The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-20

"''Ciou' never prayer OlISreQ, never
Christlan almsgiving indulged In
but 1t Is blessed.
There is Il place in Switzerland, |
have been tod, where the utterance OF
one word will bring back Il score of
echoeS, and L have to tell YOU thS morn
ing that sympathetic word, a kind
word, generous word, u helpful WORD,
uttered in the dark places of the town,
viii bring back ten thousand echoes
from all the thrones OF heaven.
Are there in this asSemblage this
morning those who know by expert
ence the ira agedies Of mlgnight in town? /?
am not here to thrust you back with
one hard word. Take the bandage
from your bruised soul and put on it
lhe soothing Salve of ChriSt's gospel
and God'a compassion. MANY have
como. | sec others coming 70 Goi this
morning tired Of the sinful life. CRY
up the news to heaven. Set all the bells
ringing. Spread the banquet under the
arches. Let the crowned heads come
down and sit at the jubilee.
tell you there is more delight in
heaven oNei one man that get reformed
by the grace of God than over ninety
ana nlhe that never got off the track.
could give YOU the history in a min
ute OF one of the best friends | ever
had. Outside Of my own family,
never had Il better friend. lie vel
coined me to my home ut the west. lie
was OF splendid persouHl appearance,
ana he had an ardor Of soul and II
warmth OF affection that made IN love
him like Il brother.
saw men coming ont Of the saloons
ana gambling hells, aud they surround
ed my friend, and they took hln at the
weak point, his social nature. and [
saw him going down, and | had Il fair
talk with him-fOr never yet saw a
man you could not talk with on the
subject OF his habits if you talked with
hlm III the right way. | said to him,
"Why dont you give up your bad hab
its and become a Christian?" | re-
member now just how be looked, lean
! ing over his counter, as he replied: 81
wish | could. on, sir, | should like to
be Christian, but | have gone so far
aStray can't get back
So the time went on. After awhile
the day Of sickness came was sum.
mOned to his sick bed. | fastened. it
| took me but very few moments to
get there. | was surprised as | went in.
| | saw nm IN his ordinary clothes, full
" dressed, lying on the top Of the bed.
gave him my hand, and he seized it
convulSively and said: "Oh, how glad
am to see you. Sit down there" sat
down, and he said: "Mr. Talmage, lust
where you sit now my mother sat last
night. She has been dead 20 years.
Now, don't want you to think | am
out OF my mind, or That | am Supersti-
tlouS; but, sir she sat there last night
Just aS certainly aS you sit there now
the same cap and apron and spectacles
1t was my old mOther-She sat there"
Then he turned to his vile and said:
~ wish You wOIld take these strings
OIL the bed. Somebody is wrapping
strings around me all the time. | wish
You would stop that annoyance" She
said, "there Is nothing here" Then |
saw 1t was dciirium. lie said: "Just
where you sit now my mother sat, and
she said, 'ltoSwell, | wish you would do
| hrtter-l wish you would do better.
said: 'MOthrr. | wish | could DO better.
try to do better. but cant. Mother,
| you used to help me; why can't you
help me now:' And, sir, got out of
ned, for 1t was reality, ana | went to
her and threw my arms around her
neck, and | said, Mother, | will do bet
ter bnt you must help-I cant do this
alone. knel 1t down and prayed. That
night his soul went to the Lord that
made il.
Arrangements were made for the Oh.
SequleS. The question was raised
whether they should bring him to
church. Somebody said, "l'ou cant
bring such 4 absolute man as that into
the church, | said, "Nou will bring
hlm IN the church; he stood by me when
ne was alive, and | will stand by him
When he Is dead; bring him." AsI
stood in the pulpit and saw them car
rylng the body mp the aisle, felt as if
could weep tears of blood.
On one side Of the pulpit sat his lit
tie child Of s years, a sweet, beautiful
little girl that | had seen him hug con-
vulsively in his bottcr moments. lie
put on her all jewels, all diamonds, and
gave her all pictures and toys, and then
he would go away, as one bounded Dy
an evil spirit, to his cups and house Of
shame, Il fool to the correction of The
stocks. She looked up wonderingly.
She knew not what it all meant. She
was not old enough to understand the
sorrow of an Orp..n child.
On the other side the pulpit sat the
men who had ruined him; they were the
men who had poured WormWood into
the orphans cup; they were the men
who had bound him hand and foot. |
knew them. How did they seem to feel ?
Did they weep? No. Did they say,
w naI PITY LndI SnCn generous man
shonld be destoryed!' No. DID they
sigh repentlngly over what they had
done? No. They sat there, looking as
vuturrs look at the carcass of the lamb
| whose heart they have ripped out. SO
they sat and looked at the coffin lid,
and told them the Judgment of God
upon those who had destroyed their
fellows. Did they reform? | was told
| they were In the places of lniquity that
night after my friend was laid in Oak
| wood cemetery, and they blasphemed,
and they drank. Oh, how merciless men
are, especially alter they have destroyed
you, DO not look to men for comfort
or help. Look to God.
But there is Il man who will not re-
turn. lie says, 81 won't reform" Well,
then, how many acts are there to a
tragedy? believe five.
Act the First Of the Tragedy-A
young man starting off from home.
Parents and sisters weeping to have
him 60. Wagon ri sing over the hill
Farewell kiss lung back. Ring the
bell and let the curtain fail.
Act the SecOnd-The marriage altar.