The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-24

his disposition viii change and become
fierce, cruel and unrelenting. The body
has a powerful effect upon the soul
There are people whose ideas OF heaven
are all shut out with clouds OF tobacco
smoke. Their are people who dare to
shatter the physical vase in which God
put the Jewel of eternity. There are
men with great hearts III inteilects in
bodies worn out by their own neglects-
Magnificent machinery capable OF pro-
polling a great Etruria across the At
lantic, yet fastened in a rickety north
river propeller. Physical development
which merely shows itself in a fabu-
lous lifting or in a perilous rope walk
ing or in pugilistic excites
only our contempt, but we confess to
great admiration for the man who has
a great soul in an athletic body, every
nerve, muscle and bone Of which is con-
centrated to right uses. Oh it seems
to me outrageous hat men through
neglect should allow their physical
health to go down beyond repair, spend
ing the rest of their life not in some
great enterprise for God and the world.
but in studying what is the best thing
to take for dyspepsia. A ship which
ought with all sails set n every man
at his post to be carrying a rich cargo
for eternity, employing all its men in
stopping up leakages. When you may
through some of the popular and health
full recreations Of our time work off
% spleen and your Q~uerulousness
and one-half Of your physical and men,
tai ailments, do not turn your back
from such a grand m~edicament.
Again, judge of the places of amuse-
ment by the companionship into which
they put you. If you belong to an or
ganization where you Ia to associate
with the Incorporate, with the I'M
| clean, with the abandoned, however
we'll they may be dressed, in the name
of God quit it. They will despoil your
nature. They will undermine your
moral character. They will drop you
when you are destroyed. They will not
| give one cent to support your children
when you are dead. They will weep
not one tear at your burial. They will
| chuckle over your damnation. But the
day comes when the men who nave ex-
erted evil influence upOn their fellows
will be brought to judgment. Scene.
the last day. Stage, the rocking
earth. Enter dukes, lords, kings, beg
gars, clowns. No sword. No tinsel.
20 crown. For footlights, the kindling
flames of a world. For orchestra, the
trumpetS that wake the dead. For
gallery, the clouds filled with angel
spectators. For applause, the clap
| ping floods of the sea. For curtains,
the heavens rolled together as a SCROLL.
| + OF Tragedy, lIl6 OOOl1 OIL lIe ucSIrOy-
ed. For farce, the effort to serve the
world and God at the same time. For
the last scene of the fifth act, the
tramp Of nations across the stage
some to the right, others to the left.
Again, any amusement that gives
you a distaste for domestic life is bad.
How many bright domestic circles
have been broken up by sinful amuse-
ments? The father went off, the moth
er went off, the child went off. There
are all around US the fragments of
blasted households. Oh, if you have
wandered away, I would like to charm
you back by the sound of that one
word, "home!" Do you know that you
have but little more time to give to
domestic welfare? Do you not see,
father, that our children are soon to
go out into the world and all the in
1uence for good you are to have yer
them you must have now? Death will
break in on your conjugal relations,
and ala if you have to stand over the
grave Of one who persisted from your
neglecti
I saw a hayward husband standing
at the deathbed of his Christian wife,
and I saw her point to a ring on her
finger and heard her say to her hus-
band, DO you see that ring?" He re-
piled, yes, I see it," WELL" said she
do you remember who put it there?'
Yes" sal he, 81 put it there" And
all the past seemed to rush upon him
By the memory of that day, when in
the presence of men and angels you
promised to be faithful in joy and sor-
row and in sickness and in health; by
the memory of those pleasant hou
when you sat together in you new
house talking of a bright future; by
the cradle and the excited hour wher
one life vas spared and another given
by that sickbed, when the little one
lifted up the hands and called fol-
help and you knew he must die, and he
put one arm around each Of you
necks and brought you very near to-
gether in that dying kiss; by the little
grave in the cemetery that o e
think of without a rush of tears; by
the family Bible, where in it's stories
Of heavenly love is the brief but ex-
pressive record of births and deaths
by the neglects Of the past and by the
agonies of the future; by the judgment
day, when husbands and wives, pa
rents and children, in immortal groups
will stand to be caught up in shining
array or to shrink Town into dark
ness-by all that, I beg you to give tc
home your best affections. I look in
your eyes today. and I ask you the
question that Gehazi asked of the
Shunammite, SIS it we'll with thee? Is
it we'll with thy husband? Is it well
with thy child?" God grant that it
may be everlastingly we'll!
Let me say to all young men your
style of amusement will decide your
eternal destiny. One night I saw a
young man at a street corner evident
ly doubling as to which direction he
had better take. He had his hat lift
ed high enough so you could see he had
an intelligent forehead. He had a
stout chest; he had a robust develop
ment. Splendid young man. Cultured
young man. Honored young man
Why did he stop there while so many
were going up n down? The fact
is that every man has a good angeI
and a bad angel contending for the
mastery of his spirit. And there wa.
a good angel and a bad angel strug.
Cling with that young mans soul al
the corner of the street.
Come with me-" said the good an.
gel, Il will take you home. I will