The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-03-09
DR.. TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE 5rTHE NOTED
DIVINE.
subieei; Evil Conpsnions-KindIy Ad-
vice to Young Nen-Avoid Bad Com
pany, Especially skeptic. and rdiers
-shun Those Who seek Only Pleasure
Copyright 1891

wee to houne Aen-Ayoid bad Com
pany, Especially skepiic. aud idier.
-shun Those Who seek Only Pleasure.
lcopyrish, IsoVI
WAsHISGTOS, ID. C.-In this discourse
Or. Talmage speaks d a theme which all
aen, young and old, will be glad 20 see
discussed, Gnd the kindly warning will no
ioubt In many cases be taken: text. Pro-
r-rbs kill. 20. a companion Of fools shall
% destroyed "
May II please the court" said con-
sicted criminal when asked by the Judge
What he had 20 say why sentence OF death
should not be pronounced upon him, may
u please the court. bad company has been
my destruction. | received the blessing OF
good parents and Ia return therefor prom
ised 10 avoid all evil associates. Had
kept my promise l should have avoided
this shame and the burden OF guilt which
Ike yulture, threatens 20 drag me TO
justice for my many crimes. Although I
once moved in high circles and was enter
tained by distinguished men / am lost.
Bad company did the work for me-" 0nly
one out Of thousand illustrations was
that Of the fact that "a companion OF fools
shall be destroyed" IL Is an invar able
rule.
Here is a hospital with a hundred men
down with the ship fever. Here is healthy
man who goes into II. He does not so Ger.
tainly catch the disease as a &C od man will
catch moral distemper ~ he consents TO b.
shut up with the vicious nd the abandoned
In the prisons OF the olden time II was tie
custom 10 put prisoners In a cell together.
and am sorry TO say IL Is the custom still
10 some OF our prisons; so that when the
day OF Liberation comes the men instead
Ot being reformed, are turned out brutes.
no. men, each one having learned the vices
OF all tie rest.
We may in our worldly occupation be
obliged 20 talk 10 and commingle with bad
people but he who voluntarily chooses
shat kind OF association Is carrying on a
courtship with Delilah which will shear
the locks OF his strength, and he will be
tripped into perdition. Look over al! the
millions OF the race, and you cannot show
me single instance where man yOlun-
tarlly associated with the bad for one year
and maintained his integrity. Sin Is catch
ing; IL Is infectious; IL il epidemic.
A young man wakes up in one ot our
great cities knowing only the gentlemen
Dt the flrm into whose service he has en-
tered. In the morning he enters the store,
and all the clerks mark him. measure him,
discuss him. The bad clerks OF that estab-
lishment, the good clerks OF that estab-
ishmrnt stand in some relation to him.
The good clerks will wish him we'll, but
hey will wait for a formal Introduction,
and even after they have had the intro
iuction they are very cautious rs 10
whether they shall call him into their asso-
citation before they know him very we'll
But the bad young men in that estab-
.ishment all gather around him. They
patronize him, they offer to show him
everything that there is In the city on one
,ondition-ttat he will pay the expenses
FOR It always happens 80 when good
young man and bad young man go to-
gether 10 place OF evil entertainment
he good young man always has 10 pay the
charges. Just at the time the ticket Is 10
DC paid for or the champagne bill is TO be
settled the bad young man will effect en-
oarrassment and feel around in his pockets
ind say, well, well, really | have for
gotten my pocketbook."
In forty-eight hours after this innocent
young man has entered the store the bad
young men will gather around him, slap
him on the shoulder with familiarity, and,
IL he Is stupid in not being able 10 take
certain illusions, will say, "Ah. my young
friend, you will have to be broken in"
And forthwith they go TO work 70 break
him in"
Oh, young man, let no fallen young man
slap you on the shoulder Familiarity Turn
around and give u witherlng glance that
will make the wretch cover In your pres
snce. There Is no monstrosity Of wicked
less that can stand before the glance OF
purity aud honor. God keeps the light
lings OF heaven In His own scabbard and
no human may reach them, but God gives
20 every young man lightning which he
may use, and that is the lightning OF m
honest eye Anybody that understands the
temptations OF our great cities knows the
Ise OF one sermon like this, in which try
20 enforce the thought that companion
u fools shall be destroyed
Aud first, | charge YOU, avoid the skeptic
that IL, the young man who puts his
.humb in his vest and swaggers about,
,cofling at your old fashioned religion.
Ia, . I,a la In
20 some mysterious passage and saying:
Explain that. my friend, explain that. |
used 20 think Just as you do. Ny father and
mother used to think just as you do. But
you can't scare me about the future. /
used to believe in those things but I've got
over it," Yes he has got over II, and you
Will get over IL II you stay In his compHn-
ionship much longer. For awhile he may
not bring one argument against cur holy
Christianity He will cy SCOTS and jeers
and carcatures destroy your faith in that
.eliglon which was the comfort OF your
'ather In his declining years and the pillow
IN which your old mother lay a-dylng.
That brilliant young skeptic will after
awhile have TO die, and his diamond will
lash no splendor into the eye OF death.
His hair will lie uncombed on the pillow.
Death will come up, and this skeptic will
'ay TO him: II cannot die. Icannot die"
Death will say: you must die. You
lave but ten seconds more TO lave. Your
ioul-give II 10 me right away. Your SOUL"
'Oh. nor says the skeptic. "Do not
breathe that cold air into my face. You
,rowd me too hard. IL is getting dark In
he room. Here take my rings a1d take
all the pictures in the room, but let me
IN" NO" says Death, Your SOUL Your
,oull" Tnen the dying skeptic begins to
lay, 80 God" Death says, You declared
here was no God" Then the dying skep.
ic says, Pray for me-" and Death says:
1t Is too late TO pray; you have only three
seconds more to live. and will count them
)d-one, two, three. Gonel" Where?
Where? Garry him out and lay him down
beside his old father and mother, who
lied under the delusions OF the Christian
teligion singing the songs OF victory.
Again, avoid the idlers that IL, those
people who gather around the store or the
shop or the factory and trv to seduce you
away from your regular calling and in your
business hours try to seduce you away.
There Is nothing that would please them
90 we'll as to have you give up YOUR en-
ployment and consort with them.
These idlers you will find standing around
he engine houses or standing at MONDAY
or about noon on the steps OF some hotel
or fashionable restaurant. They have not
lined there. They never dined there. Thew
never will dine there. Before You invite
young man into your association ask him
plainly, what do you do for llving?" II
he says. Nothing; am a gentleman"
look out for bin. I care not how soft his
hand or how elegant his apparel or how
ligh sounding his family name, his touch
= death
These people who have nothing to do
will come around YOU in your busy hours.
and they will ask YOU 20 ride with them 20
Chevy Chase or TO Central PARK. aud tley
will tell you OF some excursion that yOg
must make OF some wine that YOU must
rink. Of some beautiful dancer thnt YOU
must see. They will try TO take you away
rom vOur recftar work Associate win