Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-12-06
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
The Eminent Washington pivine'S
Sunday Sermon.
subject "David and AbsaIom."

wrapped up in his boy Absalom. He vas a
splendid boy. ju iged by the rules OF worldly
criticism. From the crown Of his head to
the sole of his foo: there was not a single
hlemisb. The Bible says that he had such
luxuriant shock of bair that when once a.
wear ii was shorD, what was cut off weighed
over three pounds. But notwithsta niing all
his brilliancv Of appearance he was bad
boy. and broke his fathers heart. He was
plotting to get the throne ofIsrael. H. bad
marshaled An 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 tne tidings OF the conflict. o., how
rapidly his heart beat with emotion.
The two great questions vera to be de,id-
el-:he safety of his boy and the continu-
ance of the throne of Israel. After waiea
standing on the to- OF the house.
looks off aud sees some one running. He is
coming VITA great speed, and the man ON
tho top OF tde house announces the coming
OF the messenger. aud the father watches
AMI waits. and as soon as the messenger
from the field OF battle cones within mailing
distance the father cries out Is it ques.
ton In regard to the establishment OF his
throne? Does he say: "Have the armies oil
Israel been victorious? Am to continue in
nv imperial authority? Have I overthrown
nv enemies?" Oh. no. There is one ques-
ton that springs from his heart to the lip,
and springs from the lip into the ear OF the
besweated and bedustei messenger flying
from the battleheld-the question, us toe
Young man Absalom safer" When 1t was
told TO David, the king, that. though his 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 pa ace. his heart breaking as
he went, wringiDg his hands sometimes and
then again pressing them against his temples
as though he would press them in, crying:
80 Absalom! my son. my son! Would to
Col had died for thee. 0 Aosaion! my
son. my SON.
NY friends, the question which David, ths
king. asked in regard TO his son is the que:-
ton that rasounds 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 VINO nave
fallen in the path, and they are ready to
hear me ask the question OF my text, "ls the
Young man Absalom safer The TACT is tnar
this life is full OF peril. He who undertakes
it without the grace of God and proper uc-
Outstanding OF the conflict into which ne ID
going must certainly be defeated. Just LOOK
off upon society to-day. Look at the ship
wreck of men for whom fair things were
promised aud wno started life with every aG-
vantage. Look ut those who have dropped
from high social position and from. great ior'
tune, disgraced for time, disgraced for eter-
nity. All who sacrifice their integrity come
70 overthrow. Take dishonest dollar and
bury it in the center Of the earth, and keep
all the rocks of the mountain on TOP OF 1t;
ther cover these rocks with all the diamonds
o. Golconda, and all the silver OF Nevada,
and all 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 us
honest dollar in the center OF the earth Will
begin TO heave and rock and upturn itself I'M
IN Il comes TO the resurrection of damnatiop.
Gas the partridge stitch on eggs and
hatcietb them not. so he that getteth riches
and not by right shall leave them in the
midst OF his days, and at his en1 shall be a
fool"
Now. what are the safeguards OF young
men2 The frs safeguard Of which l want
TO sneak is a love of home. There are those
who have no idea OF the pleasures that con-
centrate around that word "1ome. Per-
haps your early abode was Swallowed with
vice or poverty. Harsh words and petulance
and scOwling may hava destroyed all the
sanctitv of that spot Love. kindness ana
self sacrifice. which have built their affairs IN
so MANY abodes, were strangers in your
fathers house. God pity you, young man;
YOU never had home. But multitude in
tbis audience can look back to a spot that
thew can never forge'. 1t NAV have been a
lowiy roof but you cannot think OF 1t now
| without q dash of emotion. You have seen
nothing on earth that 50 stirred your SOU.
! A stranger passing along that place might
see moth ng remarkable about 1t; bu', oh! now
much it means to you. Fresco on palace
wall does not mean so much TO you as those
rough hewn rafters. Parks and bowers aud
| trees on fashionable watering place or coun.
! try seat do not mean so much TO you as tna'
| brook that ran in front OF tho PLAIN 1arn
house and singing unter tl' we9pnS W.
lows. The barred gateway swung open oy
porter in full dress does not mean as muc1
| TO YOU as that swing gate, your sister on one
side OF it aud y)u on the other, she gone A.
teen wears ago into glory; that scene coming
/ back to you today, rs YOU swept backward
p nd forward on the gate, singing tue sonys
OF YOUR childhood. But there are those her
who have their second dwelling p'acs 1t i.
vour adopted home. That is also sacred
forever. There you established thu frs
family altar. Tnera your children were
born. In that room tapped thu wing Of ta'
death angel Ia Ter that r)o, wl1A yol:
work is done, YOU expect t. lis down Al I
die. There IL ol'y on, W )rd in all thu Ian.
guage that can convey YOU idea OF that
place, and that wcrd is "home."
Now, let esay that | never knew mar
who was faithful to his early aud adop.eC
home WHO was given over at the same tim
to any gross form OF wickedness. Ii ";
find more enjoyment in the cluo room. il
the literary society, in the ART salon, thai
you co in these unpreten ling home pleas
ures, YOU are on the road to ru o. Thougl
you may be cut off from your early as1o
ciates. AMI though you may be separated
from all your kindred. young man, Is ther'
not room somewhere that you can cal
your own2 Though it be the fourth stor.
of a third-class boarding house. into tina
room gather books, pictures and harp
Hang your mothers portrait over tn
mantel. Bid unhoy mirth staul back fron
that threshold. Consecrate some SCOT il
that room with ths knee OF prayer. By tn
memory of other days, fathers counsel,
mothers love and sisters confidence, cal
it home.
Another sa eguarl for these young man
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 young man wa
comes from the country to the city. d
fails twice before he is rs old as his fathe
was when he f1tst saw the spires OF the grea
town. He is seated in his room at rent o
s2OOJ year, waiting for the banks to de
clare their dividends and the stocks to ru
up. After awhile no gets impatient. II
tries to improve his pen nanship by maxim
copy plates o: other merchants signature:
Never minc-all is rigdt in business. Afre
awhile he has MS estate. Now is the tim
for MIN to retire ID the country, amid tn
HocSs and tne herds. to culture the domesti