Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-11-27

taking the plane out OF the mans hand
or laying down the yardstick, say,
"What, man, is oil this about-so much
stir and sweat?" The reply will stumble
and break down between teeth and lips.
Every days duty ought only to be the
filling up Of the main plan of existence.
Let men be consistent II they prefer
misdeeds to correct courses Of action,
then let them draw out the design Of
knavery and cruelty and plunder. Let
every days falsehood and wrongdoing
be added as ooloring TO the picture. Let
bloody deeds red stripe the picture, and
the clouds Of a wrathful God hang down
heavily over the canvas ready TO break
out in clamorous tempest. Let the wa
ters be chafed and froth tangled and
green with immeasurable depths. Then
take torch of burning pitch and scorch
into the frame the right name for it
the SOULS suicide. II one entering upon
sinful directions would only, in his
mind or on paper, draw out in awful
reality this dreadful future, he would
recoil from it and say, cam | a Dante,
that by my own life / should write an
other 'Infernor" But if you are re-
solved to live a life such as God and
good men will approve, do not let it be
a vague dream, an indefinite determina-
tion, but in your mind or upon paper
sketch 10 in all its minut@. You cannot
know the changes to which you may be
subject, but you may know what always
will be right and always will be wrong.
Let gentleness and charity and veracity
and faith stand in the heart Of the
sketch.
On some still brooks bank make
lamb and lion lie down together. Draw
two or three of the trees OF life, not
frost stricken, nor ice glazed, nor wind
stripped, but with thick yerdure waving
like the palms Of heaven. On the dark
est cloud place the rainbow, that piiiov
Of the dying storm. You need not print
the title on the frame. The dullest will
catch the design at glance and say,
"That is the road to heaven. " All, mel
On this sea Of life what innumerable
ships, heavily laden and well rigged,
yet seem bound for no port! Swept ev-
cry whittier Of wind and wave, they 60
up by the mountains, they go down by
the valleys and are at their wits end.
They sail by no chart, they watch no
star, they long for no harbor. l beg ev-
cry young man today to draw out
sketch Of what, by the grace Of God, he
means to be. Think no excellence so
high that you cannot reach it. He who
starts out in life with high ideal OF
character and faith in its attainment
will find himself incased from thou
sand temptations. There are magnifi-
cent possibilities before each OF you
young men Of the stout heart, and the
buoyant step, and the bounding spirit.
would marshal you for grand achieve
ment. God now provides for you the
field, and the armor, and the fortlhca-
tions. Who is on the Lords side! A
captain in ancient times, TO encourage
his men against the immense odds on
the side Of their enemies, said: Come,
my men, look these fellows in the face.
They are 5000; you are 800. Surely
the match is even." That speech gave
them the victory. Be not, my hearers,
dismayed at any time by what seems an
immense odds against you. Is fortune,
is want Of education, are men, are dey-
lis, against you, though the multitudes
of earth and hell confront you, stand up
to the charge. With 1000, 900 against
you the match is just even. Nay, you
have a decided advantage If God be for
us, who can be against us? Thus pro-
tected, you need not spend much time
in answering your assailants
Many years ago word came to me that
two impostors, as temperance lecturers,
had been speaking in Ohio in various
places and giving their experience, and
they told their audience that they had
long been intimate with me and had
become drunkards by dining at my ia
BILE, where / always bad liquors OF all
sorts. Indignant to the last degree,
went down to Patrick Campbell, chief
Of Brooklyn police, saying that was
going to start that night for Ohio to
have those 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-
sell, and all was well. Long ago l made
up my mind that il one will put his
trust in God and be faithful TO duty he
need not fear any evil. Have God on
your side, young man, and all the com
bined forces Of earth and hell can do
you no damage.
Religious Principle.
Aud this leads me to say that the
miRhtiest defense for a young man IS
the possession of religious principle
Nothing can take the place Of it. he
may have manners that would put to
shame the gracefulness and courtesy OF
a Lord Chesterfield Foreign languages
may drop from his tongue DE may be
able to discuss literature and laws and
foreign customs He may WELD a pen
Of unequaled polish ana power MS
ouickness and tact may qualify him for
the highest salary Of the counting house.
He 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 care for the allegiance Of coward
ly 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.
It 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 the more need OF the
religion Of Jesus. That does not cut IN
upon or hack up any smoothuess Oh dis
position or behavior. 1t gives symme-
a. IL arrasts that in the soul which