod thirty, forty and
lltty years ago, so suppose he intended
the young chiefly to associate with the
young. The grace of God does not de-
mand that we be unnatural. do not
want you to take this caution l have
gwen you us that Of a growing msan-
lhrope, hating hilarity. For you must
have spring bow if you want to make
the arrow fly. But while this is so. |
want you to be especially Oh guard in
this matter and let the religion of Jesus
Christ control you in all your associa-
tious.
LII this church there is large COM
pany OF young men and Young women
consecrated to Christ. | know of no
better people than they are. Young
convert, l invite you into their friend
ship. Contact with them Will elevate
YOU. All hail, young followers OF Jesus
Christ, my joy and my pride! MY
heart thrills at every step OF your ad.
sanccment. l talked with you in that
hour when you first tried to break from
SIN, and | now rejoice as | see you put
ting on the armor of q conflict in which
God will give you present and everlast-
ing victory. Stand Off from all evil as
socaions. A man is no better than
the company lie keeps. Go among
those who are better than YOU are, and
you will be made better. Go among
those who are worse than you are and
You Will be made worse.
My next word OF counsel is that YOU
be actively employed. | see a great
many Christians with doubts aud per
plcNlties, and they seem to be proud of
them. Their entire Christian life is
made up Of gloom, and they seem to
cultivate that spiritual despondency.
when l will undertake to saw Tint in
nlne cases out of ten spiritual despOn-
dency is judgment of God upon idle
ness. Who are the happy peoplc in
the church today? The busy people.
Show me man who processes Che re-
llSion OF Jesus Christ and Is idle, and l
VIII show you an unhappy man. The
L
man when | find him full of doubts and
lears about hls eternal interest Is to go
TO work tor God. Ten thousand voices
are lllted up asking for your help. Go
aGd help.
Here ls wood iull Ofsumme. insects.
An aXman goes into the wood to cut
lirewo0d. The insects do not bother
nm very much, and every stroke OF the
AK makes them fly away. But lie. Il
man go and he down there and he is
bitten and mauled and thinks it is a hor.
rlble thing to stay in the wood. Why
does he not take an ak and 90 to work?
so there are thousands of Christians
now in the church who 90 out amid
great ann0yances in life-theY are not
they arc all the time busy:
while there are Others who do nothing,
and they are stung and stung and stuny |
and covered from head to foot with the |
blotchcs Of Incidence and inactivity md |
spiritual death.
The lirst thing, then, you have to do,
y CHRISTIAN young man, Christian Young |
woman, ls to go to work in the service
ol the Lord if You want to be a happv
Chrlsllan. When an army goes out,
mere are always stragglcrs falling of
mere and there, some because they are
alnt and sick, but great many because
.hcy are afraid to fight and too lazy to
march. Alter awhile the lazy men on
.he road hear the booming Of the guns
or hours, and they hear the shout OF
victory, and man on horseback comes
lp and says, 1--WE have won the daynr
hoh theY hastenup. How brave they
IRE after the battle is over. Poor at
Lighting, but grand at "huzza!" So
here are stragglers going after the
-olds host. There come days Of dark
less aod battle. Where are they? We
'all the roll OF the host. They make
10 answer, but after awhile there comes
day OF triumph in the churc and they
'rc all about. ''lIuzza! huzza! Didn't
sc give 1t to thcm!"
l have another word of counsel 70
,lve those who have Just entered Chris
ian life, and that Is, BE faithful in pray
er. You mi kht as we'll, business man,
start out in the morning without food
md expect to be strOnv oil tbot dow