The Progress., 1896-12-05
Many years ago word came to me

Many wears ago word came to me
that two imposters as temperance iec-
turers, had been speaking IN ONO, III
various places, and giving their oxpe-
r,ence. and they told their audience
that they had long been intimate with
me, and had become drunkards by
dining at my table. where ] always had
liquors of all sorts. Indignant to the
last degree I went down to Patrick
Campbell, chief Of Brooklyn ponce
saying that I was going to start that
night for Ohio to have thosc Williams
arrested, and / wanted him to tell me
how to make the arrest. lie smiled
and said: DO not waste your time by
chasing these men. Go home ana 40
your work, and they can do you no
harm" took his counsel, and all was
we'll. Long ago l made up my nina
that if one will put his trust In Goa
and be faithful to duty, he need not
fear any evil. Have God on your SIDE,
young man, and all the combined
forces of earth and hell can do you no
damage.
And this leads me to say that the
mightiest defense for a young man IS
the possession of religious principle.
| Nothing can take the place OF 1t. lie
may have manners that would put TO
shame the gracefulness and courtesy
of a Lord Chesterfield. Foreign Ian
guages may drop from his tongue. He
may be able to discuss literature, and
laws, and foreign customs. He may
WELD pen of unequaled polish and
power. His quickness and tact may
qualify him for the highest salary OF
the counting house. He may be as
sharp as Herol and as strong as
Samson, with as fine locks as those
which hung Absalom, still he is not
safe from contamination. The more
elegant his manner, and the more fas-
cinating his dress, the more peril. Sa-
tan does not care for the allegiance OF
cowardly and illiterate being. He
cannot bring him into efficient service
But he loves TO storm that castle OF
character which has in it the most
spoils and treasures. 1t was not some
crazy craft creeping along the coast
with a valueless cargo that the pirate
! attacked, but the ship, full-winged and
tagged, plying between great ports
carrying it's millions Of specie. The
, more your natural and acquired accom-
plishments, the more need Of the reli'
gion of Jesus. That does not cut ir
upon or hack up the smoothness of dis
position or behavior. 1t gives symme
, try. It arrests that in the soul which
, ought to be arrested, and propels tina
which ought to be propelled. 1t fill
T up the gulleys 1t elevates and trans
s forms. To beauty it gives NOR
beauty, to tact more tact, to enthu
siasm of nature more enthusiasm
When the Holy Spirit impresses tn
image of God on the heart he does no
spoil the canvass. If in all the multi
tudes of young men upon whom reli
gion has acted you could find one ma
ture that had been the least damaged
l would yield this proposition.
Many years ago stood on the ami
a versary platform with minister Q
Christ who made this remark: bl
, statement: Thirty years ago tw
q young men started out in the evenin
q to attend the Park theater, New Yorl
/ where play was to be acted in whic
the cause of religion was to be place
: in a ridiculous and hypocritical ligh
t They came to the steps. The cor
i sciences of both smote them. On
6 s...arted to 60 home, but returned agai
o to the door, end yet had not courage
i enter, and finally departed. But tn
s other young man entered the pit Of tn
!. theater. 1t was the turning point
n the history Of these two young me,
i The man who entered was caught
d the whirl of temptation. He san
If deeper and deeper in infamy: he W,
/ lost. That other young man W:
IS saved, and he now stands before VI
le to bless God that for twenty years
ID has been permitted to preach the Go
ID pei"
y, "Rejoice, o young man, in Il
N youth, and let thy heart cheer tn
l. in the days of thy youth; but kno
III thou that for all these things God W
10 bring thee into judgment.