Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-11-29
DAVID AND ABSAL0M.
DR.. TALMkGE breaches a GREAT
SERMON TO YOUNG MEN.

The Parent and the wayward son-Lovo
of Home, Industry and the Christian
Religion "a the Safeguards Of Young
Men-Keeping tho Lords Day.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-In his ser
mon today Rev. DR.. Talmage, preaching
to the usual crowded audience, took up
4 subject Of universal interest to young
men. His text was selected from II
Samuel xviii, 30, is the young man
Absalom safe?"
The heart Of David, the father, vas
wrapped up in his boy Absalom. H.
was a splendid boy, judged by the rule.
Of worldly criticism. From the crown oi
his head to the sole Of his foot there Wa.
not single blemish. The Bible says
that he had such luxuriant shock OF
hair that when once year it was shOrn,
what was cut off weighed over three
pounds. But Notwithstanding all his
brilliancy Of appearance he was a bad
boy, and broke his fathers heart. H.
was plotting to get the throne Of Israel.
He had marshaled an army to overthrow
his fathers government. The day OF
battle had come. The conflict was be
gun. David, the father, sat between the
gates Of the palace waiting for the It'd
ings Of the conflict. Oh, how rapidly
his heart beat with emotion.
The two great questions were to b
decided-the safety Of his boy and the
continuance Of the throne Of Israel Aft
sr awhile a servant, standing on the top
Of the house, looks off and sees some one
running. He is coming with great
speed, and the man on top Of the house
announces the coming Of the messenger
and the father watches and waits, and
as soon as the messenger from the field
Of battle comes within hailing distance
the father cries out. Is it a question il
regard to the establishment of his
throne? Does he say: Have the armies
Of Israel been victorious? Am l to con
tinue in my imperial authority? Have |
overthrown my enemies" Oh, no.
There is one question that springs from
bis heart to the lip, and springs from
the lip into the ear Of the besweated
and bedusted messenger flying from the
battlefeld-the question, is the young
man Absalom safe:" When it was told
to David, the king, that, though his ar
mics had been victorious, his son had
been slain, the father turned his back
upon the congratulations Of the nation
and went up the stairs Of his palace, his
heart breaking as he went, wringing his
hands sometimes and then again press
ing them against his temples as though
he would press them in, crying; 80
Absalom! my son my sonl Would to
God l had died for thee. o Absalom J
my son my son."
The shipwrock Of Men.
Ny friends, the question which Da-
vid, the king, asked in regard to his
son is tho question that rcsounds today
in tho hearts Of hundreds Of parents.
Yea, there are a great multitude Of
young men who know that the question
Of the text is appropriate when asked
in regard to them. They know the
temptations by which they are surround
ed. They sec so many who started life
with as good resolutions as they have
who have fallen in the path, and they
are ready to hear me ask the question
Of my text, "Is the young man Absalom
safe:" The fact is that this life is full
Of peril. He who undertakes it without
the grace Of God and proper under
standing Of the conflict into which he
is going must certainly be defeated.
Just look off upon society today Look
at the shipwreck Of men for whom fair
things were promised and who started
life with every advantage. Look at
those who have dropped from high So
cial position and from great fortune,
disgraced for time, disgraced for eter-
nifty. All who sacrifice their integrity
como to overthrow. Take dishonest
dollar and bury it in the center Of the
earth, and keep all the rocks Of the
mountain on top Of it; then cover these
rocks with all the diamonds Of Golcon-
da, and all the silver Of Nevada, and all
the gold Of California and Australia,
and put on the top of these all banking
and moneyed institutions, and they can
not keep down that one dishonest dollar
That one dishonest dollar in the center
Of the earth will begin TO heaye and
rock and upturn itself until it comes to
the resurrection Of damnation. "As the
partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth
them not, so he that getteth riches and
not by right shall leave them IN the
midst Of his days, and at his end shall
| be fool
Home as a Safeguard.
Now, what are the safeguards Of
Young men? The first safeguard of
which want to speak is a love Of home.
There are those who have no idea of the
pleasures that concentrate around that
word "home." Perhaps your early
abode was shadowed with vice or pow
erty. Harsh words and petulance aud
scowling may have destroyed all the
sanctlty of that spot. Love, kindness
and self sacrifice, which have built their
affairs in so many abodes, were stran-
gers in your fathers house. God pity
you, young man; you never had a
home. But a multitude in this audience
can look back to a spot that they can
never forget. 1t may have been a lowly
roof, but you cannot think of 1t now
without a dash of emotion. You have
seen nothing on earth that so stirred
your soul. A stranger passing along that
place might see nothing remarkable
about it, but, oh how much it means
to you. Fresco on palace wall does not
mean so much to you as those rough
hewn rafters. Parks and bowers and
trees on fashionable watering place or
country seat do not mean so much TO
YOU as that brook that ran in front Of
the plain farmhouse and singing under
the weeping willows The barred gate
way swung open by porter in full dress
does not mean as much to you as that
swing gate, your sister on one side OF
it and you ON the other, she gone 10
years ago into glory; that scene com