Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-06-18
madesten fortunes.

| hdrD0Cs0 or heaven. 1t Will come Oear2nS
uponsit the marks of q great stress Of
weather. You can see by the very looks
Of that.so MS it comes into glory that
it was driven by storm and dashed in
thehurricane. but by SO much as the
voyage; is rough, will the harbor be
blessed. s"Tf ye suffered with him
on earth, We shall be glorihed with him
in.lleayen" Aim high. Do not be sat
isfed to be like the Christians all around
YOU Be more than they have ever been
forChrist,
Anold Arabian king was showing u
beautiful sword that had been given
him, when one of his courtiers said:
"This sword is too short. You cannot
do anything with it." Said the kings
son: To q brave man no sword is too
short. fit be too short, take one step
! in advance, and then it is long enough. ;"
So rsay to any Christina who may feel
that he has poor-wGlpons with which to
fight against sin: and darkness and death:
"AdYance upon the enemy In tho
strength OF Christ go forward. God is
for you, and if God I've for you, who can
be against your Remember that God
never. puts you in battle, but he gives
you weapons with which to 6gl:s."
POWER OF CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
My second word of counsel to those
who have recently entered upon Christian
life is, Abstain from all pernicious asso-
Citations, and take only those that are
useful und benelicent. Stay out Of all
associations that would damage your
Christian character. Take only those as
sociations that will help you. A learned
man said. IF stay with that NAH Fene-
lon any longer. shall get to be Chris
tain in spite Of myself" III other words
there is mighty power in Christian as
sociations. Now Whit kind OF associil-
tons shall we, rs young Christians. seek
after? I.think we ought to getinto COM
pany better than ourselves never going
into company worse than ourselves. If
we get into company IL little better than
ourselves and there are ten people i'll
that company, ten chances to one we will
| lie bothered. IF we get into company Il
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 n young Christian enters
the church. God does not ask him to re-
tire from the world The anchorite that
lives on acorns is no nearer heaven than
the MIN who lives on partridge and wild
duck. Isolation is not demanded by tho
Bible. A man may uso the world with
the restriction of not abusing it. But
Just us soon Us you find any surroundings
pemicious TO your spiritual interest, quit
those associations. This remark is more
especially appropriate To tho young. Now
it is impossible tnat the young and un-
troubled should seek their associations
with those who are aged and worn out.
As God intended the aged to associate
with the aged. talking over the past and
walking steff in hand along the same
paths.they trol cthirty.sforty and fifty
years ago, so ! suppose he intended the
young chiefly to associate withthc young:
/: lrlaagrace 81; G Cd docs, not demand that
We I've unnatural. l Go not want yon to
take this caution have given you as
that OF IL growing nlisanthrope, hating
hilarity. For yon must nave d spring
bow IL YOU want to make the arrow Gy.
But while this is so, want yon to be es-
pecially on guard in this matter, and let
the religion of Jesus Christ control you
in all your associations. know young
reoplc who have meant well enough, but
they have toated off into evil influences,
ard they have associated day by day with
those who hatcd God and despise his
commandments. and tieir,characters are
ell depleted. can see they are changed
for the worse. but they are not aware of
it. Oh, 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 10
what place you go without the sanction
of those who love you very much.
lido not pretend to point out any evil
Influences but are there not some sur
rounding Influences that are pcrnicious
oyour growth in grace? Stand back
from that furnace in which so many
Young Christians have been destroyed.
In this church there is a large company
of yonng mon and young women con-
secrated to Christ know of no better
than they are.
Young convert, invite you into their
friendship. Contact with them will ele-
vate you. All hail. young followers of
Jesus Christ, my JOY and my pridel My
heart thrills at every step Of your ad-
vanccmen:. talked with You in that
hour when you most tried to break from
rim, and now rejoice as see you put
ting on the armor of conflict in which
God will give you present and everlast-
ing victory. Stand off from all evil as
tociations. A man is no better than the
company he keeps. Go among those
who are better than yon are, and you
will be mado better. Go among those
who are worse than You are and you
will be made worse.
BE BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL.
MY next word of counsel is that you
DO actively employed. see a great
many Christians with doubts and per
plexities, anu they seem to be proud of
them. Their entire Christian life Is
made up of gloom, and they seem to
cultivate that spiritual dependency.
when will undertake to say that in
nine cases out of ten spiritual despond-
cncy is " judgment of God upon idle
ness. Who are the happy people i'll the
church today? The busy people. Show
me man who processes the religion OF
Jesus Christ and is idle, and will show
you an unhappy man. The very first
prescription that I give to q man when
| / find him full Of doubts and fears about
Ills eternal interest is to go to work for
God. Ten thousand voices are lifted up