The Bossier banner., 1892-08-18


at last comes into the harbor of Heaven.
1t will come bearing upon it the marks
of great stress of weather. You can
see by the very looks of that soul
as it comes into glory that it was
driven by storm and dashed in the
hurricane; but by SO much as the voy-
age is rough, will the harbor be
blessed. eff we suffered with Him on
earth, ye shall be glorifed with Him in
Heaven" Aim high. Do not be salts
fed to be like the Christians all around
about You. Be more than they have
ever been for Christ. An old Arabian
king was showing beautiful sword
that had been given him, when one of
his courtiers said: "This sword is too
short. You can not do anything with
it." Said the kings son: ''To brave
man no sword is too short. If it be too
short take one step in advance, and
then it is long enough" So l say to
any Christian who may feel that he has
poor weapons with which to fight
against sin and darkness and death:
Advance upon the enemy. In the
strength of Christ go forward. God is
for you, and if God be for you, who
can be against you? Rememb er that
God never puts you in battle but He
gives you weapons with which to
fight"
My second word of counsel to those
who have recently entered upon Chris
tian life is: Abstain from all pernicious
associations, and take only those that
are useful and benefcent. Stay out of
all associations that would damage
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
get to be Christian in spite of my
self" In other words, there is a
mighty power in Christian associa-
tions Now, what kind of associations
shall we, as young Christians, seek
after? l think we ought to get in COM
pany better than ourselves, never go
ing into company worse than ourselves.
If we get into company little better
than ourselves, and there are ten peo-
pie in that company, ten chances to one
company little worse than ourselves,
and there be ten people in that COM
pany, ten chances to one we will be
made worse than we were before.
Now, when young Christian enters
the church, God does not ask him to
retire from the world. The anchorite
that lives on acorns is no nearer Heaven
than the man who lives on partridge
and wild duck. Isolation is not de-
manded by the Bible. A man may use
the world with the restriction of not
abusing it. But just as soon as you
find any surroundings pernicious to
your spiritual interest, quit those asso-
Citations. This remark is more espe-
cially appropriate to the young. Now
it is impossible that the young
and untroubled should seek their
associations with those who are
aged and worn out. AS God in
tended the aged to associate with the
aged, talking over the past and walk
ing staff in hand along the same paths
they trod thirty, forty and fifty years
ago, sol suppose He intended the young
chiefly to associate with the young
The grace of God does not demand that
we be unnatural. / do not want you
to take this caution l have given you as
that of growing misanthrope, hating
hilarity. For you must have a spring
bow if you want to make the arrow fly.
But while this is so, want you to be
especially on guard in this matter. and
let the religion of Jesus Christ control
you in all your associations. know
young people who have meant well
enough, but they have fioated off into
evil influences, and they have associated
day by day with those who hated God
and despised His commandments, and
their characters are all depleted | can
see they are changed for the worse, but
they are not aware of it. o young
man, come out of that bad association.
| do not know what it is. do not know
to what place You may have private
key. do not know to what place you
go without the sanction of those who
love you very much. ! do not pre-
tend to point out any evil influences,
but are there not some surrounding in
iAuShOoo oide dlc pSIHlClOuS TO your
growth in grace? Stand back from
that furnace in which so many Young
Christians have been destroyed. In
this church there is large company Of
young men and young women conse-
Grated to Christ. I know of no better
people than they are. Young convert,
l invite you into their frienship. Con-
tact 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 advancement.
talked with you in that hour when YOU
first tried to break from sin, and now
rejoice as I see you putting on the
armor of a conflict in which God will
give you present and everlasting VIC
tory. Stand off from all evil associa-
tions. A man is no better than the
company he 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. I see a great
many Christians with doubts and per-
plexities, and they seem to be proud of
them. Their entire Christian life is