The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-02

the purchaser of this tobacco in Cincin-
natl or New York may Unexpectedly come
upon a magnificent gratuity. Boys hawk
ing through the cars packages containing
nobody knows what, until you open them
and find they contain nothing. Christian
men with pictures on their wall gotten IN
"a lottery, and the brain of community tax
ed to ind out some new way of getting
things without paying for them. Oh young
men, these are the threads that make the
cart rope. and when a young man con-
sents to these practices, he is being bound
hand and foot by habit which has al
ready destroyed "a great multitude that
no man can number" Sometimes these
gift enterprises are carried on in the name
of charity: and some of you remember at
the close of our civil war how many gift
enterprises were on foot, the proceeds to
90 TO the orphans and widows Of the sol
diers and sailors. What did the men who
had charge Of those gift enterprises care
for the orphans and widows? Why, they
would have allowed them to freeze to
death upon their steps, / have no faith in
a charity which, for the sake of reliev-
ing present suffering, opens a gaping jaw
that has swallowed down so much of the
virtue and good principle Of the commun-
icy. Young man, have nothing TO DO with
these things. They only sharpen your ap-
petite for games of chance. Do one of two
things; be honest or die.
have accomplished my object if l put
you on the lookout. 1t Is a great deal
easier 10 fall than it is to get up again.
The trouble is that when men begin to go
astray from the path OF duty, they are
apt to say: There's no use of my trying
to get back. I've sacrificed my respecta-
bility, / can't return" and they 20 on
until they are utterly destroyed. l tell
YOU, my friends that God this moment,
by his Holy Spirit, can change your entire
co hat mill Ha n
man In a minute. Your great want-what
is il? More salary? Higher social posi-
lion? No; no. will tell you the great
want OF every man, If he has not already
obtained it, 1t IS the grace of God. Are
there any who have fallen victims TO the
sin that ! have been reprehending? You
are in a prison. You rush against the wall
Of this prison. and try to get out, and you
fail; and you turn around and dash
against the other wall until there is blood
on the CRATES, and blood on your soul.
You will never get out in this way. There
is only one way of getting out. There is
a key that can unlock that prison house.
1t is the key of the house of David. II is
the key that Christ wears at his girdle.
II you will allow him to put that key
10 the lock. the bolt will shoot back, and
the door will swing open, and you VIII be
a free man in Christ Jesus. Oh, prodigal,
what a business this is for you. feeding
SWINE, Wneu your LdlneE STANDS IN the
front door. straining his eyesight
to catch the first glimpse OF
your return and the calf is as
fat as it will be- and the harps Of heaven
are all strung, and the feet free. There
are converted gamblers in heaven The
light of eternity flashed upon the green
baize of their biliard-saloon. In the laver
Of Gods forgiveness they washed off all
their sin. They quit trying for earthly
stakes. They tried for heaven and won it.
There stretches a hand from heaven to-
ward the head Of the worst offender 1t
is hand, not clenched as If to smite, but
outspread as if to drop a benediction. 9th
er seas have a shore and may be fathom-
ed, but the sea of Gods ilove-eternity has
no plummet TO strike the bottom, and i'm
mensity no iron-bound shore TO confine It.
Its tides are lifted by the heart of infinite
compassion. Its waves are the hosannahs
of the redeemed. The argosies that sail
on ii drop anchor at last amid the thunder
ing salvo of eternal victory. But alas for
that man who sits down to the final game
of life and puts his immortal soul on the
ace, while the angels of God keep the tally
board; and after kings and queens, and
knaves, and spades are "shufled" and
cut and the game is ended, lowering
and impending worlds discover that he
has lost il, the faro bank of eternal dark
ness clutching down into its wallet all the
blood-stained wagers.