The Burke County news. [volume] (Morganton, N.C.) 1899-1901, 1899-03-10

path. Why not you? Halt. 1ceie a1e
other gates OF ruin through which q
man may go and yer co"o ou', ~
that cate has a spring lock which snaps
him in forever. He who goes there Is
damned already. He NAV seem to be
COMPARATIVELY free for a little while, but
he is only on the limits, and the sa-
tanic police have their eyes upon him to
bring him In at any moment. Inc no1
curse OF God is on that crime, and because
OF 1t there are men whose heaven was
blotted out ten years ago. There Is no
LANCER that they be lost; they are lost now.
l look through their glazing e~yeballs down
into the lowest cavern Of hell. y destroyed
spirit. why contest thou in here to-day?
Dost think I have the power to break open
the barred gateway OF the penltentlary
OF the damned2 There Is a passage In
Proverbs l somewhat hesitate tos1ead.
but l do not hesitate Ion ~ the win
dow of my house l looxtI through my
easement and beheld among the simple
ones, l discerned among the youths, q
Young man, void of understanding, pass
ing through the street near her corner,
and he went the way to her house in the
twilight. in the evening, in the black and
dark night. 10 goeth after her straight
way, as an OK goeth to the slaughter or as a
fool to the correction OF the stocks, till q
dart strikes through his liver"
But now the question IS still open
Where will you spend your evening? o
commercial Travellers, how much will you
give me to put you on the right track?
Without charging you q farthinG | will
prescribe for you a plan which will save
you for this world and the next, II you will
take It. Go, before you leave home. TO the
Young Mems Christian Association OF the
city where you live. Get from them letters
of Introduction. Garry them out to tie
towns and cities where you go. II there be
no such association in the place you visit,
then present them at the door Of Chris
tian churche, and hand them over to
the pastors. Be not slow to arise in the
devotional meeting and say: II am q com
mercial traveller. I am far away from
home, and I come in here tonight to seek
Christian society,"" The best houses and
highest style Of amusement will open be.
fore you, and instead Of your being de-
pendent upon the leprous crew who hang
around the hotels, wanting to show you all
the slums Of the city, en- tho one condition
that you will pay their expenses, you will
get the benediction OF God in every town
you visit. Remember this, that whatever
place you visit bad influences will seek you
out. Good Influences you must seek out.
While 1 stand Lere I bethink myself OF q
commercial traveller who was a member OF
my church in Philadelphia. He was q
splendid young man, the pride OF his wild
owed mother and Of his sisters. 1t was his
JOY to support them, and for that purpose
he postponed his own marriage day. He
thrived in business, and after awhile
set up his own household. Leaving that
city for another city, l had nc oppor-
tunity for three or four years Of making
inquiry in regard to him.. When I made
such inquiry, I was told that he was
dead. The story was, he was largely
generous and hearted and genial and
social. and he got into the habit OF treat
Ing" customers and OF showing them all
the sights Of the town, and he began rapid
~ to so down, and he lost his position 10
the church OF which he was a member. and
he lost his position in the commercial
house Of which he was the best agent, and
his beautiful young wife and his sick old
mother and his sisters went into destitu-
ton, and he, as q result Of bis dissipation,
died in kirkbride Insane Asylum.
O commercial travellers, I pray for you
the all sustaining grace OF God. There are
two kinds Of days when you are especially
in need OF divine grace. The one, the day
when you have nc success-When YOU fail
to make a sale and you are verv much
disappointed, and you go back to your no.
tel discounted. That night you will be
tempted to 90 TO strong drink and rush In.
to bad surroundings. The other day,
whep you will especially need divine grace,
will be when you have had a day Of grea,
success ana the UoVll tells YOU Won must
go and celebrate that success. Then YOU
Will want the grace OF God to restrain
yOu from roliicking indulgences. Yea
there will be u third dav when You will
need to be Christians, and that viii be the
last day Q: your life. / do not know wheru
YOU will spend it. Perhaps in your house,
more probably in a rail car, or a steamer
or the strange hotel. [ see you on your
last commercial errand. You have bidds1
goodby TO the family at homo for the last
time. The train OF your earthly existence
is nearing the depot OF the grave. The
brakes are falling. The bell rings at TIT
ferminue. The train stops. All out .ol
eternity. Show your ticket now fer set
ing !nto the gaze CT :be shining city-th'
~eHal washed in th~ blood Of the Lamb
TWO WHEELS NOW.