Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-05-27
BAD COMPANY.
The Text: "walk Thou Not in the Way
With Them"
Younv Men Warned From Paths CT Dam
Ger IT, the safe Byways of ood's Own
Shocsing-Sermon by Rev. r.
Dewitt Talmagc. ID. ID.

Dewitt Talmagc, ID. ID.
Rev. DIR. Talmagc chose for his sub
jet bad company" the text selected
being Proverbs l.. Is; walk not thou
in the way with them.
Hardly any young man goes to
place of dissipation alone. Each one is
accompanied. No man goes to ruin
alone. He always takes some one else
with him. May 1t please the court"
said convicted criminal, when asked
IL he had anything to say bcforS the
penalty of death was imposed 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 ASSOC
Citations. Had l kept my promise, I
should have been spared this shame
and been free from the load of guilt
that hangs around me like vulturc,
threatening to- drag me to justice for
crimes yet unrcvealed /, who once
moved in the first circle OF society, and
have been the guest OF distinguished
public men, am lost, and all through
bad company"
This is but one of the thousand proofs
that evil associations blast and destroy.
Ii is the invariable rule. There is n
well man in the wards of hospital
where there are 100 people sick with
ship fever, and he will not be so apt To
take the disease rs good man would
be apt to be smitten with moral dis
temper IL shut up with iniquitous COM
panions. In oldcn times prisoners were
herded together in the same cell, but
each one learned the vices of all the
culprits, so that, instead of being re-
formed by Incarceration, the day of
elaboration turned them out upon so
ciety beasts, not men.
We may, in our places of business,
be compelled To talk To and miuglc
with bad men, but he who deliberately
chooses TO associate himself with vici-
GUS people is engaged in carrying on
courtship with Dcliliah, whose shears
will clip off all the locks of his strength
and he will be tripped in perdition.
Sin is catching, is infectious, is cpl
demic. 1 will let you look over the
millions of people inhabiting the earth,
and l challenge you to show me good
man who, after one year, has made
choice and consorted with the wicked.
thousand dollars reward 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 become n bur
glar. Go among the unclcan, and you
will become unclean. Many n Young
man has been destroyed by not appre-
ciating this. He wakes up some
morning in the great city, and
knows no one except the
/ s..s-
has entered. AS he goes into n store all
the clerks mark him, measure him and
discuss him. The upright young men
OF the store wish him well, but perhaps
wait for formal introduction, and
even then have some delicacy about
inviting him into their associations.
But the bad young men of the
store ut the first opportunity APP
proach him and offer their serv-
ices They patronizc him. They pro-
fess TO know all about the town.
They will take him anywhere he wish
es TO go-if he will pay the expenses.
For If good young man and bad
young man go TO some place where
they ought not. the good young man
has invariably 20 pay the charges. At
the moment the ticket Is paid for, or
bht btLJltu LOT, Lne DAD
young man feels around in his pockets
and says: 81 have forgotten my poclx-
etbook." In IS hours after the young
man has entered the store the bad fell
lows of the establishment slap him on
the shoulder familiarly and, at his stu
pidity in taking certain illusions, say:
MY young friend, you will have TO be
broken in;" and they Immediately pro-
4 aaaI 20 l. IL -, -.
name OF God, / warn You to beware
how you let bad man talk familiarity
with You. If such Il one slaps you on
the shoulder Familiarity turn round and
give him n whitening look, until the
wretch crouches in your presence.
There is no monstrosity Of wiclsedncss
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 10 every young
man lightning that he may use, and
that is the lightning of an honest eye.
Those who have been close observers
Of city life will not wonder why give
warning TO young men and say: BE
ware Of evil companions"
/ warn you 20 shun the sccDtic-the
I jung mon NiD piio iio bbEtIS III Ills
vest and laughs at your old-fashioncd
religion, and turns over 10 some mys-
terry OF the Bible and says: Explain
that, my pious friend; explain that"
And who says: Nobody shall scare
me; I am not afraid OF the future. /
used 90 believe in such things, and so
did my father and mother, but have
got over It." Yes he has got over IL;
and il you sit in his company little
longer you will get over IL, too. with
out presenting one argument against
the Christian religion, such men will,
by their jeers and SCOTS and caricn-
lures, destroy your respect for that re-
ligion, which was the strength OF your
father in his declining years and the
pillow OF your old mother when she
lay a-dying.
Alasl time will come when this bius-
tering young infidel will have 70 die.
and then his diamond ring will flash no
more splendor in tho eyes OF Death as
he stands over the couch waiting for
his soul Those beautiful locks will be
uncombed upon the pillow, and the dy-
inc man will saw "I can not die can