The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-28
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE NOTED DIVINE'S SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.
Subject: "Bad Company"
TEXT: "Walk not thou in the way with
them. '-Proverbs l., 15

NO man goes to ruin alone. He always takes
some one else with him. May it please the
court" said a convicted criminal when asked
II he had anything to say before sentence Of
death was passed upon him-"may it please
the court. bad company has been my ruin.
received the blessing of good parents and in
return promised to avoid all evil associa-
tions. Had kept my promise l should have
been saved this shame and been free from
the load of guilt that hangs around me like
vulture; threatening to drag me to Justice
for crimes yet unrevealei. I who once
moved in the first circles of society and have
been the guest Of distinguished public men
am lost, and all through bad company"
This is but ono Of the thousand proofs
that evil associations blast and destroy. 1t
is the invariable rule. There is a we'll man
IN the wards Of a hospital where there are
hundred people sick with ship fever, and he
Will not be SO apt to take the disease as r
good man would be apt to be snitten with
moral diStcmper if shut up with ubiquitous
companions. In Olden times prisoners were
herded together in the same cell, but each
ono learned the vices OF all the culprlts, so
that instead of being reformed by incarcera-
ton th9 day Of liberation turned them out
upon society beasts. not men.
we may. in our places OF business, be COM
PEELED to talk to ana mingle with bad men.
but he who deliberately chooses to associate
hlmSelt with vicious people is engaged in
carrying on Il cOurtship with Detlah
whose shears will clip of all the locks of his
strength, and he will be trippei into perdi-
ton. Sin Is catching, is infectious, is cpl
demic. | will let you look over the millions
OF people now inhabiting the earth, and
chailenge you to show mo q good man who
after one year has made choice and consOrted
with the wicked. A thousand dollars re-
ward for one such instance. I care not how
strong Your character NAV be- Go with
the corrupt and you will become cOrrunt.
Clan with burglars, AMI you will be-
come II burglar. Go among the unclean.
ana You VIII become unciean. Many II
young man has been destroyed by not
approaching this. H wakes up some
morning in the great city and knows no
one except tho persons into whose employ
he has entered. As he goes into the store all
the clerks mark him, measure him and dis
cuss him. The upright young men OF the
store wish him wei, but perhaps wait for a
formal Introduction. and even then have
some deiicacy about inviting him into their
associations. But the bal young men Of the
store at the first opportunity approach and
offer their services. They patronize him.
They profess to know all about the town.
They will take him anywhere he wishes TO
go-lihe will pay the expenses. For If good
young man and bad young man 60 to
some place where they ought not, the good
young man has invariably to pay the
charges. At the moment the ticket is paid
for. or the champagne settled for, the bad
young man feels around in his pockets and
says, 81 have forgotten my pOcke!bOok"
In fOrty-eight hours after the Young man
has entered the store the bad fellows Of the
establishment slap him on the shoulder IA
mlliarly, and, at his stupidity in taking Ger
tain illusions, say, "My young friend, You
will have to be broken in" and they imme-
diately proceed to break him in. Young man.
in the name Of God warn you to beware
how you let a bad man talk familiarly with
you If such ono slap you on the shoulder
Familiarity, turn round and give him with
erinS look until the wretch crouches in your
presence. There is no mOnstroSity of wick
ednesS that can stand unabashed under the
glance of purity and honor. God keeps the
lightnings of heaven in His own scabbard,
and no human arm can WELD them, but God
gives to every young man a lightning that he
may use, and that is the lightning of an hon.
est eye. Those who have been close observ-
ers of city life will not wonder why I give
warning to young men and say, beware Of
evil companions"
L warn you to shun the sl1eptic-the young
man who puts his fingers in his vest and
laughs at your old fashioned religion, and
turns over to some mystery of the Bible, and
says, "Explain that. my pious friend, ex-
plain that" And who says: "Noboiy
shall scare me; l am not afraid Of the
future. [ used to believe in such things,
and so did my father and mother, but have
got over it Yes, he has got over it, and if
you sit in his company q little longer you will
get over it too. Without presenting one
argument against the Christian religion.
| such men will, by their ieers and SCOTS and
carlcaturcs. destroy your respect for that re-
l1gion which was the strength of your father
in his declining years and the pillow OF your
old mother when she lay a-dying.
Alas, time will come when this buster
ing young intidel will have to die, and then
his diamond ring will flash no spendor in the
| eyes Of Death as he stands over the couch
waiting for his soul! Those beautiful locks
will be uncombed upon the pillow. and the
dying man will say, Il cannot die; [ cannot
die Death, standing ready beside the
couch, says: "1ou must die. You have
only half minute to live. Let me have it
young infidel, ''here are my gold rings and
these pictures. Take them all" "No,"
says Death. "What do care for pictures.
| Your soulr' "Stand back!' says the diving
infide. 81 will not stand back" says
Death, ''for you have only ten seconds now
to live. | want your soul" The dying man
says: ''DOn't breathe that cold air INTO my
/ lacc. AOu crowd me LOO nara. It's getting
dark in the room. o, God?" "Hush," says
Death. You said there was no God"
/ pray for me, eXclaims the expiring infidel.
| "Too late to pray" says Death. but three
more seconds to live, and will count them
| otf-one, two, three!" He has gone! Where!
| Where? Garry him out and bury him beside
! his father and mother, who died while hold
ing fast the Christian religion. They died
singing, but the young infldel only said
Don't breathe that cold air into my face
You crowd me too hard. It is getting dark
! in the room"
Again, l urge you to shun the companion
ship of idlers. There are men hangins
around every store and office and shop who
have nothing to do, or act as If they had not
They are apt to come in when the firm are
away and wish TO engage you in converse
ton while you are engaged in your regular
employment. Politely suggest to such per
sons that you have no time to give then
| during business hours. Nothing would
please them SO well as to have you renounc(
your occupation and associate with them
Much OF the time they lounge around the
| doors of engine houses, or after the dining
hour stand upon the steps of fashionabl,
hotel or an elegant restaurant, wishing t.
give you the idea that that is the place wher,
| they dine. But they do not dine there
They are sinking down lower and lower da'
by day. Neither by day nor by night hayt
anything to do with idlers.
Before you admit a man into your &C
quaintance ask him politely, "What do 20,