Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-21
SIN IS INFECTIOUS.
REV. Or. TALMAeE SHOWS THE EVILS
OF BAD COMPANY.

WAsH1NGToE May 17.-Young and old,
but moro especially the young men and
women of our time, havo vital interest
In tho theme upon which Rev. DR.. Tai
mage discourses today Ho chose for his
subject, "Bad Company, the toxt selected
being Proverbs 1, 10, "Walk not thou In
tho way with them"
Hardly any young man goes to place
of dissipation alone Each ono Is accom-.
panied. No man goes to ruin alone lie
always takes some one else with him.
"Mny It please the court" said convicted
criminal when asked II ho had anything to
say before sentence OF death WAS passed
upon him-''may It please tho court, bad
company has been my ruin l received
the blessing Of good parents, and, in re-
turn, promised to avoid oil evil associa-
lions. Had l Kept my promise l should
have been saved this shame and been FREQ
from tho load of guilt that hangs around
mo like vulture, threatening to drug mo
to Justice for crimes yet unrovenlod. /,
who once moved in tho first circles of So
ciety and have been the guest of distin-
guished public men, am lost, and all
through bad company"
This is but ono of tho thousand proofs
that evil associations blast and destroy.
1t is tho invariablo rule. There Is n we'll
man in tho wards of n hospital, where
there are hundred people sick with ship
fever, and no will not DO so apt TO take tho
disease as u good man would be apt to be
smitten with moral disteinper IL shut up
with Ubiquitous companions. In oldcn
times prisoners were herded together in
tho samo cell, but each one learned the
vices Of all tho oulprits, so that instead Of
being reformed by incarceration the day Of
liberation turned them out upon society
beasts, not men.
Beware of the Vicious.
We may In our places Of business, BIO
compelled to talk to and mingle with bad
men, but no who deliberately chooses to
associate himself with vicious people is on
gagged in carrying ON q courtship with
Delilnh whose shears will clip off all tho
locks Of his strength and he will DO tripped
into perdition. Sin Is catching, is infec-
tious, is epidemic. will lot you look over
the millions Of people now inhabiting the
earth, and / challenge you to show me IA
good man who, after ono year, has made
choice and oopsorted with the wicked. A
thousand dollars reward for one such in
stance caro- not how strong your char
ACter may DC. 20 WIFI tue corrupt, anu
you will become corrupt; clan with bur
glars, and you will become burglar, go
among tho uncloan, and you will become
unclean. Many a young man has been
destroyed by not approaching this lilo
wakes up some morning in tho great city
and knows no one except tle persons into
whose employ no has entered. AS he goes
into tho store all tho clerks mark him,
measure him and discuss him. The up
right young mon of tho store wish him
WELL but perhaps wait for u formal intro
duction, and even then have some dclicacy
about inviting him into thor associations.
But tho bad young mon of tho store at the
first opportunity approach and offer their
services. They patronize him; thcy pro-
fass to know all about the town they will
take him anywhere he wishes TO go-if no
will pay tho expenses-for II q good young
man and bad young man go to some
place where they ought not tho good young
man has invariably to pay tho charges.
At the moment tho ticket is paid for, or
tho champagne settled for, tho bad young
man feels around in his pockets and says,
~ have forgotten my pooketbook.
In 4S hours after the young man has
entered the store the bad fellows Of tho cs-
tablishment slap him on tho shoulder ia
military and at his stupidity In taking
certain illusions say, my young friend,
you will have to DO broken in, and thcy
Immediately proceed to break him in.
Young mgn, in tho name of God / warn
you to beware how you let bad man talk
Familiarity with you If such a ono slap
you ON the shoulder familiarly, turn round
and give him whitening look until the
wretch orouches in your presence. There is
no monstrosity Of wickednoss that Gun
stand unabashed under the glance Of pu-
rity and honor. God keeps,thc llghtnings
Of heaven In hia own scnbbard, and no
human arm can WELD them, but God
gives to every young man n lightning that
he may use, and that is tho lightning of
an honest eye. Those who have been close
observers of city life will not wonder why
give warning to young mon and say,
"Beware of evil companions"
Shun the Skeptic and Infidel.
I warn you to shun the skeptic-the
young man who puts his fingers in his
vest and laughs az your old fashioned ro-
ligion and turns over to some mystery of
the Bible and says Explain that, my
pious friend; explain that" And who
says: Nobody shall scare me. am not
afraid Of the future. used to believe in
such things, and SO did my father and
mother, but have got over It," Yes, he
has got over ., and If you sit in his COM
pany little longer you will get over 1t
too. Without presenting ono argument
against the Christian religion such men
will, by their GERS and SCOTS and carca-
lures, destroy your respect for that re-
ligion, which was the strength of your
father In his declining years and the pill
low Of your old mother when sho lay
a-dying.
Alas time will come when this blus-
toring young infldel will have to die, and
thon his diamond ring will fash no splen-
dor in the eycs Of Death, as he stands over
the couch waiting for his soul. Those
beautiful locks will be unoombod upon tho
pillow, and the dying man will say, II
cannot die--I cannot die" DEATH stand
ing ready beside tho COUCH says: "You
must dte. You have only half a minute to
live Lot mo have 1t right away-your
soul" mo-" says the young infide,
"here arc my gold rings and these pic
lures. Take them all" "No," says Death.
"What do care for picturosf Your soul"
Stand back !" says tho dying infidel. II
will not stand back, says Death, "for you
have only ton seconds now to live. want
your soul" The dying man says: "Don I
breathe that cold air into my face You
crowd me too hard. 1t Is getting dark In
tho room. o Godl" "Hush!" says Death.
"You said there was no God" "Pray for
anel" sxclaims the expiring infldol. 100
late to pray" says Death. "But three
moro seconds to live, and I will count
them off-one--two-three He has gone
Wheref Whereof Garry him out and bury
him beside hia father and mother who