Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-11-28

may have manners that would put to
shame the graccfulncss ard courtesy of
Lord Chesterfield. Foreign languages
may drop from his tongue. He may be
able to discuss literature and laws and
foreign customs. He may WELD pen
of uncqualed polish and power His
quickness and tact may qualify him for
the highest salary of the counting house.
Ie may be as sharp as Herod 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 fascin-
ating his dress the more peril. Satan does
not cure for the allegiance of coward
" 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
IL was not some crazy craft creeping
along the coast with valueless cargo
that the pirate attacked, but the ship,
full winged and tagged, plying between
great ports carrying its millions OF spe-
Gle. The more your natural and acquired
accomplishments tho more need of the
religion of Jesus. That does not cut IN
upon or hack up any smoothness of dis
position or behavior. 1t gives symme-
try. 1t arrests that in the soul which
ought to be arrested and propels that
which ought to be propelled. 1t fills up
the gulleys. 1t elevates and transforms.
To beauty it gives more beauty, to tact
moro tact to enthusiasm Of nature more
enthusiasm. When the Holy Spirit i'm
presses the image of God on the heart,
he does not spoil the canvas. If in all
the multitudes of young men upon
whom religion has acted you could find
one nature that had been the least dam
aged, I would yield this proposition.
You may now have enough strength
of character to repel the various tempta-
lions to gross wickedness which assail
you, but 1 do not know in what strait
YOU may be thrust at some future time.
Nothing short of the grace of the cross
may then be able to deliver you from
the lions You are not meeker than
Moses, nor holier than David, nor more
patient than Job, and you ought not tc
consider yourself invulnerable. You may
have some weak point Of character that
you have never discovered, and in some
hour, when you are unsuspecting, the
Philistines will be upon thee, Samson.
Trust not in your good habits, or you1
early training, or your pride Of charac.
ter. Nothing short of the arm of AL
mighty God will be sufficient to uphold
you. You look forward to the world
sometimes with a chilling dependency.
Cheer up; 1 will tell you how you may
make fortune Seek first the king
dom of God and his righteousness, and
all other things shall be added unto
you" I know you do not want to be
mean in this matter. Give God the
freshness of your life. You will not
have the heart to drink down the brim,
ming cup Of life and then pour the
dregsssp Gods altar. To "a Saviour SO in
finitely generous you have not the heart
to act like that. That is not brave; that
is not honorable; that is not manly.
Your greatest want in all the world is
O new heart. In Gods name, tell you
that. And the Blessed Spirit presses
through the solemnities and privileges
of this holy hour. Put the cup of life
eternal to your thirsty lips. Thrust ii
not back. Mercy offers it-bleeding
mercy, long suffering mercy. Reject all
other friendships, be ungrateful for all
other kindness, prove recreant to all
other bargains, but to despise God rs
love for your Immortal soul-do not dc
that.
Two slgnboards.
would like to see some of you this
hour press out Of the ranks Of the world
and lay your conquered spirit at the feet
of Jesus This hour is no wandering
vagabond staggering over the earth. 1t
is winged messenger of the skies whis'
pering mercy 10 thy soul. Life is smooth
now, but after awhile 1t may be rough,
wild and precipitate There comes a
crisis in the history Of every man. We
seldom understand that turning point
until it is far PAST. The load Of life is
forkcd, lid 1 read Oh two sigIboards
"This is the way to happiness. " '"This
is the way to ruin. =" How apt we are tc
pass the fork of the road without think
ing whether it comes out at the door OF
bliss or the gates of darkness!
Many years ago stood Oh the ami
versary platform with a minister Of
Christ who made this remarkable state.
lnent: Thirty years ago two young
men started out in the evening to at
tend the Park thcater, New York,
where play was to be acted in which
the cause of religion was to be placed in
ridiculous and hypocritical light.
They came to the steps. The consciences
of both smote them. One started to &c
home, but returned again to the door,
and yet had not courage to enter and
finally departed. But the other young
man entered the pit of the theater. 1t
was the turning point in the history OF
these two young men. The man who
entered was caught in the whirl OF