The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-27
ARCHITECTS OF FATE
DO not Wait for Dead Mems shoes.
treat Men WIZ Were Self Nade-The
Subjugation OF The Ego-(heerfulness
of RELIGION

Copyright, 1898, by American Press AS
sociation)
This arousing and practical sermon by
DR.. Talmage will reach many hearts and
be an especial inspiration to those who
are now starting in life. His text is
Zechariah ii, 4, Run, speak to this
young man."
There was no snow on the beard of the
prophet of my text and no crows feet
had left their marks near his eyes. Zech-
ariah was a young man and in a day
dream he saw and heard two angels talk
ing about the rebuilding of the city OF
Jerusalem. One of these angels desires
that young Zechariah should be well in
formed about the rebuilding Of that city,
It's circumference and the height of it's
walls, and he says to the other angel,
run speak to this young man." Do not
walk, but run, for the message is urgent
and imminent. SO every young man
needs to nave immediate advice about
the dimensions. the height and the cir
conference OF that which. under God,
he is to build-namely, his own charac-
ter and destiny. No slow or laggard pace
Will do. A little farther on, and counsel
Will be OF no advantage. Swift footed
must be the practical and important sug-
gestions, or they might as well never be
made at all. Run at the pace of five
miles the and speak to that young
man. Run, before this year of 1893 is
ended. Run, before this century is
closed. Run, before his character is in
exorably decided for two worlds, this
world and the next. How many of us
have found out by long and bitter expe-
T1ence things that we ought to have been
told before we were p years old. Now
1 propose to tell you some things which.
II you will seriously and prayerfully OBJ
serve, will make you master of the stu
alton in which you are now placed and
ever will be placed. And in order that
my subject may be climacteric. begin on
the outside edge of that advice, which
will be moIo and more important as the
subject unfolds.
MASTER OF THE SITUATION. >.
Now, If you would be master of the
situation, do not expend money before
you get it. How many young men ire
trievably mortgage their future because
of resources that are quite sure to be
theirs. Have the money either in your
hand, or in a safety deposit, or in a
bank, or in a United States bond before
sive enterprises, or hitch a spanking
team to a glittering turnout, or contract
for the building of a mansion on the Po-
tOmac or the Hudson. Do not depend on
an inheritance from your father or uncle.
The old man may live on a good deal
longer than you expect, and the day OF
the day of his decease. YOU cannot de-
pend upon rheumatism or heart failure
or senility to do it's work. Longevity is
so wonderfully improved that you can
think they ought to. They live to be
septuagenarians, or octogenarians, or
meanwhile their heirs go into bankrupt
cy, or, tempted to forgery, or misappro-
priation of TRUST funds, or watering of
railroad or mining stock. go into the
p~enitentiary. Neither had you better
spread yourself out because of the Is or
20 per cent you expect from an invest
Vestments are apt to pay nothing save
the privilege of being assessed to meet
the obligations of the company in the
affairs of which you get involved. Bet
ter get 3a per cent from a government
bond than be promised Is per cent from
a dividend which will never be declared,
or paid only once or twice, so as to tempt
you deeper in before the grand smash up,
and you receive, instead of a payment of
dividends, a letter from the president
and secretary of the company saying
they are very sorry.
If you have to wait a year or five
years, or ten years, or most of your life
time, then you had better wait rather
than spend money you expect to get.
Then after you get it do not spend it all.
Never spend a dollar until you have so
cents that you do mot spend. In the gov
eminent service in this city how many
splendid women who are the daughters
of men who spent all they got and then
ters penniless, to be locke after by some
kind senator or other friend who might
solicit for them a position on small sal
airy, but enough to keep them from star
vation and the poor house. Such men do
not die; they abscond. / cannot under
stand how much spendthrift and reckless
and imprOVident men dare, at their de-
cease. appear at the door of heaven seek
ing admission when they have left their
families in the tophet of want and men
delaney. Such men do not deserve a
throne and a harp, and a mansion. but
an everlasting poor house. From no dis
appointed or d~isgruntled state of mind
do l give this counsel, for life has been
to me a glad surprise. as 1t has been to
most people a disappointment. L expect
ed nothing of advantage or opportunity.
and so everything has been to me a mat
ter of pleased amazement, but I have
seen so many men ruined for time and
eternity by going into expenditure with
nothing to depend upon except anticipa-
ton that If i had power to put all warn
ings into one clap of thunder l would
with that startling vehemence say to
all young men what John Randolph said
in yonder senate chamber as he stretch
ed his long finger toward some sena-
torial opponent and with shrill voice
cried out. "Gentlemen, pay as you GO
SUCCESS AWAITING YOU.
Do not say you have no cnance, but
remember Isaac Newton, the greatest
astronomer of his day, once peddling
ther singing on the public square for any
pennies that he might pick up. and John
Bunyan mending kettles, and the late
Judge Bradley, of the United States SUI
preme court, who was the son of a char
coal burner, and Turner, the painter
who was the son of a barber. and Lord
Give who saved India to England. ship,
ped by his father to Madras as a use
less boy when he wanted to get rid Of
and PrideauX, the world renowned
scholar and theologian, securing pots
and pans to work his way through col.
1ege. and the mother of the late William
II. Dodge. the philanthropist and magni-
fcent man, keeping a thread and needle
store, and Peter Cooper, who worked or
small wages in a glue factory. living Il
give 500, coo for the founding of an in
Stitute that has already educated thou.
sands OF the poor sons and daughters OF
America, and Bowditch, the scientist
beginning his useful learning and affiu.
ent career by reading the books tina
had been driven ashore from a ship
wreck at Salem. There is. young men
a great financial or literary or mora,
or religious success awaiting you IL ycu
only know how to go up and take 1t
Then take 1t or get ready to take IL
The mightier the opposition the grandei
the triumph when you have conquered
There is n flower in Siberia that blooms