The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-03-15
AT Y. M. G. A. SUNDAY.
Rev. Mr.. Cuninggim' g Address,
Rev. j. S. Williams, Of Green's
hor0 Naxt Sun6av,

Rev. ]. S. Williams, Of Green's
boro, Next Sunday.
A good sized crowd met at the rooms
Sunday to hear the address of Rev. w.
L. Cuninsgm on "A Young Mans
Pleasures After some rousing sing
ing by the congregation, and several
earnest prayers, Mr.. Cuninggim arose
and took for his text, Eccl. XII 8.
''Reioice, o young man, i'll thy youth
and let thy heart cheer thee in the
days of thy youth, and walk in the
ways Of thine heart, and in the sight
of thine eyes but know thou, that for
all these things God will bring thee
into Judgment A synopsis of his
address is as follows: The plain teach
ing of the text is this: Rejoice, be
cheerful, have pleasure, but let it be
of such a character that you can go
from it to judgment. Christian cd
age is happy, and consistent Chris
tian dies happily. A child comes into
the world smiling, and from these two
conditions - childhood and age we
learn that God is the author of happi-
ness and desires His people to have
pleasures. But pleasure must not be
the chief end of life. God makes life a
serious, not solemn business. From
my study of the Bible l think holi-
ness is more important than hap
piness. Pleasure never satisfies-holi-
ness does.
1t is said that ArtaxerXes offered a
large reward for new pleasure, hav-
ing exhausted everything and finding
no satisfaction.
Unlawful pleasures harden us against
other things and beget indifference for
better occupations. We should not
use our time so as to ruin us for serv
ice. Recreation should re-create us
for larger service. Money should not
be wasted iu pleasure. l knew a
young man who paid ten dollars per
month during the summer for the caro-
of his dogs, and when he WAS APP
preached by his pastor for an offering
for missions he gave S. to convert the
world. | knew another young man
who used to hire horses and carriages,
and could not pay his current expenses.
Then these bodies ought not to be
abused, through intemperance, glut-
tony, or loss of sleep through dissipa-
ton. Take care of your mind, do
nothing to injure it. Card playing
does not develop or ennoble the mind,
but rather has tendency to weaken
it. Card playing students nerer Du'
prizes IN colleges. Many have never
learned the pleasure of reading. Take
care of your character. To this end
let your conversation be chaste. The
theatre does not help you to think noble
thoughts, and brings no great truth to
perfection. We should not enter into
any pleasure which inflames passion,
or worldly ambition. There are higher
pleasures than the world can offer
the pleasures of service for Christ.
knew a gentleman who used to spend
$4,000 per year in hunting and sport.
ing. He now gives that amount each
year to the poor and needy, and says
he en- Joys himself a thousand fold more
and has the consciousness that he is
bringing Joy into scores of other lives
Innocent games and the society of pure
young ladies are good and helpful, but
neither Of these should be INDUCED tC
such an extent as to rob our families
or our Christ of the time due them
Bicycling is splendid exercise but
should not be INDUCED in on Sunday as
pleasure.
Mr.. Cuninggim here related will
deep feeling, his own experience, how
he used to love out door sports. "These
have no more allurement for me. l have
richer joy
Rev. J. S. Williams, the earnest
young pastor of the Greensboro NJ. 2
church, will deliver the address mex
Sunday.