The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-12-03
TAIhMHoE's SERMON.
And the Lord opened the eyes of the
young man. I'll Kings, vi, IL.

ing himself and Elisha, the prophet,
upon whom he waited, surrounded by
z whole army Of enemies But venera-
Die Elisha Was not scared at all, be-
cause he saw the mountains full Of
defense for him, in chariots made of
lire, drawn by horses of fire-a super
natural appearance that could not be
seen by the natural eye. So the old
minister prayed that the young minis
ter might see them, also, and the
prayer was answered, and the Lord
opened the eyes Of the young man, and
HE, also, saw the fiery procession. look
ing somewhat; suppose like the Adj
irondacks, or the Alleghenies in au-
tumnal resplendence.
Many young men, standing among
the most tremendous realities, have
their eyes half-sl,dt or entirely closed
May God grant that my sermon may
open wide your eyes to your safety,
your opportunity and your destiny!
A mighty defense for a young man
is a good home. Some Of my hearers
look back with tender SD tisfaction to
their early home. 1t may have been
rude and rustic. hidden among the
hills, and architect or upholsterer new
er planned or adorned it. But all the
frescoe OH princely walls never locked
so enticing to you as those rough
heWn rafters. You can think of no
park or arbor Of trees planted on
fashionable country seat so attractive
as the plain brook that ran i'll front of
the old farmhouse and sang under the
weeping willows. No barred gateway,
adorned with statue Of bronze and
swung open by obsequious porter in
full dress, has half the glory of the old
sWing-gate. Many of you have a sec
ond dwelling place, your adopted
home; that, also, is sacred forever
There you built the first family altar
There your children were born. All
those trees YOU planted. That room is
solemn, because once in it, over the
hot pillow, tapped the wing of death.
Under that roof you expect, when
your work is done, to lie down and
die. You try, with many. words, to
tell the excellency of this place, but
you fail. There is only one word in
the language that can describe your
meaning. It is home.
Now, declare it, that young man is
comparatively safe who goes out into
the world with a charm like this upon
him. The memory of paternal solicit
tude. watching, planning and praying,
will be to him a shield and a shelter
| never knew a man faithful to both
his early and adopted home, who at
the same time was given over to any
gross form OF dissipation or wicked
ness. He who seeks his enjoyment
chiefly from outside association, rath-
Ell than from the more quiet and I'M
presuming pleasures of which I have
spoken, may be suspected to be on the
broad road to ruin. Absalom deSpised
his fathers house, and you know his
history of sin and his death of shame.
If you seem unnecessarily isolated
from your kindred and former associ-
ntes, is there not some room that you
can call your own? Into it gather
books and pictures. Have a portrait
over the mantle Make ungodly truth
stand back from the threshold Conse-
crate some spot with the knee of
prayer. BY the memory of other days,
fathers counsel and a mothers love.
and sisters confidence, call it home.
Another defense for a young man Is
industrious habits Many young men,
pect to make their way through the
world by the use Of their wits rather
than the toll of their hands. A boy
now goes to the city and fails twice
before he is as old as his father was
when he first saw the spires of the
great town Sitting in some office,
rented at 81 900 a year, he is waiting
for the bank to declare it's dividend, or
goes into the market expecting before
night to be made rich by the rushing
up Of stocks. But luck seemed so dull,
he resolved on SOME other tack. Per
haps he borrowed from his employers.
money drawer, and forgets to put it
back, or, for merely the purpose of
improving his penmanship, makes
copy plate Of merchants signature
Never mind; all is right in trade. In
some dark night there may come in
his dreams vision of the penitentiary;
but it soon vanishes. In a short time
he will be ready to retire from the
busy world, and. amid the flOcks and
herds, cultivate the domestic virtues.
Then these young men who were once
his schoolmates, and knew no better
than to engage in honest work, will
come with their OK teams to draw him
logs, and with their hard hands to
ucip lLStNC up HIS castle. Ibis is no
fancy picture. 1t is everyday life I
should not wonder if there were some
rotten beams in that beautiful palace.
| should not wonder if dire sickness
should smite through the young man,
or if God should pour into his cup of
life a draught that would thrill him
with unbearablc agony; if his children
should become to him a living curse,
making his home a pest and dis
grace. I should not wonder if he goes
to q miserable grave, and beyond it
into the gnashfng of teeth. The way
of the ungodly shall perish.
My young friends, there is no way
to genuine success except through toll,
either of hand or head. At the battle
of Crecy, in 1916, the Prince of Wales,
finding himself heavily pressed by the
enemy, sent word to his father for
help The father, watching the battle
from a windmill, and seeing his son
was not wounded, and could gain the
day if he would, sent word: No; /
will not come. Let the boy win his
spurs; for, if God will, l desire that
this day be his with all it's honors.',
Young man, fight your own battle, all
through, and you shall have the vic
tory. oh, it is battle worth fight