Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-08-05

consents TO these practices. ne Is De-
ing bound hand and foot by a nhbs
which has already destroyed great
multitude that no man can number.
Sometimes these gift enterprises are
carried on in the name OF charity ana
some OF you remember at the close Oh
our Civil War how many gift enter
prises were on foot, the proceeds 10
go to the orphans and WIDOWS OF the
soldiers and sailors. What ala THESE
men who had charge OF those GIT en-
terprises care for the orphans and
widows? Why. they would have al
lowed them TO freeze TO death upon
their steps. I have no faith In char-
ity. which, for the sake OF relieving
present suffering. opens gaping jaw
that has swallowed down SO much OF
the virtue and good principle OF the
community. Young man. have moth
ing to do with these things. They
only sharpen your appetite for games
of chance. Do one Of two things; be
honest or die.
/ have accomplished my object II
put you on the lookout. 1t Is great
deal easier to fall than II 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 trying 70 get back. I've sacri-
feed my responsibility, can't return"
and they go On until they are utterly
destroyed. / tell you, my friends, that
God this moment. by his Holy Spirit,
can change your entire nature, so
that you will be different man In
minute Your great want-what Is 1t?
More salary? Higher social position?
No; no. / will tell you the great want
of every man, If he has not already
obtained 1t. 1t is the grace OF God.
Are there any who have fallen victims
to the sin that | have been reprehend-
ing? You are in 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. 1t is the key that Christ wears
at his girdle If you will allow him
to put that key to the lock, the bolt
will shoot back, and the door Will
swing open, and you will be a free
man in Christ Jesus. oh, prodigal,
IL; L. Co.. Gee
ing swine, when your father stands in
the front door, straining his eyesight
to catch the first glimpse Of your re-
turn; and the calf is as fat as 1t will be,
and the harps Of heaven are all strung,
and the feet Iree. There are converted
gamblers in heaven. The light OF
eternity flashed upon the green baize
of their billiard-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 toward the head Of the
worst offender. 1t is a hand, not
clenched as if to smite, but outspread
as If to drop benediction. Other
seas have shore and may be fathom-
ed, but the sea Of Gods love-eternity
has no plummet to strike the bot
tom, and immensely no iron-bound
shore to conflne 1t. It's tides are lifted
by the heart of infinite compassion.
It's waves are the hosannahs of the re-
deemed. The argosies that sail on it
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 i'm
mortal soul on the ace, while angels
of God keep the tally-board; and after
kings and queens, and knaves, and
spades are "shuflled" and cut" and
the game is ended, lowering and i'm
pending worlds discover that he has
lost it, the faro-bank Of eternal dark
ness clutching down into its wallet
all the blood-stained wagers.