The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-11-30
DAVID ABSALOM.' j
DR.. SUNDAY SERMON.
The Old Man Concerned About the
Safety Of His Son,
TEXT: us the young man Absalom safe?''
III Samuel will, 90.

the sole Of his foot there was not single
hlemish. The Bible says that he had such
luXur!ant shock uf hair that when once a
yea, it was st,orp. what WAS cut OF ;EeiGheo
over three pounds. But notwithstanding a.!
his br!Iliancv Of appearance he was \ bad
boy. and broke his fathers heart. He was
plotting to get the throne 0! Israel. He bad
1narSAaled IN acmy:0 overthrow his fathers
government. The day Of battle had come
sat brtweeu the gates u the palace waiting
for the tiduss of the conflict. On, how
RAPIDLY his heart heat with emotion.
Che two great questions Tera TO be decid-
ed-:he safety Of his boy and the continu-
;;ncc Of :ht throne Of Israel. After whllea
servaat. standing On the top Of the house.
looks of and sees some one running. he Is
coming With great speed, and the man on
me top of the houso announces the coming
Of tbs messenger. and the father watches
anI watts. AMI as soon as the MESSENGER
from the fold Of battle comes within hailin:
,iistanc. the father cries out. Is it q Glles-
ton il, regard TO the establishment Of his
!hrcu-: Does he sac: cnave the armies q;
Israel beaa victorious? Am 70 continue il
my imperial authority? Have I overthrowu
| my encalics?" Oh. NJ. There is one queS-
tion tina: springs from his heart to the lir.
and springs from the lip into the ear OF Ia"
besweatcd and bedusted messenger flying
from tha battlehold-thc question, lis the
Young man Absalom safe?" When it was
told 10 David. the kiuc. that. though his az
iuies had been victorious. mis- sou had BEEN
slain. the father turned his back upon the
rongrai ulaticns oT the nation and went up
tiin stalks II HI palace. his heart breaking aS
hc went. WrinSi'S his hands sometimes and
;l!eu again lressi!>% them against his TEMPLES
as ti,rUSh hG wo.:ld press them in. crying:
20 ahsalon: my son. my son. Would 20
God nal die. for thee. Q Absalon! ny
sou. my son"
Nv friends. the question which David. the
KIM asked ia regard 70 MS 500 Is the Qa':-
.;o: that resounds to-day in the hearts -
hundreds of parents. Yea. there a-e 2 great
muitituGe of Young men who know that th''
question oi the text is appropr'ate when
asked il regard 10 them. They know to-
temptations By which they are surrounded.
They see SO a:Gpv wbJ started life vita aS
good resolutions rs they have who hav.
;:!."a in th4 patH. and they axe rea1Y to
hear ne ask the question ni nv text. lis the
yorn2 man ..hsalora sa:t:' The fact is tia;
fhis life is :nli Of peril. Hs who undertakes
Il without the grace of G'>d anu pc":'e- uH-
,'erst%n1inc of the conflict into wH:ch he is
gong must certainly he d,eeate!. Just ;ooE
~; urvu society TO-DAY. Look at the snip
,.ron;sed ana VINO started life with every 10.
vapfacc Look 1t those who nav dropped
from nigh social position and from Sr|a. 'or-
funs. Gisgraccl for time. discrarei for ete"-
nitv All Who sacrifice their integrity conlH
TO overthrow. Take Ii dishonest dollar aad
bury ii in the center OF the earth. and Keep
ali the ROCKS Of the mountain on TOP OF )t:
thac cover these rocks With all the dianolIs
Of Go!ronda. and all the silver Of NeTa''a.
,n a., - Cat: nd a
and r,,s on ihp top o: these all banking aud
moae*a& institutions ana they cannot keep
IOWA rh:,i o..- dishonest dollar That one Lis.
! ho?",s i dollar iG tee ccpter Of the earth VII:
i:c.;H % heavr and rock and Tpturnits:li uA-
i! il Gomez tofhe resurrection Of daIlnation-
t.As tho partridge sitteth on eggs an!
halcna;i them MOI. so ha that cctteth riches
aa.7 rot hv right shall leave them in tbs
n?;G=t o! his days IA at his end shall be d
| fool
Now. what are tue safeguards i Young
| men? The first saIeguar OF which want
70 speak is a love Of home. There ore those
who have no idea OF the pleasures that coz
renfrafa around that word home. Per
; bars your carv abode as sna1owed With
vice rr poverty Harsh words and petulance
AM Sowing may hav- destroyed ali to"
sarclitv ot that suo:. Love. Kindness anf
self sacrifice. watch have built their alars III
50 many aI0Ges. were strangers IL EoNr
| Ia;Ie7's 3C..lso God pity You. young man;
| rcu rev-r had q home. But Il multitude in
this audience can look hack to a spot thai
:aev ~a. nlvsr forget. 1t NAV have been Il
! low,y rooi. hut you cannot think OF 1t now
w+l:aut Il dash Of emotion. You have s>1i;
nothing on earth that so stirred your soul.
A stranger casing along that place might
see nothing relMa able about i; b1lt, Oh. how
n EsSScO
| wall does rot mean so much to you as rhos"
rough hawn rafterS Parks and bowers ana
tres on fashionable watering place or couE-
try seat do not mean so much to YOU aS tha:
bro, : that ran il front Of the plain farm
hulS4 aud singing under the weeping VII
lows. The barred gateway swung open hy
porter in full dress does not mean as Inuci,
- yoa rs that swing gate. Your sister on cnH
side of it and you On the ether. she gone Ill
te>u wears ago into glory; that scene comm:
back 10 YOU to-day. as You swept backward
an.! Forward on the ga1e. singing the sony5
OF YOUR childhood. But there arc those her,
who nave their second dwelling place. Il j.
rou- adopted home. That is also sacret
forever. There YOU established the frs:
family altar There your children were
1orr IL that room Tapped the wing oI The
death angel Under that roof. when you
work is done. you expect to lie down aud
die. There is o:lly one word i'll all the Ian
Suagc that eau convey your idea Of that
place. and thar word is home"
Now. let me say that never knew Il man
who was faithful to his early and adopted
home WIG was given over at the same tirie
t. any yrosS form Gi wickedness. II yuu
find more enjoyment in the club room in
the literary society, in tue art salon, than
| YOU DO in these unpretending home pleas
! Hres. YOU are on the road to ruin. Though
vr:l NAV ho cut of from your early aSSs'-
! r;ates. and though you may be cerara.ea
from ;,Ii your Kindred. young man. is there
not Il room somewhere that you can cali
vour own: Though il be the fourth story
of Z shird-class boarding house. into thar
Toom gather books. pictures and harp.
Hang vour mothers portrait over the
! nantei. Bid unholy :nirth stand back from
tha! threshold. Consecrate some spot i'll
that room with the knee OF prayer. Bv tn"
memory OF othcr days, fathers counsel. a
! mothers love and q sisters confidence. cal!
it nome.
Another safeguard for these young men is
industrious habits. There are 4 great
any people trying to make their way
, through the world With their wits instead CT
by honest toll. There is Il young lnan wno
comes from the country to the city He
jails twice before he is as old as his father
vas when he first saw the spires OF the great
town. He Is seated in his room at rent Of
! :200y ve.ur. waiting for the banks to de-
.ar. their dividends and the stocks to run
III. After awhile he gets Impatient. He
tri,s - improve his pennauship by making
copy plates % other merchants signatures.
! Never mind--1il is right in business Af1e-
awhile he has his estate. Now is the time
foi. hin, to retire to the country, amid the
An:tS and the herds. to culture the domestic
virtues.
Now toe Young men who were bis school
mates in hovhood will come, and with their
* teams draw him logs, and with their hard
nauds will help 10 heave up the castle. That
= ~ fancy sketch: it is everyday life. I
should not wonder il there were rotten
>,.a:n in that palace. I should not wonder
:; Goi should mite him with dire sicknesses
and n1u7 into mis- cup 4 bitter draft that viii