The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-11

lhls, ana the boy IL picKeu at anu plcKeu
ut and picked at. That always is ruinous.
There IL more help 10 one good thunder
storm than in i've days or cold drizzle.
Better the old fashioned style Of chastlse-
ment. IL that be necessary, than the fret
ting aud the scolItng which have de-
stroyed 80 many.
There is also cause OF great solicltude
sometimes because our young people are
surrounded by 50 many temptations. A
castle,may not be taken by stratghtfor-
ward siege, but suppose there be Inside the
castle an enemy, and in the night he
shoves bnck the bolt and swings open the
door,. Our young folks have foes without,
aud they have foes within. Who does rot
understand it? Who is the man here who
Is not aware OF the fact that the young
people OF this day have tremendous temp
tationa?
Oh. how many traps set for the young.
Styles OF temptation just suited to them.
Do you suppose that q man who went clear
to the depths Of dissipation went down ia
one great plunge? Oh, mol At first it was
a fashionable hotel. Marble floor. No un-
clean pictures behind the counter. No
drunken hiccough while they drink. but
the click OF cut glass to the elegant sentl'
ment. You ask that young mum now to &c
into some low restaurant and get drink.
and he would say, "Do you mean TO insult
me2" But the fashionable and the elegant
hotel.Is not always close by, and now the
young man is on the down grade. Farther
thebottom OF the depths OF ruin. Now he
Is In the low restaurant. The cards 80
greasy you can hardly tell who has the
.bast band. Gambling for drinks. Shuttle
away, shuttle away. The landlord stands
In his short sleeves, with his hands on his
hips, waiting for an order to fill up the
glasses. G
; The clock strikes twelve-the tolllng OF
the funeral bali OF soul The breath OF
eternal woe flushes In that young mans
cheeks. In the Jets OF the gasltght the
fiery tongue OF the worm that never dies.
Two o'clock inIthe morning, and now they
are sound asleep in their chairs. Land.
lord comes around and says Wake up:
wake up! Time to shut upl" "What!'
says the young man. "Time to shut up?"
they are going home. Going home! Let
the wife crouch In the corner and the chill
dren hide under the bed. What was the
history OF that young man? He began his
d issipations In the barroom OF q Fifth ave-
nue. hotel and completed his damnation IN
the lowest groeshop. -
Sometimes Sill does not halt in that way,
Sometimes sin even comes to the drawing
room. There are leprousa hearts some
times admitted in the highest circles OF
society. He s 30 elegant, he Is 80 bewttch-s
ing In his manner, he Is 80 refined, he Is so
educated, no one suspects the sinful de-
align, but after while the talons OF death
.come forth. What is the matter with that
house2 The front windows have not been
.open for six months or year. A shadow
ms come down on that domestic hearth, q
fadow thicker than one woven OF mid,
hight and hurricane. The agony OF that;
parent makes htmisay, "Oh, wish had
hurled my children when they were small!"
;Ipss OF propertyf No. Death In the
fdmily? No. Madness? No. Some vii.
lain, kid gloved aud diamonded, lifted
that cup OF domestic bliss until the sun.
light struck it, and all the ralnbows
played around the rim and then dashed 1t
into desolation and woe, until the harpies'
OF darkness clapped thelr hands and all
the voices OF the pit uttered loud "Ha,
hal" '% II
: The statistic las never bsen made up In
these great cities OF how many have been
destroyed and how many beautiful homes,
have been oyerthrown. II the statistic
could be presented, 1t would freeze your.
blood In solid cake Mt your heart. Our
great cities are full Of temptations, and to
vast muItltudes OF parents these tempta!
tions become matter OF great solicltude.
Bue now for the alieviations. First Of,
all, you save yourself great deal of
trouble, Oh, parent. II you cnn earl y watclt
tho children and educate them for Cog
and heaven! "The first five years Of my
lie made me IN in1del," said Tom Paine.
A. vessel puts out to sea, and after 1t has
been FIVE days out there comes cyclone.
The vessel springs leak. The, helm VIII
not work. What is the matter?; It is not
seaworthy. 1t never was. seaworthy.s. Can
you mend 1t now2 1t Is too late. Down
she goes with 250 passengers tuto waterJ
grave. What was the time to fix that ves-
sci? What was the time to prepare It foi
the storm? In the drydock. Ah.. my
friends, do not wait until your children
get out into the world, beyond the Nnr,
rows and out on the great voyage OF life!
It is too lata then to mend their morals
and their manners. The drydock Of the
Christian home is the place. Correct tue
sin now. Correct the evil now.
Just look at the character OF your chill
dren now and get an iutfmation OF what
they are going to be-. You can tell BY. the
way that boy divides the apple what his
procIivity Is and what his sin will be and
whit style OF discipline you ought to bring
upon him. You see how he divides that
apple2 He takes nine-tenths OF it for him.
sell and hs gives oue-tenth to his sister.
Well, let TINT 20. aud all his lie he Will
want tho best part OF everything, and ne
will bc griudiug and grasplng to the day OF
his death.
Begin carly with your children. You
stand on the banks OF rivsr and you try
to change Its course. It has been rolling
now Tor 100 miles. You cannot change 1t.
But lust 20 to the source OF that river, 20
to whore the water just drlps down on the
rock. Then with your knife make chan
mel this way and q channel that way. and
It will take 1t. Come out and stand on tue
banks Of your child's life when It Is thirty;
or forty years OF age, or even twenty, and
try to change tue course OF thar lie.
It is too late! 1t Is too latel Go fur
thor up ut the source OF lie and near
est to the mothers heart, where the
character starts, and try to take It Ia
the right direction. But, oh, my friend,
be careful to make line, distinct
line bstween innocent hilarlty on the ono
hand and vicious hilarity on the other. Do
not think your children are goins>so ruin
because they make racket. All healthy
children nuke racket. But do not laugh
Mt your chlId's sin because It is smart. II
you do, you will cry after awhile because
it is malicious. Remember tits what you
do more than what you say that Is going
to affect your chlluren. Do you suppose
Noah would have got his family to 60 into
the ark II he staid out? No. His sons
would have said, 81 am not going into the
boat; there's something wrong; father
won't 20 In; II father stays out, I'll stay
out" = -
Arc all your children safe? know 1t Is
stupeudous question to ask, but I must
ask it. Are ali your children safe? A
mother, wien the house was on fire, got
out the household goods. many articles OF
beautiful furniture, but forgot to ask till
too late, care the children safe?" When
the elements are melting with fervent heat
and God shall burn the wo-ld up and the
cry OF Fire! Fire." slrall resound amid
the mountains ard the valleys, will your
children be- safe!
IWouder ir the subject strikes a chord Ia