The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-03

do Let him 20 out and visit the poor, OF
distribute tracts, or go and read the Bible to
the sick, OK take out his New Testament and
be making his eternal fortune. Let him 60
into the back Office and pray.
Shrink back from idleness in yourself and
In Others il you would maintain right posi-
tion. Good old Ashbel Green at more thar
eighty years OF age was found busy writing
and some young man said to him: "Why dc
you keep busy2 1t Is time for you to rest. =
He answered, II keep busy to keep out o!
mischief" No man Is strong enough to ba
idle
Are you fond Of pictures? If so, will
show you one Of the works Of an old master.
Here 1t Is: ~ went by the field of the sloth.
full and by the vineyard Of the man void OF
understanding, and lo 1t was all grown over
with thorns, and nettles had covered the face
thereof, and the stone wall was broken down;
Then saw and considered we'll. I looked
| upon It and received instruction. yet Ill,
tie sleep, little slumber, little folding OF
| the hands to Sleep So shall thy poverty
come as one that traveleth and thy want az
an armed man." I don't know OF another
sentence In the Bible more explosive than
that. It first kisses softly, like the fuse OF
cannon, and at last bursts like ffty-four
FOUNDER. The old proverb was right, "Ihe
devil tempts most men, but idlers tempt the
| devil"
A Young man came to man OF ninety
wears OF age and said to him, "How nave
| you:made out to live so long and be so well?"
The old man took the youngster to an or
chard, and pointing to some large trees full
of apples, said, ~ planted these trees when
I was boy, and do you wonder that now
am permitted to gather the fruit OF them2"
We gather in old age what we plant In our
youth. Sow to the wind, and We reap the
whirlwind. Plant in early life the right
kind Of Christian character, and you will
eat luscious fruit In old age and gather these
harvest apples In eternity.
Iurge you to avoid the perpetual pleasure
seeker. believe In recreation and amuse-
ment. God woIld not have made US With
the capacity to laugh II He had not intended
US sometimes to indulge It. God hath hung
in sky and set in wave and printed on grass
many roundelay, but he who chooses pleas
ure seeking for his life work does not un-
derstand for what God made him. Our
auusements are intended to help US In some
earnest mission. The thundercloud hath an
edge exquisitely purpled, but with voice
that Jars the earth It declares, "I go to water
the green fields" The wild flowers under
the fence are gay, but they say, 1--WE stand
here to make room for the wheat1cld and to
refresh the husbandmen in their nooning."
The stream sparkles and foams and fro1cs
and says: 1go to baptize the moss. lave
the spots on the trout. slaSe the thirst OF
the bird. turn the wheel OF the mill.
rock in my crystal cradle muckshaw and
water lily.h And 80, while the world plays,
it works. Look out for the MAJ who always
plays and never works.
You will do we'll to avoid those whose
regular business Il Is to play ball, skate or
90 a-boatfng. All these sports are grand In
their places. never derived so much ad-
vantage from any ministerial association as
from ministerial cluo that went out to play
ball every Saturday afternoon in tho out
skirts Of Philadelphia. These rccreations
our regular toll. I believe In muscular
Christianity. man is often not so near God
with weak stomach as when he has q
strong digestion. But shun those who
make It their life occupation to sport. There
are young men whose industry and useful
ness have fallen overheard from the yacht.
There are men whose business fell through
the Ice Of the skating pond and has never
since been heard Of. There Is beauty in
the gliding OF boat. in the song OF skates
IN the soaring Of a we'll struck ball, and I
never see one fly but I involuntanly throw
up my hands to catch It, and so far from lay
ing an Injunction upon ball playing or any
other innocent sport, claim them all as
belonging Of right to those Of Us who toll In
the grand industries Of Church and State.
y But the life business of pleasure seeking
always makes in the end a criminal or sot.
George Brummel was smiled upon by all
England, and his life was given TO pleasure.
He danced with tho peeresses and swung
q round Of mirth and wealth and applause.
until, exhausted OF purse and worn out OF
body, and bankrupt Of reputation. and
ruined OF soul, he begged biscuit from
grocer and declared tha. he thought dogs
life was better than mans.
Such men will come into your Office, or
crowd around your anvil, or seek to de-
coy you of. They will want you to break
out In tho midst Of your busy day to take o
ride with them. They will tell you OF some
people you must see. OF some excursion that
you must take. Of some Sabbath day that
you ought to dishonor. They will tell you
OF exquisite wines that you must taste, Of
costly operas that you must hear, OF wonder
full dancers that you must see, but before
you accept their convoy or their companion
ship remember thsq sqwhile at the end of
useful life you may be able to look back to
kindnesses done, to honorable work accom-,
plished, to poverty helped, to good name
earned, to Christian influence eXerted, to aI
Saviour's cause advanced-these pleasure
seekers on their deathbed have nothing bet
ter to review than torn playbill, q ticket
for the races, an empty tarkard, and the cast
out dnds Of a carousal, and, as in the de-
goblet and press 1t to their lips, the dregs OF
the cup falling upon their tongue will begin
to hiss and, uncoil with the adders OF an
eternal poison.
Again, avoid as you would avoid the death
of your body, mind and soul any ono who
has In him the gambling spirit. Men who
want to gamble will find places Just suited
to their capacity, not only in the under
ground oyster cellar or at the table back
of the curtain covered with greasy cards, or
in the steamboat smoking cabin, where the
bloated wretch with rings In his ears deals
out his pack and wlnks at the unsuspecting
traveler-providing free drinks all around
but in gilded parlors and amid gorgeous
surroundings.
This sin works ruin, first, by unhealthful
stimulants. Excitement Is pieasurable,
Under every sky md In oyery age men have
sought 1t. The Ohinaman gets it by smok-
ing his opium, the Persian by chewing has
heesh, the trapper in buffalo hunt, tho
sailor In squall, the inebriate in the bottle
and the avariclous at the gaming table. We
must at times have excitement. A thousand
voices in our nature demand it. It Is right.
It is healthful. It Is inspiring. 1t Is de-
sire God given. But anything that first
gratincs this appetite and hurls 1t back In
terrific reaction Is deplorable and wicked.
Look out for the agitation that like rough
musician IN bringing out the tune plays SO
hard he breaks down the instrument. God
never made man strong enough to en-
dure the wear and tear OF gambling ex-
element. No wonder if, after having failed,
III the game, men have begun to sweep of
imaginary gold from the side of tho table,
The man was sharp enough when he started;
at the game, but maniac at the close. At
every gaming table sit on one side ecstasy.
enthusiasm, romance-the frenzy OF Joy, on.
49, I'll ia