The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-06-30

thersr' YES" said he. II put 1t
there" And all the past seemed to
rush upon hin BY the memory Of that
day when N the psesence OF men and
angels you promised TO be faithful In
Joy and sorrow and In sickness and II
health: by the memory Of those pleas
ant hours when you sat together in
your new house talking Of q bright
future: by the cradle ana the excited
hour when one life was spared and
another given: by that sick bed. when
the little one lifted up its hands and
called for help and you knew he mus.
die. and he put one arm around each
OF your necks and brought you very
near together In that dying kiss; by
the little grave in the cemetery that
you never think Of without rush of
tears; by the family Bible, where in
Its stories Of heavenly love Is the brie;
but expressive record Of births and
deaths; by the neglect OF the past and
the agonies Of the future; BY a judy-
ment day when husbands and wives.
parents and children, in immortal
groups will stand up to be caught up
in shining array or to shrink down into
darkness-by all that beg you to give
to home your best affections. l look
in your eyes to-day and l ask you the
question that Gehazi asked Of the Shu-
nammite: rs 1t well with thee? Is
It well with thy husband? Is it well
with thy chlld?" God grant that il
may be everlasting we'll!
Let me say to all young men your
style Of amusement will decide your
eternal destiny. One night l saw
young man at q street corner evidently
Iouoiiny as to which direction he had
letter take. He had his hat lifted
high enough SO that you could see he
had an intelligent forehead. He had
= stout chest: he had a robust develop
ment. Splendid young man. Cultured
young man. Honored young man. Why
did he stop there, while 80 many were
going up and down? The fact 10 that
every man has a good angel and a bad
angel contending for the mastery Of
his spirit And there was a good angel
and a bad angel struggling with that
young mans soul at the corner Of the
street.
Come with me-" said the good an
gel. II will take You home. l will
spread my wing over your pathway. /
will lovingly escort you all through life.
l will bless every cup you drink out Of,
| every couch YOU rest on, every door
way you enter; l will consecrate your
tears when you weep; your sweat when
you toll: and at the last / will hand
over your grave into the hand Of the
| bright angel of a Christian resurrec-
tltiOn and your mothers prayer have
been sent Of the LORD out of heaven
to be your guardian spirit. Come with
me-" said the good angel. in a voice Of
unearthly symphony. 1t was music
like that which drops from a lutte OF
heaven when a seraph breathes on it.
No! MOI" said the bad angel, come
with me. have something better To
offer. The wines l pour are from chal-
ices Of bewitching carousal. The dance
I lead is over floor tessellated with un-
restrained indulgsnces There Is no God
to frown on the temples Of sin where
| worship. The skies are Italian. The
paths l tread are through meadows.
daisied and primrosed. Come with mel"
The young man hesitated at a time
when hesitation was ruin and the bad
angel smote the good angel until 1t de-
parted, spreading wings through the
starlight upward and away until door
flashed open in the sky and forever the
wings vanished. That was the turning
point in that young mans history, for
the good angel flown, he hesitated nc
longer, but started on pathway which
is beautiful at the opening, but blasted
the way opened gate after gate, an3
at each gate the road became roughe.
A., and the sky more lurid, and, what wa.
, peculiar, as the gate slammed smut i
, came to with a Jar that indicated tina
, it would never open.
Passed each portal there was grin
ding Of locks and a showing of bolts
and the scenery on either side tin
road changed from gardens to deserts
:, and the June air became cutting De
ceirber blast, and the bright wings o
the bad angel turned to sackcloth am
the waves Of light became hollow wit
- hopeless grief, and the fountains tina
at the start had tossed wine poure
forth bubblng tears and foamln
blood, and on the right side of the roa
there was a serpent, and the man sal
to the bad angel: What Is that SCI
= pent?" And the answer was: "Ths
:. Is the serpent of singing remorse." o
:, the left side OF the road there was
- lion. and the man asked the bad ange
:, What Is that lion?" And the answt
" was: THAT Is the lion of all devoul
:. ing despair" A vulture flew throug
= the SKY and the man asked the ba
angel: What is that vulture" Ar
the answer was: THAT Is the vultul
" waiting for the carcasses OF the slain
And when the man began to try
| - NJ