The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-03
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE By THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: "Bad Company"
TEXT: "Walk not thou IN the way wit
them. proverbs l., Is.

TEXT: "Walk not thou IN the way Will
them. proverbs t., Is.
Hardly any young man goes to a place o.
dissipation alone. Each one is accompanied
some one else with him. May it please the
court" said O convicted criminal when asked
II he had anything to say beiare sentence oi
death was passed upon him-"may it please
the court, bad company has been my ruin. l
received the blessing OF good parents and in
return promised to avoid all evil associa-
tions. Had kept my promise should have
been saved this shame and been free from
fhe loed OF guilt that hangs around me Ike
3 vulture; threatening to drag me to justice
for crimes yet unrevealed. I who once
moved In the first circles OF society and have
been the guest Of distinguished public men
an lost, and all through bad company"
This Is but one Of the thousand proofs
that evil associations blast and destroy. It
is the invariable rule. There Is we'll man
In the wards Of hospital where there are a
hundred people sick with ship fever, and he
will not be so apt TO take the disease as q
good man would be apt to be smitten with
moral distemper II shut up with iniquitous
companions. In olden times prisoners were
herded together in the same cell, but each
one learned the vices Of oil the culprits, so
that instead Of being reformed Dy incarcera-
ton thu day Of liberation turned them out
upon society beasts. not men.
We may. In our places OF business, be COM
pelled to talk to and mingle with bad men,
but he who deliberately chooses to associate
himself with vicious people Is engaged IN
carrying on courtship with Delilah
whose shears will clip of all the locks OF his
strength. and he will be tnpped into .perdi-
tion. Sin Is catching, IS infectious, Is cpl
demic. will let you look over the millions
Of people now inhabiting the earth, and I
challenge you to show me a good man who
after one year has made choice and consorted
with the wicked. A thousand dollars re-
ward for one such instance. care not how
strong your character may be. Go with
the corrupt and you will become corrupt.
Clan with burglars, and you will be-
como q burglar. Go among the unclean,
and you will become uncean. Many u
young man has been destroyed by not
appreciating this. He wakes up some
morning in the great city and knows no
one except the 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 well. but perhaps wait for q
formal Introduction. and even then have
some delicacy about inviting him into their
associations. But the bad young men OF the
store at the first opportunity approach and
offer their services. They patronize him.
They profess to know oil about the town.
They will take him anywhere he wishes TO
eo-ifhe will pay the expenses. For If good
young man and bad young man 80 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
scys, "I have forgotten my pocketbook."
In forty-eight hours after the young man
has entered the store the bad fellows Of the
establishment slap him on the shoulder IA
military, and, at his stupidity in taking GER
tain illusions, say, "My young friend, you
will have to be broken In" and they tmme-
IN the name Of God warn you to beware
how you let bad man talk famtliarly with
you If such one slap you on the shoulder
familarly, turn round and give him with
ering 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
hghtnings OF heaven in His own scabbard.
and no human arm can WELD them, but God
gives to every young. man lightning that he
may use, and that is the lightning of On hon
lSSt eye IuOSe WHO nave Deeu clOSo ODSeEF-
|ers of city life will not wonder why give
warning to young men and say, beware OF
evil companions"
I warn you 10 shun the sEeptic-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: "Nobody
shall scare me; am not afraid OF the
future. I used to believe in such things,
and 80 did my father and mother, but have
got over It," Yes. he has got over 1t, and if
you sit in his company q little longer you will
argument against the Christian religion.
such men will, by their jeers and SCOTS and
caricatures. destroy your respect for that re-
lIgion which was the strength OF your father
N his declining years and the pillow OF your
Did mother when she lay a-dying.
Alas, time will come when this bluster-
ng young infdel will have to die, and then
his diamond ring will fash no spendor In the
1eYes OF Death us be stands over the couch
waiting for his soul! Those beautiful locks
will be uncombed upon the pillow, and tho
dying man will say, II cannot die; cannot
die" Death, standing ready beside the
couch, says: "You must die. You have
only half minute to live. Let me have it
young infdel, "here are my gold rings and
these pictures. Take them all" "No,"
says Death. What do care for pictures.
Your soulr' "Stand backr' says the dying
in1ldel. ~ 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
face. You crowd me too hard. tits getting
dark in the room. o, God?" "Hush," says
Death. "You said there was no God"
"Pray for me-" exclaims the expiring infdel.
more seconds to live. and will count them
off-one, two, three!" He has gone! Where9
Where2 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 inhdel only said:
"Dont breathe that cold air into my face.
You crowd me too hard. 1t Is getting dark
in the room."
Again, urge You to shun the companion
ship Of id!ers. There are men hanging
around every store and Office and shop who
have nothing 10 do, or act as If they had not.
They are apt to come in when the firm are
away and wish 10 engage you in conversa-
tion while you are engaged in your regular
employment. Politely suggest to such per-
\sons that you have no time TO give them
Eduring business hours. Nothing would
Iplease them so well as to have you renounce
|Your occupation aud 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 fashionable
(hotel or an elegant restaurant, wishing to
(give you the idea that that is the place where
they dine. But they do not dine there.
They are sinking down lower and lower day
by day. Neither by day nor by night have
yanything to DO with idlers.
Before you admit man into your ac-
for IiVns Ssd MN If be ssys NOTHING 90
b gentleman" look out for him. He may
have very soft hand and very faultless ap-