The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-10-18
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE TEMPTATIONS OF COLLEGE
LIFE THE SUBJECT.
Suggestions for Those Who Are Required
to Leave Their Homes-Helpfulnoss of
Early Christian Teaching and Influ-
ence,

Early Christian Teaching and Infiu-
ence.
Copyright, 1900. by Louis Klopsch.)
DR.. Talmage staid in London to oc-
cupy the famous Wesley pulpit in the
City Road chapel, where he has
preached several times before, always
receiving a hearty welcome. Thence
he went to Ireland, preaching in Bel
fast and Dublin. The discourse he
has sent this week describes the be-
havior of young man away from
home and suggests practical lessons
for people of every age and class. The
text is Daniel /, S: And the king APP
pointed them daily provision of the
kings meat and Of the wine which he
drank; SO nourishing them three
years, that at the end thereof they
might stand before the king"
My text opens the door of college
in Babylon and i.'troduces you to a
young student seventeen years Of age,
Daniel by name. Be not surprised If
in the college you find many hilarities.
Put a hundred young men together
and they are sure to have good time.
There is no harm in that. God does
not write out the trees and the grass
and the blossoms in dull prose. The
old robin does not sit moping in the
nest because of the chirpings and the
lively adventures of the fledgelings
that have just begun to fly. Do not
come into an orchard looking for win
ter apples on May morning
But Daniel Of the text is far from
being gay. What oppressive thoughts
must have come over him as he re-
membered that he was captive in a
strange land! The music that came
into his study window was not the
song of Zion, but the sound of flute,
sackbut and dulcimer in the worship
of the heather god. Moreover, he had
no hope of ever getting back home
again and meeting those who had
missed him bitterly, wondering if he
were still alive and finding many a
luxury tasteless because they did not
know but Daniel might be lacking
bread.
School and College Days.
When you and l were in school or
college, and the vacation approached,
we were full Of bright anticipation,
and We could not study the last day
and we could not study the last night
The lexicon and the philosophical APP
paratus were transparent, so we could
see right through them into the mead
ows. Not so with poor Daniel He
did not know that he should ever es-
cape from captivity, or escaping, he
did not know but when he got home
the loved ones would be dead, and he
would go wandering and weeping
among the sepulchers of his fathers
Besides that the king tried to make
him forget his home and forget his
country; for that purpose actually
changed his name. The king wanted
him to be prodigy in personal ap-
pearance, so he ordered meat and
wine sent from his own table to Dan
lei, but Daniel refuses all this and
puts himself upon the humblest diet
the poorest of all herbs, called pulse,
| y
out against this and tell him he will
perish under such diet mo" he
says, you try us for ten days, and if
at the end of that time we are not
full checked and robust as any, it will
be surprising" Ten days pass along
and the students come up for exami-
nation, and all declare that none are
so rudy and robust as Daniel and his
fellow captives The days of indus
trious pupilage and the years pass by
and the day of graduation has come
and Daniel gets his diploma, signed
by the king and reading as follows:
'In all matters of wisdom and under
standing that the king inquired OF
them he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and astrologers
that were in all his realm" And SO
Daniel took the first honor, and here
the story ends, for Daniel the student
hereafter will be Daniel the prime
minister.
Perils of Young Men.
The young are more in peril because
they are unsuspecting. The lions are
asleep in their soul, and their power
is not suspected. The time when a
ships company makes mutiny is when
the Waterman is off his guard. When
a spider meets a fly, it does not say,
Go down with me to the place where
murder insects" No; it says, Come
and take bright morning walk with
mo on this suspension bridge of gilt
tering gossamer.' Oh, there is diff
ference between the sparkle of ser
pent's eye and the crush of its Shiny
folds. There is difference between
the bears paw toying with kid and
4 the cracking of the bones in the ter
rifle hug. Pixies peak looks beautiful
in the distance, but ask the starved
travellers by the roadside what they
7 think Of Pixies peak Are there those
around whom suspicious companions
are gathered? Do their jests and their
entertainments make the hours 20
blithely by when you are with them?
Have you taken sip from their cup
4 Of sin or gone with them in one path
OF unrighteousness? Turn back. From
u Babylon they came and to Babylon
they would carry you. If so many