Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-03

duty ought only to be the filing up Of
the main plan of existence. Let
men be consistent. If they pre-
fer misdeeds to correct courses
of action then let them draw
out the design of knavery
and cruelty and plumber. Let every
days falsehood and wrong doing be
added as coloring TO the picture. Let
bloody deeds red-stripe tie picture,
and tine clouds Of %rathfuI God bang
down heavily over the canvas, ready
To break cut IN c:amOrous tempest.
Let the waters be chafed and froth-
tangled. and green with immeasu ra BILE
depths Then take a torch Of burn
ing pitch and scorcD into the frame the
right name for 1.-THE souls suicide.
II one entering upon sInful directions
would only, in his mind or on paper,
draw out in awful realty this dreadful
future, he would recoI from it and
say: Am l Dante, that by my own
life l should write another Internal?
Many years ago word came TO me
that two lmposters, as temperance
lecturers. had been speaking in Ohio,
IN various places, and giving their eX-
perience, and they told their audience
that they had long been intimate with
me, and had become drumkards by
dining at my Ia bic, where always had
liquors of all sorts. Indignant to the
last degree, l went down to the chief
of Brooklyn police, saying that was
going to start that nigh for Ohio to
have the villains arrested, and | want
ed him to tell me how to make the ar
rest. He smiled and said: DO not
waste your time by chasing these men.
Go home and do your work and they
can do you no harm. / took his coun
sci. and all was well. Long ago / made
up my MUD that if one Will put his
trust in God and be faithful to duty,
lie need not fear any evil. lave God
on your side, young uIan, and all the
combined forces Of earth and hell can
do you no damage.
You may now have enough strength
OF character to repei The various
temptations to gross wick edness " nich
;>aalt you, buL | do not know in what
strait you may be thrust at some
future time Nothing short Of the
: SlNt ~ VIC Ci oSS ND CIS1 c6 ii DC 10
deliver you from the ;onS. You are
not meeker than Moses, not holier
than David, nor mole patient than
Jacob, and you ought not to con-
slider yourself invuInera BILE. You may
nave some weak point of character
That yOu have never discovered, and in
SINE h0nr when you are unsus pecriHg
he PhIilstines viii be upon thee, Sam
son. Trust not III your good habits, or
Your early training, or your pride of
character; nothing, short OF the arm uf
Almighty G"d will lie sufficient TO up
hoi& you. You look foru ard to the
world Sometimes with chilling
dependency. Cheer up; will
tell you how you may make
fortune. Seek first the King
dom CT God and His righteous
ness, and all other things shall be
added un TO you. l know you do not
want TO be mean in tits matter. Give
God the freshness Of your life. You
will not have the heart 10 drink down
the brimming cup Of life and then pour
the dre9s on GOu's altar. 70 Saviour
SO infinitely generous you have not
not brave, that is not honora-
bic, that is not manly. Your
greatest want in all the world is
a new heart. In Gods name, | tell
you. And the blessed spirit presses
through the solemuities aud privileges
of this holy hour. Put the cup of life
eternal to your thirsty lips Thrust it
not back. Mercy offers it; bleeding
mercy, long-sutferiug mercy. Reject
all other friendships, be migrate full
for all other kindness, prove recreant
to all other bargains. but to desplse
Gods love for your Immortal soul-do
not do that.
would like to see some OF you this
hour press out the ranks of the world
and lay your conquered spirit at the
feet of Jesus. This hour is no wan
dering vaga bond staggering over the
earth; it is a winged messenger of the
skies whispering mercy to thy soul.
Life is smooth now, but after awhile
it may be rough, wild and precipi.
tate. There comes crisis in the his
tory of every man. We seldom under
stand that turning point until it is far
past. The road of life is forl1ed, and |
read on two sign boards: This is the
way to happiness" ''Ihls is the way
to ruin" How apt we are to pass the
fork of the road without thinking
whether it comes out at the door of
bliss or the gates of darkness
"Rejoice, O, young man, in thy
youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in
the days Of thy youth; but know thou
that for all these things God will bring
khaa in to ind -