The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-16

the welfare of their children and was
also intended as a help to the young.
The discourse was termed THE Safe
guards of Young Men,
is the young man Absalom safe"
ii Samuel, xviii. 80. was the text. This
chapter, beginning with the seven
teenth verse, was the evening Scripture
lesson, and was an appropriate pre-
cursor to the sermon, which was inn
mediately introduced by an extended
reference to Absalcm's great advan-
tages in birth. family wealth and
power and social position.
"Absalom inherited a great pride
from his father, David, and gave evil
dence of it by an unusual attention to
his physical attractiveness. His par
ticular care of his luxurant and beau
tiful growth Of hair was bad sign
and one that betokened a hesdlessness
of good things. a long haired man."
DR.. Robinson commented, affects me
much the same as does short haired
woman.
"Ordirarily a young nan is encour
AGED by his family nobility and hss-
toric ancestry to pernctuate the greats
ness and worth of his lineage. But Alb
SALON. let his position lead him instead
Of leading his position and the latter
was in part caused by his devotion to
his physical self. 1t is much the same
nowadays. Children today are by hat
terry cncOurag ged in bending their devo-
tions in wrong direction.
HIS FATHERS EXAMPLE.
"David's example had not been IF the
best. His early lust had infenced ABB
salon when a child and the notoriety of
Solomon shed a bad Influence not only
over his immediate court, but out and
over his whole realm. Possibly the fa-
ther's early example had much to do
with the regret expressed in his first
grief over the loss of his son. Convert
ed men and women are never free from
the tinGe of remorse for having caused
while SHINING blight on the lives of
others. Colonel Hadley, whose con-
version came after forty-tive years of
corrupt life, was never free from the
regret because of the wasted lives that
he had heloted to make.
No child comes ideally placed into
this world: it has some unfortunate in
heritance. which. though it may he had
pride lust. love of strong drink or 9th
er thing. furnishes Of itself an incentive
for Improvement The inheritance of
anything bad is certainly no excuse for
the possession Of it or of the trouble
caused by ii to others as well as the
pOssessor. Victory over evil Is great
reward. There is a deal Of consolation
in a mastery over something bad in the
consciousness of strength for good. but
the greatest satisfaction comes with
having pleased God. Responsibilities
call out a mans manhood. Some of the
finest characters in history have de-
velOped from adverse circumstances, of
which poverty was not the greatest.
What is the help for adverse cir
cumstanccs. for an inherent evil? one
word-God! His forethought and SYM
pathy for young men should be a spe
cial plea for the exercise of their man
hood i'm the proper direction. He gave
His son as an example for them. His
word is a light always shining along
their way.
"There are sinful young men. ! admit.
hut there are more than you think who
can be trusted-because they are trust
ing. To all of them there is a safe
guard if they did but know that Jesus
is beside them. He is not out of your
reach. but is walking so near you that
you can easily find His hand and be
safely led"