The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-11-27
OUR SAFEGUARDS.
The Old Home and the Old Re-
Iigion
Are the Best Safeguards for the Young
A High Ideal of Life is Commenda-
BILE, but the Chief Safeguard
is the Religion of Christ.

The Rev. DR.. Talmage preached his
latest sermon to the usual large audi
ence in Washington on a subject OF
vital Importance to young men. He
chose for his text H. Samuel, xvii, 30:
SIS the young man Absalom safe?"
The heart of David, the father, was
wrapped up in his boy Absalom. He
was splendid boy, judged by the rules
of worldly criticism. From the crown
of his head to the sole of his foot there
was not a 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, notwithstand-
ing all his brilliancy of appearance, he
was bad boy, and broke his fathers
heart. He was plotting to get the
throne of Israel. He had marshaled
an army to overthrow his fathers gov
ernment. The day Of battle had come.
The conflict was begun. David, the
father, sat between the gates of the
palace waiting for the tidings of the
conflict. Oh, how rapidly his heart beat
with emotion. Two great questions
were to be decided, the safety of his
boy, and the continuance of the throne
of Israel After awhile 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 an
nounces the coming of the mes
senger, 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 in regard to the establish
ment of his throne? Does he say:
''Have the armies of Israel been victori-
Gus? Am l to continue in my imper-
ial authority? Have overthrown
my enemies? Oh, no. There is one
question that springs from his heart to
the lip, and springs from the lip into
the ear of the besweated and bedusted
messenger flying from the battlefield
the question: rs the young man Alb
salon safe?" When it was told to Da-
vid, the king, that, though his armies
had been victorious, his son had been
slain, the father turned his back upon
the congratulation of the nation and
went upon the stairs of his palace, his
heart breaking as he went, wringing
his hands sometimes, and the again
pressing them against his temples, as
though he would press them in, crying:
80, Absalom! my son my son! Would
God l had died for thee, o, Absalom
my son! my son"
My friends, the question which Da
vid, the king, asked in regard TO his
son is the question that resounds to-
day in the hearts of hundreds of par
ents. Yea, there are great multitude
of young men who know that the ques
tion of the text is appropriate wher
asked in regard to them. They know
the temptations by which they are sur
rounded; they see SO many who started
life with as good resolutions as they
have who have fallen in the path, anC
they are ready to hear me ask thu
question of my text, ''Is the yount
man Absalom safe?" The fact is tina
this life is full of peril. He who under
takes it without the grace of God ant
q proper understanding of the confic
into which he is going, must certainl,
be defeated. Just look Off upon SO
ciety to-day. Look at the shipwrecl
Of men for whom fair things wer
promised, and who started life witt
every advantage. Look at those VIII
have dropped from high social position
and from great fortune, disgraced TO
time, disgraced for eternity. All VIII
sacrifice their integrity come to over
throw
Now, what are the safeguards O
young men? The first safeguard o
which want to speak is love of home
There are those who have no idea O
the pleasures that concentrate aroun
that word home" Perhaps your earl
abode was shadowed with vice or poy
erty. Harsh words, and petulance, an
scowling may have destroyed all th
sanctity Of that spot. Love, kindnes
and self-sacrifice, which have bull
their altars in so many abodes, wer
strangers in your fathers house. Go
pity you, young man; you never had
, home But multitude in this aud
ence can look back to the spot that the
never forget. Itmay have been lowl
? roof, but you cannot think of it noV
without dash of emotion. You hav
seen nothing on earth that so stirre
your soul. A stranger passing alon
that place might see nothing remarks
BILE about it; but Oh, how much
| means to you! Fresco on palace wa
: does not mean so much to you as thos
rough-hewn rafters. Parks and bow
ers and trees on fashionable waterin
place or country seat do not mean S
much to you as that brook that ran /
front of the plain farmhouse and sing
ing under the weeping willows. Th
barred gateway swung open by porte
9 in full dress does not mean as much
you as that swing-gate, your sister 0
one side of it and you ON TIL
other; she gone fifteen years int
glory. That scene coming bac
! to you to-day, as you sweT
backward and forward on the gat
singing the songs of your childhoo,
But there are those here who hay
their second dwclling-place. 1t is yo,
adopted home. That also is sacre
forever. There you established I'll
first family altar. There your childre
were born. In that room tapped IL
wing of the death angel. Under th'
roof, when your work is done, you e.
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