The Penn's Grove record., 1895-11-29
REV. DR.. TAIMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE by THE
NOTED DIVINE


TEXT: "Is the young mai Absaiom safe2'
III Samuel xviii, 20.
The heart of David. the father. was
wrapped up in his boy Absalom. He was a
boy. judged by the rules of worldly
criticism. From the crown Of his head &c
the sole of his foo. there was not q single
Flemish. The Bible says that he had suchi
luxuriant shock OF hair that when once 3
year 1t was shorn, what was cut of weighed
over three pounds. But Notwithstanding al
his brilliancv of appearance he was q bac
boy. and broke his fathers heart. He wa
plotting to get the throne ofIsrael. He had
msrshaled m armyto overthrow his fathers
government. 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
rapidiy his heart beat with emotion.
The two great questions we're to be decid-
ad-,he safety of his boy and the continu-
ance OF the throne of Israel. After a whiiea
servant. sanding on the top OF the house,
looks off and sees some n running. He Is
coming with great speed, and the man on
the top OF the house the coming
of the messenger. and the father watches
and waits, and as soon as the messenger
from the field Of battle cones within hailing
distance the father cries out. Is 1t a ques-
ton in regard to the establishment oil his
throne? Does he say: "Have the armies Of
Israel been victorious? An I to continue il
my imperial authority? Have overthrow
my enemies?" oh. no! There is one ques
tion that springs from his heart to the lip
and springs from the lip into the ear OF the
besweated and bedusted messenger fiyinl
from the ba~ttlefeld-the question, SIS tht
Young man Ahsalom safe?" When 1t was
told to David, the king, that. though his ar
- - 49,. ..Ao-so.a hso CON had haaV
slain. the father turned his back upon tht
congratulations of the nation and went nj
the stairs of his palace. his heart breaking Al
he went. wringing his hands sometimes ant
then again pressing them against his templei
a. though he would press them in, crying
40 Absalom! my son! my soni Would t.
God 1 had died for thee. o Absalom! m!
SOM my som"
Ny friends, the question which David, the
king. asked In regard to his son is the cues
tion tina resounds to-day in the hearts o
hundreds Of parents. Yea, there are a crea
multitude Of young men who know that tn
question OF the text Is appropriate whei
asked in regard to them. They know thu
2 temptations by which they are surrounded
They sea so many who started life with a
good resolutions as they have who hav
fallen in the path, n they are ready Il
hear me ask the question of nv text. sis thu
NohhE hiou nbshtOth Wv
this life is full OF peril. He who undertake.
1t without the grace of God and a proper I'M
d%erstanding OF the conflict into which he |
going must certainly be defeated. Just lool
off upon society to-day. Look at the ship
wreck of men for whom fair things wer
promised and who started life with every ad
vantage. Look at those who have droppe'
from high social position and from great for
tune, disgraced for time, ~disgraced for eter
nifty. All who sacrifice their integrity COM
to overthrow. Take a dishonest dollar ant
bury 1t In the center of the earth, and keel
all the rocks of the mountain on top of II
Their cover these rocks with all the diamond
of Goiconda, and all the silver Of Nevada
and all the gold Of California and Australia
and put on the top of these all banking ant
moneyed institutions. and they cannot keel
down that one dishonest dollar. That one Els
honest dollar in the center OF the earth will
begin to heave and rock and upturn itself un
til 1t comes to the resurrection of damnation
"As the partridge stitch on eggs an
hatcheth them not. so he that getteth richie
and not by right shall leave them In tn
midst of his days, and at his end shall be
fool"
Now, what are the safeguards Of younl
men? The first safeguard Of which / wan
to speak Is a love Of home. There are thos
who have no idea Of the pleasures that con
centrate around that word "home." Per
haps your early abode was Swallowed witt
vice or poverty. Harsh words and petulanc
and scowling may have destroyed all tn
sanctitv Of that spot. Love. kindness an
self sacrifice, which have built their affairs !
so many abodee, were strangers in you
fathers house. God pity you, young man
you never had a home. But q multitude il
! this audience can look back to a spot tha
they can never forget. 1t NAV have been
| lowly roof, but you cannot think OF 1t mol
without a dash Of emotion. lot have seel
nothing on earth that SO stirred your soul
A stranger passing along that place Nigh
see nothing remarkable about 1t; but. oh! hoy
much it meal to you. Fresco on palac
| wall does not mean so much to you as thos
! rough hewn rafters. Parks and bowers an
( trees on fashionable watering place or coun
| try seat do not mean so much to you as tina
| brook that ran In front Of the plain farm
| house and singing under the weeping viii
lows. The barred gateway swung open b,
porter in full dress does not mean as mucI
to you as that swing gate, your sister on on
side of 1t and you on the other, she gone III
teen years ago into glory; thar scene comm
back to you to-day, as you swept backwar
and forward on the gate, singing the song
OF your childhood. But there are those her
who have their second dwelling place. 1t
your adopted home. That is also sacre
forever. There you established h frs
family altar. There your children wer
born. In that DON tapped the wing of tn
death angel. Under that roof, when you
work is done, you expect to lie down an
die, There is only one word in all the Ian
guage that can convey your Idea OF tina
place, and that word Is home"
Now, let me say that 1 never knew a ma
who was faithful to his early and adopte
home who was given over at the same tim
TO any gross form Of w~ickedness. If 20
find more enjoyment In the club room, 1
the literary society, in the art salon, tina
you do in these unpretendtng home plea
ures, you are on the road to ruin. Thong
you may be cut of from your early ass
ciates, and though you may be separate
from all your Kindred. young man, Is thei
not q room somewhere that you can ca
your own? Though 1t be the fourth stor
OF a third-class boarding house, Into thu
room gather books, pictures and a harl
Hang your mothers portrait over II
mantel. Bid unholy mirth stand back, froi
that threshold. Consecrate some spot
that room with the knee OF prayer. By II
memory OF other days, a fathers counsel,
mothers love and q sisters confidence, ca
il home.
Another safeguard for these young men
industrious habits. There are a gre
many people trying to make their wa
through the world with their wits instead
| nY honest toll IuoE0 B hypuhS mou NJ
comes from the country to the city. 1
fails twice before he Is as old as his faith
was when he first saw the spires OF the gre
town. He Is seated In his room at a rent
$4,000 a wear, waiting for the banks to d
clare their dividends and the stocks to n
up. After awhile he gets impatient. !
tries to improve his penmanship by makir
copy plates of other merchants signature
Never mind-all Is right I'm business. Att
awhile he has his estate. Now is the til
for him to retire to the country, amid 4
iocks and the herds. to culture the domest
virtues.
Now the young men who were his schoC
mates In boyhood will come, and with thu
OK teamsd draw him logs, and with their ha
hands will help to heave up the castle. tn
Is no fancy sketch; It 10 everyday life.
should not wonder II there were a rott
beam In that palace. I should not wond
il God should mite him with dire sickness
and pour into his cupa bitter draft that W
thrill him with unbearable agony. l shou
not wonder II that mans children grew
to be to him a disgrace and to make his l
shame. should not wonder II tnst mn
led a d~ishonorable death and were tumble'
nto a dishonorabla grave and h wen
pto the gnashIng OF teeth. The way OF tn
moody shall perish.
o young man. you must have industry {
lead or hand or foot, or perish. Dc nc
AVE the tdea,that o can get along IN IN
gorld by genius. The curse OF this cour
nv to-day Is geniuses-men with large Sc
! lonceit and nothing else. The man VII