The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-31

up some very steep places-places which bu
lew travellers attempted to so up. The
were. as all travellers are there. fastened to
cether with cords at the waist. so that if on
slipped the rope would hold him, the rop
fastened to the others. Passing along tn
most dangerous point, one OF the guide
slipped and they all started down the preci.
pice. But after awhile one more muscula
than the rest struck his heels into the ic,
and stopped. but the rope broke, and down
hundreds and thousands Of feet. the res
went.
And so I see whole families bound to
Gether by ties of affection aud in many cases
walking on slippery places OF worldlines:
and sin. The father knows it, and tht
mother knows it. and they are bound all to-
gether. After awhile they begin to slide
down sleeper and sleeper, and the father
becomes alarmed. and he stops. planting hi!
| feet on the crock Of ages" He stops. bu'
the rope breaks. and those who were onct
/ tied fast to him by moral and spiritual in.
| fluences go over the precipice. Oh, there is
such thing as coming to Christ soon enough
| to save ourselves, but not soon enough to
save others.
How many parents wake up in the latter
part of life to find out the mistake! The par
ent says, II have been too lenient," or 81
have been too severe in the discipline of my
cllltlEeu. Ii udI luf illlif OuNS dIouuu ilie
again. how different I would do,' You viii
never have them around again. The work is
done; the bent to the character is given; the
eternity is decided. saythis to young par
ents. those who are twenty-five and thirt,
or thirty-five years OF age-have the family
altar tonight. How do you suppose thai
father felt as he leaned over the couch of hi.
dying child, and the expiring son said tt
him: "Father, You have been very good tc
me. You have given me fine education
and you have placed me in fine social po-
stion: you have done everything for me il
a worldly sense: but. father. you never told
me how to die. Now an dying. and am
afraid"
In this category OF irrevocable mistakes
place also the unkindneSSeS done the de
parted. When I was poy. my mother used
to say to me sometimes, ''De Witt. you will
be sorry for that when am gone" And l
remember just how she looked. sitting there
with cap and spectacles and the old Bible in
her lap, and she never said a truer thing than
that. for I have often been sorry since.
While we have our friends with us we say
unguarded things that wound the feelings OF
those to whom we ought to give nothing but
kindness. Perhaps the parent. without in.
curing into the matter. boxes the child g
ears. The little one, who has fallen in the
I,
though the first disaster were not enough she
whips it. After while the child is taken,
or the parent is taken, or the companion L
taken, and those who are left say: "Oh,
If we could only get back those unkind
words, those unkind deeds! If We could
only recall themr' But you cannot get
them back. You might bow down over
the grave of that loved one and cry and
cry and cry. The white lips would make no
answer. The stars shall be plucked out OF
their sockets, but these influences shall not
bs torn away. The world shall die, but
there are some wrongs immortal. The
moral of which is. take care OF your friends
while you have them. Spare the scolding.
Be economical Of the satire. Shut up in
dark cave from which they shall neversw
forth all the words that have sting in them.
You will wish you had some day-very soon
you will. perhaps Tomorrow. Oh, yes.
While with firm hand you administer par
entail discipline also administer it very
gently, lest some day there be little slab
in the cemetery and on it chiseled, "Our
Willie" or "Our Charlie" and though you
bow down prone in the grave and seek
place Of repentance and seek it carefully
with tears, you cannot find it.
There is another sin that I place in the
class of irrevocable mistakes, and that is
lost opportunities OF getting good. never
come to Saturday night but l can see dur
ing that week that have missed opportun-
tiles of getting good. I never come to Ely
birthday but can see that have wasted
many chances OF getting better. lnever 60
home on Sabbath from the discussion OF q
religious theme without feeling that might
have done it in a moro successful way. How
is it with you? If you take certain number
of bushels Of wheat and scatter them overa
certain number Of acres OF land, you expect
a harvest in proportion to the amount oil
seed scattered. And ask you now, Have
the sheaves OF moral and spiritual harvest
corresponded with the advantages given?
How has it been with you? You may make
resolutions for the future, butpast opportun'
tiles are gone. In the long procession OF future
years all those past m ments will march. but
the archan2ers trumpet that wakes the dead
will not wake up for you one Of those privi'
leges. ESau has sold his birthright, and there
is not wealth enough in the treasure houses
Of heaven to buy it back again. What does
that mean2 1t means that il you are goingtt
get any advantage out of this Sabbath day
YOU will have to get 1t before the hand wheels
around On the clock to II tonight. 1t mean:
that every moment Of our life has two wings
and that it does not fly like hawk In cir
cles. but in straight line from eternity tc
eternity. 1t means that, though other
chariots 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 passed to US and we
may reject it, and yet after awhile take it
the cupbaarers to this feast never give us but
one chance at the chalice, and rejecting that
We shall ''hnd no place for repentance,
though we seek i: carefully with tears"
There is one more class Of sins that put
In this category OF irrevocable sins and that
is lost opportunities OF usefulness. Yout
business partner is proud man. In orii'
nary circumstances say to him. believe in
Christ" AMI he will say. "You mind your
business and I'll mind NINE" But there has
been aftliction in the household. His hearI
is tender. He is looking around for SYM
pathY and solace. Now is your tins. Speak
speak, or forever hold your peace. There is
time in farm life when you plant the corn
and when you SOW the seed. Let that go by,
and the farmer will wiring his hands while
other huSbandmeu ure gathering in the
sheaves. You are in a religious meeting,
and there is an opportunity for you to speak
word for Christ. You say, II must do 1t. ;"
Your cheek fushe5 with embarrassment.
You rise half way, but you cover before men
whose breath is in their nostrils, and you
sag back, and the opportunity is gone.
and all eternity will feel the effect
of your silence. Try to get back
that opportunity! You cannot find it.
You might as we'll try to find the fleece that
Gideon watched, or take in your hand the
dew that came down on the locks Of the
Bethlehem shepherds. or TO find the plume OF
the first robin that went across paradise. 1t
is Sone-it is gone forever. When an oppor-
tunity for personal repentance or Of doing
good passes away, you may hunt Tor it; you
not take thu hook. Yoa may dig for it; you
cannot bring it up. Remsmbsr that there
are wrongs aa sins tina: can never be cor
rooted that our privileges fly not in circles,