Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-12-04
REV. DIR. TAI.MAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE
Subject: "Davld and AbsalOn."

III Samuel xviii. 90.
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 te
the sole Of his foo, there was not a single
hlemish. The Bible says that he had such
luxuriant shock OF hair that when once
wear ii was shorD. what was cut of weighed
over three pounds. But notwithstanding al
his brilliancv OF appearance he was bac
boy and broke his fathers heart. He wai
plotting to get the throne of Israel. He hat
marsha!ed an armyto overthrow his fathers
governTent. The day Of battle had come.
The conflict was baguD. 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.
The two great questions vera to be decid-
.d-'he safety of his boy and the continu-
ance of the throne of Israel. After a while
servant. standing on the top of the house.
looks off and gees some one running. He il
coming with great speed. and the man on
the 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 hailinS
distance the father cries out. Is it ones.
ton in REGARD to the establishment Of his
thrope? Does be say: "Have the armies 81
Israel been victorious2 An to continue in
nv imperial authority? Have l overthrow
nv enemies?" Oh. no! There is ono ques
tion that springs from his heart to the lip
nd springs from the lip into the ear OF the
basweated and bedusted messenger fiyint
from the battlefield-the question, SIS the
Young man Absalom safef" When it wa.
told TO David. the king. that. though his ar
mias had been victorious. his son had beai
sain the father turned his back upon thu
congratulations of the nation and went uI
the stairs of his palace. his heart breaking a.
he went. wringine his hands sometimes ant
then again pressing them against his templei
as though he would press them in. CRYING
40 Absalom! nv son! my son! Would t.
God had died for thee. o Absalom! m,
SOM nv SOM"
Ny friends, the question which David. the
K NC asked in regard to his son is the queI
tion that resounds to-day in the hearts
hundreds of parents. Yea, there are n grea
multitude Of young men who know that tn
question of the text is appropriate wher
asked in regard to them. They know tn,
temptations by which they are surrounded
They see so many who started life with
good resolutions as they have who hav
fallen in the path, and they are ready tt
hear me ask the question Of nv text. "ls th'
young man Absalom safe?" The fact is tha
this life is full of peril. He who undertake.
It without the grace of God and a proper un
derstanding of the conflict into which he
going must certainly be defeated. just 'ool
off upon society to-dav. 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 droppei
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 an
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 clln 10 Iall hn Gil nj
and all the gold of California and Australia
and put on the top of these all banking ant
moneved institutions. and they cannot keel
down that one dishonest dollar. That one ,.is
honest dollar in the center of the earth viii
begin to heave and rock and upturn itself un
til 1t comes tOt the resurrection of damnation
GAS the partridge sitteth on eggs ant
hatcheth them not. 40 he that getteth richie
and not by right shall leave them in thl
midst of his days, and at his end shall be >
fool"
Now. what are the safeguards Of voun,
men? The first safeguard OF which wan
to speak Is 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 shadowed witt
vice poverty. Harsh words and petulanc'
and scowling may have destroyed all thu
sanctitv of that spot. Love. kindness ant
self sacrifice, which have built their affairs il
fathers house. God pity you, young man
You never had home. But a multitude ii
this audience can look back to a spot tina
they can never forget. 1t NAV have been I
lowly roof, but you cannot think OF it nov
without dash of emotion. You have seei
nothing on earth that so stirred your soul
A stranger passing along that place nigh
see nothing remarkable about it bur. oh! hov
much it means to you. Fresco on palac
wall does not mean so much TO You as thos
rough hewn rafters. Parks and bowers ant
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 mucl
to you as that swing gate, your sister on on
side of il and you on the other, she gone iif
teen years ago into glory; that scene coming
back to you to-day, rs you swept backward
and forward on the gate, singing the song
of your childhood. But there are those her
who have their second dwelling place. 1t 4
your adopted homo. That is also sacret
forever. There you established the frs
family altar. There your children wer
born. In that room tapped the wing Of th'
death angel. Under that roof, when youi
work is done, you expect to lie down ant
die. There is only one word in all the Ian
guage that can convey your idea of tha
place, and that word is ''home."
Now, let me say that I never knew a maj
who was faithful to his early and adoptet
home who was given over at the same tim,
to any gross form Of wickedness. II yol
find more enjoyment in the club room, IL
the literary society, in the art salon, thai
you do in these unpretending home pleas
ures, you are on the road to ruin. Though
you may be cut off from your early asso
ciates, and though you may be separated
from all your kindred. young man, Is ther'
not room somewhere that you can cal
your own? Though it be the fourth stor,
of a third-clasS boarding house, into tina
room gather books, pictures and a harp
Hang your mothers portrait over tn,
manteI. Bid unholy mirth stand back from
that threshold. Consecrate some spot IL
that room with the knee Of prayer. By thu
memory Of other days, fathers counsel, Z
mothers love and sisters confidence, cal
il home.
Another safeguard for these young men b
industrious habits. There are grea
many people trying to make their wa.
through the world with their wits instead o
by honest toll. There Is y young man VIII
comes from the country to the city. II
fails twice before he Is as old as his fathe
was when he first saw the spires of the grea
town. He is seated in his room at rent o
$1,000 a year, waiting for the banks to de
clare their dividends and the stocks to rul
up. After awhile he gets impatient. IL
tries to improve his penmansh1p by maxim,
copy plates of other merchants signatures
Never mind-all is right in business. Afre
awhile he has his estate. Now is the tim
for him to retire to the country, amid tn
nocks and the herds. to culture the domesti
virtues.
Now the young men who were his school
mates in boyhood will come, and with thei
OK teams draw him logs, and with their har'
hands will help to heave up the castle. Tha
is no fancy sketch; 1t IL everyday life.
should not wonder II there we're n rottel
beam in that palace. I should not wonde
il God should S mite him with dire sicknesse
and pour into his cupa bitter draft that viii
thrill him with unbearable agony. shoul'
not wonder il that mans children grew n
TO be to him a disgrace and to make his liz
shame. should not wonder II that man
led dishonorable death and were tumbled
nto a dishonorabla grave and then went
nto the gnashing Of teeth. The way OF the
meodly shall perish.
o young man. you must have industry OF
lead or hand or foot, or perish. Do not