The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-07-20

taces, which might have been avoided by
parental faithfulness. Now you see what
mistake that father OF mother makes who
puts of to late life adherence to Carlst.
Here is a man who at fifty yeats OF age says
to vou, ':[ must b. Christian" and he
Yields his heart to God and sits III tbs place
of prayer today 4 Christian. None Of us
can doubt it. He goes home, and ne says:
"He-e at fifty years Of age have given my
hart 70 the Saviour. Now I must establish
q family altar What? Where ara your
children now? One in Boston. another IL
Cincinnati. another in New Orleans. AMI you,
nv brother. at your Eltie:h year going TO
establish your family altar! Very well: BET
ter late than never. but alas. alas. that YOU
did not do it twentv-!iva WARS ago.
When I was in Chamouni. Switzerland,
I stw in the wniow OF one Of the shops a
picture that impressed my mind very much.
It was picture OF IN accident that occurred
on the side OF one OF the Swiss mountains.
A company of travellers. with guides. went
up some very steep places-p!aces which but
few travellers attempted to go up. They
were. as all travellers are there, fastene TO-
eether with cords at the waist, 50 that II one
slip2ed the rope woull hold him. the rope
fastened to the others. Passing along the
most dangerous point, one OF the guides
slipped and they all started down tho precl-
nice. But after awhile one more muscular
than the rest struck his heels into tho ice
and stopped, but the rope broke. ard d?Tr.
hundreds and thousands Of feet, the rest
went.
And so I see whole families bound to-
gether oy Ties or aTe2rloa ana IN many cases
walking on slippery places OF worldl!nHs;
and sin. The father knows IT, ana tha
mother knows il. and they are bound all to-
pcther. After awhile they begin to slide
down sleeper and sleeper and the father
becomes alarmed. and he stops. planting MS
feet on the Crock Of ages. H. stops. but
the ropc breaks. and those VIII? wrrc once
tied fast to him by moral an spiritual IN
luences go over the precipice. Oh. there Is
such a thing as coming to Christ soon enough
to save ourselves, but not sooa enough 10
save others.
How many parents wake up in the latter
part of life 10 find out the mistake. ihe par
ent says, II have been too lenlent, CT
have been to0 severe in the dis"lpllne Q! my
children. If I hal the little ones around me
again. how different I would do! You VIII
never have them around :tSan inc w"r@ IS
done; the bentto tho character is given; the
eternityi is decided. say this to young par
ents. those who are twenty-five and thirty
or thirty-tive years Of age--hava th2 family
altar tonight. How do you suppose that
father felt as he leaned over the couch OF his
dying child, AMI the expiring son sail to
him. "Father. yo:l have been rerY good TO
me. YOU have given me- tino cdu"atlon,
and YOU have placed me in u fine social po-
sition; You have done everything for me in
a worldly sense; but, father, you never told
me how to die. Now an dying, aai an
afrai !"
In this category Of irr>voca5le mistakes I
IL ,,p]-inJnac.nI dana thn de-
parted When was poy. my mother usrl
10 say to me sometimes. "Do Witt. You will
be sorry for that when I an gone" And
remember Just how she looked. sitting there
with cap aul sDactacleS and the old Bible i'll
her lap. aud she never said Il truer thing than
that, for I have often been sorry since.
While wo have our friends with Us we say
unguar,led things that wounl tna feelings OF
those to whom We ought to give nothing but
kindness. Perhaps tho parcnt. without in
quirinS into thu matter, boxes the chIlds
ears The little one. who has fallen IN the
street. comes in covered with dust. and n
though the first disaster were not enough she
whips if. After while the child l.; taken.
or tho parent is taken. or the companion is
taken, and those who are left say: "Oh.
il ws could only get back those unkind
words. thoss unkind deeds! II we could
only recall them!' But You cannot ger
them back. You might bow down over
the grave of that loved ono and cry and
cry aud cry. Tho white lips would make no.
answer. Tho stars shall be plucke out OF
their sockets, but these influences shall not
bs torn away Tho world shall die, but
there are somn wrongs immortal. Tho
moral of which is. take care Of your friends
while you have them. Spare the scoldinS.
Be- economical OF tha satire. Shut up in Il
- l. -, ,,11
forth all the wor.ls that have sting in them.
You will wish you hal soma day-very SOFA
YOU will, peril Fps TOMORROW. Oh, yes.
White with q firm hanl you administer par
entail discipline also administer il very
gently, lest sone day tilero be I little SLAB
in the cemetery AMI on it chiselei, "Our
Willie" or ''Our Charlie and though You
bow down prone in the grave and seek Il
place OF repentance and seek it carefully
with tears. YOU cannot find It.
There is another sin that 1 place in the
class Of irrevocah mistakes, and that is
lost opportunities Of getting good. never
cometo Saturday night but can see dur
ing that week that have missed opportun-
tiles of getting good. / never come to my
birthday but can see that have wasted
many chances Of getting better. lnever 90
home on Sabbath from the discussion of
religious theme without feeling that l might
have done it in a more successful way. How
is it With you? Il you take certain number
Of bushels of wheat and scatter them overa
certain number of acres Of land, you expect
harvest in proportion TO the amount OF
seed scattered. And I ask you now, Have
the sheaves of moral and spiritual harvest
corresponded with the advantages given?
How has 1t been with you? You may make
resolutions for the future, but past opportun-
T., tNyn nf fI1fJ
years al those past moments will march. but
the archangel's trumpet that wakes the dead
will not wake uo for you one Of those privi
leges. ESau has cold his birthriGht. and ther,
is not wealth enough III the treasure house!
ofheavcn to buy it back again. What doe:
that mean? II means that If you are going tc
get anv advantage ont Of this Sabbath daS
you will have to get it before the hand wheels
around On the clock to u tonight. y means
that every moment Of our life has two wings,
and that it does not fly like a hawk in cir
cles. but in Il straight line from eternity to
eternity. It means TINT. though other
chaciots may break down or drag heavily,
this one never drops the brake and never
ceases to run. It means that while at other
feasts the cup may be passe to us and we
may reject it, and yet after awhile take it,
the cupoearers to this feast n@v give Us but
one cnance at the challce, and rejecting that
we shall "ind no place for repentance,
though we seek it carefully with tears.
There is one more class Of sins that put
in this category Of irrevocable sins and tlat
is lost opportunities OF usefulness. Your
business partner is a proud man. In ordi-
nary circumstances say to him. Believe in
Christ" and he will say. "You mind your
business aud I'll mind mine. But there has
been afflIction in the household. His heart
is tender. He is looking around for SYM
patiy anil solace. Now is your time. Speak,
speak. or forever hold your peace. There is
time in farm life when You plant the corn
and when YOU SOW the saeI. Let that go by,
and the farmer will wiring his hands while
other busbandmen ara Gathering in the
sheaves. You ara in religious meeting,
andthera is N opportunity for you to speak
Il wort for Christ. IoI say, "1 mlst do it,"
Your check fushes with embarrassment
You rise half wa. bat You COVER before mca
wi hr,fb iS in ri ,-c,,