The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-11
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
,,l NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: ssDavld and Absalom."

Z Subject: HDavId and Absalom."
TEXT: "Is the young man Absalom safe?"
III Samuel xviii, 29.
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 single
blemish. The Bible says that he'll had such
luxuriant shock of hair that when once a
wear It was shorn, what was cut on weighed
over three pounds. But Notwithstanding all
his brilliancy Of appearance he was bad
boy. and broke his fathers heart. BE was
plotting to get the throne Of Israel. He had
marshaled an army to 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
rapidly his heart beat with emotion.
( The two great questions were to oe decld-
ed-the safety of his boy and the continu-
ance Of the throne Of Israel. After wh1lea
servant. standing on the top OF the house.
books of and sees some one running. He Is
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 halling
distance the father cries out. Is 1t ques-
Hon In regard to the establishment OF his
throne? Does he say: "Have the armies OF
Israel been victorious? Am to continue In
my imperial authority? Have overthrown
tton that springs from his heart to the lip,
and springs from the lip into the ear of the
ioesweated and bedusted messenger Tying
from the battlefeld-the question, us the
Young man Absalom safer" When 1t was
told to David, the king, that. though bis ar
mics had been victorious, his son had been
slain, the father turned his back upon the
congratulations Of the nation and went up
the stairs Of his palace, his heart breaking as
be went, wringing his hands sometimes and
then again pressing them against his temples
az thoneh he would press them in. crying:
80 Absalom! my SON! my son! Would to
God had died for thee. o Absalom! my
soni my son."
Nv friends, the question which David, the
king: asked In regard to his son Is the ques.
tion that resounds to-day in the hearts OF
hundreds Of parents. Yea, there are great
multitude of young men who know that the
question of the text Is appropriate when
asked in regard to them. They know the
temptations by which they are surrounded.
They see SO many, who started life with as
GOOD resolutions as they have who have
fallen I'm the path, and they are ready to
{ hear me ask the question Of my text, "ls the
young man Absalom safe?" The fact Is thar
this life is full of peril. He who undertakes
It without the grace Of God and proper un-
derstanding Of the conflict into which he is
going must certainly be defeated. Just look
of upon society to-day. Look at the snip
wreck OF men for whom fair things were
promised and who started life with every ad-
vantage. Look ut those who have cropped
from high social position and from great Tor
tune. disgraced for time. disgraced for eter-
! nifty. Ali who sacrifice their integrity come
TO overthrow. Take dishonest dollar and
bury It in the center Of the earth, and keep
all the rocks of the mountain on top OF It;
sther cover these rocks with all the diamonds
OF Golconda, and all the silver OF Nevada,
and al the gold Of California and Australia,
and put on the top OF these all banking aud
moneyed institutions. and they cannot keep
= down that one dishonest dollar. That one lis
I honest dollar in the center of the earth will
begin to hsave and rock and upturn itself un-
al 1t comes to the resurrection of damnation.
+ Gas the partridge sitteth on eggs and
hatcheth them not. so he that getteth riches
and not by right shall leave them In the
midst Of bis days, and at his end shall be q
tool"
Now, what are the safeguards Of young
men? The first safeguard OF which want
to speak Is love Of home. There are those
who have no idea OF the pleasures that con con
eentrate around that word "home." Per-
haps your early abode was shadowed with
Z vice or poverty. Harsh words and petulance
and scowiing may have destroyed all the
sanctitY Of that spot. Love. kindness and
yelf sacrifice, which have built their altars in
10 many abodes, were strangers In your
fathers house. God pity you, young man;
rou never had home. But multitude In
this audience can look back to spot that
i they can never forget. It may have been a
iowIy roof, but you cannot think OF it now
without dash OF emotion. You have seen
nothing on earth that so stirred your soul.
4 stranger passing along that place might
Z see nothing remarkable about 1t; bur, oh! how
Z much It means to you. Fresco on palace
& wall does not mean so much to you as those
tough hewn rafters. Parks and bowers and
hees on fashionable watering place or coup-
ry seat do not mean so much to you as that
brook that ran in front Of the plain farm
house and singing under tbs weeping viii
lows. The barred gateway swung open by
porter in full dress does not mean as much
to you as that swing gate, your, sister on one
Side Of 1t and you on the other, she gone If
Teen years ago into glory; that scene coming
back to you to-day, as YOU swept backward
and forward on the gate, singing the songs
of your childhood. But there are those here
who have their second dwelling place. 1t is
I sour adopted home. That is also sacred
forever. There you established the first
Iamily altar. There your children were
{. born. In that room tapped the wing OK the
6eath angel. Under that roof, when your
work Is done, you expect to lie down and
die. There is only one word In all the Ian
guage that can convey your idea OF that
place, and that word Is "home."
L : Now, let me say that never knew mar
who was faithful to his early and adopted
! homo who was given over at the same timt
TO any gross form Of wickedness. II yor
tind more enjoyment In the club room, II
:, the literary society, in the art salon, thai
you do in these urpretending home pleas
ores, you are on the road to ruin. Though
you may be cut of from your early asso
s1ates, and though you may be separated
from all your kindred, young man, Is ther'
not room somewhere that you can cal
your own2 Though 1t be the fourth stor.
Of third-elass boarding house, into tha
room gather books, pictures and harp
Hang your mothers portrait over IN
mantel. Bid unholy mirth stand back from
that threshold. Consecrate some spot i
that room with the knee OF prayer. BY tn
memory of other days, fathers counsel,
mothers love and sisters confidence, cal
1t home.
Another safeguard for these young men
industrious habits. There are gres
many people trying to make their wa
9 through the world With their wits instead c
by honest toll. There Is young man VIII
y cones from the country to the city.