Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-22

pxniei On arriving In Babylon psmgeo
into every excess his friends in Jeru-
salem would nss<k have heard 1t IT.
His dissipation and rsnuncAation ct re-
lgion would not have cast one sorrow
On the family hearth where he had lived
or the old family Bible which he used
TO read Bur, though tar sway from
home. he knew thai Gods eye watched
him and thai was enough. II y not
every young man who maintains tie
same character when shssut that VS.
maintained at home.
Frederick watching hs father's sheep
among the hills or thrashing rye In the
barn Is far different from Frederick on
tho Stock exchange. How often does
the kind, retiring spirit become bold
effroutery. and the accommodating. self
sacrificing disposition once exhibited
among brothers and sisters becomes =
cold and unresponsive selhshnass, and
economy. wastefulness, and opened hand
ed charity, tight listed stinginess. and
the keeping OF good hours u changed
inho midnight rsvelry.
probably address young men now
distant from their fathers house, and
others who, still under the parental
roof, look forward TO time when they
viii depart alone to confiict with tho
world and among strangers be called to
build up characters for themselves.
Happy for you, oh, young man. II you
shall, like Joseph, be tho Same when
living with the wicked Pharaoh - with
pious Jacob, or Daniel as pure tn Baby
lon ~ In Jerusalem. There Is no pas
sago in . mans life of moro thrilling in
terest than the day in which no leaves
home and goes Of TO seek his fortune.
The novelty and romance connected
with the departure may keep the young
man from any poignant sorrow, but
parents, who have seen the destruction
among strangers Of those who were con-
sidered promising youths, cannot help
feeling that this step is full Of momen-
t0us importance. Before tho youth left
homo all his conduct was under affec-
tomato guardianship. Outbursts Of
folly, carelessness and impropriety Of
manner and looseness Of speech were
kindly reproved, and although tho re-
straint seemed sometimes too severe,
yet hours of sober reflection have con-
vinced him that it was salutary and
righteous. But behold, how the scene
changes.
The father, through tho interceding
Of metropolitan friends, has secured the
son place in some bank or store or Of
Zee. Schoolmates on the night before
his departure como to take their fare
we'll OF the young adventurer. That
morning he takes q last walk around
the old place, and going past some loved
spot . ally tear may start, but no one
sees it. The trunk 10 on the carriage,
and after . warm goodby away they
speed over the hills. Set down amid ex-
citements and among companions not
prescriptions a. to their words or
deeds, temptations troop around the
stranger.
The morning comes. but no family
altar, and the Sabbath, but no real
quiet, and perhaps at the sanctuary the
faces are all strange and no ono cares
whether he goes to church or whether
he does not go. Long winter evenings
arrive and how shall they DO spents On
his 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 in
sipid, for no one cares whether he eats
or does not eat. The room in the third
story that evening seems doleful and
repelling. A book snatched up from
the 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 il only he can zee some.
thing that will make him stop thinking.
That night may be the turning point in
his history. Once within the fatal circle
of sin and the soul has no power to re.
pei it. On that dark sea he Is launched,
where the CLEAN Of JOY is only the fash
of the pit and the roar Of laughter il
only the creaking Of the gates of the
lost.
SAD WRECKS OF WICKED YOUTH.
In many country churchyard 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 exodus must be made. AS from
| far distant hills rivers find their way
through tunnels to great cities, 30 from
far distant points of the country it Is
necessary that a stream Of uncorrupted
population shall pour into our great
thoroughfares to keep them pure and
manage the traffic Of the world. Multi
tudes of such are constantly making
their departure from home.
! Tomorrow morning all Of tho thor
oughfares leading toward the grea,
cities Of our land, on steamboat and raj
car, there will be young Adventures 70
the first speeding away from thei
homo in order to try their fortune Il
town. The Lord stretch forth his arm
for the deiiverance of these Daniel
away down in Babylon. Whereve
your lot may be cast--in far inlans
town or in some great seaport--main
tain in your absence the same principle
Of morals and religion which may hav
been instilied by parental solicitude.
And while you may feel in your hear
and life the advantages of early religion
culture. forget not those to whom yo'
are chiefly indebted and pray that q
age comes upon them and the night o
death begins TO fall on their pathwa,
the hope Of heaven may beam througl
the darkness. lustrous and steady ~ tn
evening star. The Lord forbid that b.
our conduct we should ever bring dis