The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-11-14


sat with publicans and sinners, but IL
there come to the house OF God q man
with marks of dissipation upon him people
are almost sure to put up their hands in
horror, as 81, much as to say, "Is it not
How these dainty, fastidous Christians
in all our churches are going to get into
heaven | do not know unless they have
an especial train OF cars cushioned and up
holstered. each one car to himself. They
cannot go with the great herd of publi-
cans and sinners.
fallen, | tell you plainly that il you had
been surrounded by the same influences
instead OF sitting to-day amid the cul-
tured and the refined and the Christian
you might have been a crouching wretch
in stable or ditch covered with filth and
abominationl
1t is not because we are naturally any
better, but because the mercy OF God has
protected us. Those that are brought up
in Christian parentage should not be so
hard on the fallen.
think also that men are often him
dered. from returning by the fact that
churches are anxious about their member
ship, too anxious about their denomina-
tions, and they rush out when they see
man about to give up sin and return to
God and ask him how he is going to be
baptized, whether by spriukling or INNER
sion, and what kind of q church he Is
going to join
Oh, despise not parental anxictyl The
time will come when you will have neither
father. nor mother, and you will go
around the place where they used to
watch you and find them gone from the
house and gone from the field and gone
from the neighborhood. Cry as loud for
in the ehurchyard, they cannot answer.
Deadl Dead
God pity the young man who has brought
disgrace on his fathers name God pity
the young man who has broken his moth
er's heart! Better that he had never been
born. Better if in the first hour of his
life, instead of being laid against the
warm bosom of maternal tenderness, he
had been coffined and sepulchered.
There is no balm powerful enough to
heal the heart of one who has brought
parents to a sorrowful grave, and who
wanders about through the dismal ceme-
terry rending the air and wringing the
hands. and crying: Mother! Mother!"
Oh, that to-day, by all the memories of
the past and by all the hopes of the fu-
ture, you would yield your heart to God!
May your fathers God and your mothers
God be your God forever!
This hour the door of mercy swings
wide open. Hesitate not moment. In
many case hesitation is the loss of all.
AT the corner of a street l saw tragedy.
A young man evidently doubted as to
which direction he had better take. His
hat was lifted high enough so you could
see he had an intelligent forehead. He
had stout chest and robust develop
ment. Splendid young mani Cultured
young man! Honored young mani Why
did he stop there while so many were
every young man has a good angel and a
bad angel contendins for the mastery of
his spirit, and there were good angel
and bad angel struggling with that
young mans soul at the corner of the
street. Come along with me-" said the
good angel; 81 will take you home. will
spread my wings over your pillow. l will
lovingly escort you all through life under
supernatural protection. / will bless
every cup you drink out of, every couch
you rest on, every doorway you enter. l
will consecrate your tears when you weep,
your sweat when you toll, and at the last
J will hand over your grave into the hand
of the bright angel Of Christian resurrec-
| tion. / have been sent of the Lord to be
| your guardian spirit. Come with me-"
| said the good angel in voice of unearthly
| symphony. 10 was music like that which
drops from lutte of heaven when a ser.
aph breathes on it.
"Oh, no." said the bad angel, come
with me. l have something better to Of
| fer. The wines l pour are from chalices
| Of bewitching carousal. The dance | lead
| is over floors tessellated with unrestrained
| indulgence. There is no God to frown on
the temples Of sin where worship. Tho
skies are Italian. The paths / tread ags
through meadows daisied and primroseS.
| Come with me-"
| The young man hesitated at time when
| hesitation was ruin, and the bad angel
smote the good angel until it departed,
| spreading wings through. the starlight,
| upward and away until door swung open
| in the sky, and forever the wings van.
| ished. That was the turning point in that
] young mans history, for, the good angel
| flown, he hesitated no longer, but started
on pathway which is beautiful at tho
| opening, but blasted at the last. The bad
angel led the way through gate after gate,
| hnd at each gate the road became rougher
hnd the sky more lurid, and what was pc.
culiar,, as the gate slammed shut it came
| TO with jar that indicated il would never
open. Past each portal there were q
| grinding of locks and showing OF bolts,
and the scenery on each side OF the road
changed from gardens to deserts, and the
| June air became cutting December blast,
and the bright wings Of the bad angel
| that at the start had tossed with wine
| poured forth bubbling tears of foaming
blood. And on the right side of the road
there was a serpent, and the man said to
| the bad angel, What IS that serpent!'
! And the answer was. THAT is the serpent
Of stingng remorse.'' On the left side Of
| the road there was lion, and the man
asked the bad angel. ''What is that hon %
| The answer was, THAT is the lion of all
| devouring despair" A vulture few
through the sky, and the man asked the
bad angel, What is that vulture?" The
answer was, "That is the vulture waiting
| for the carcasses Of the slain"
! And then the man said to the bad an.
| gel, "What does all this mean? / trusted
| in what you said at the street corner; ]
trusted it all. Why have you thus dc.
| ceived me!" Then the last deception fell
| of the charmer and he sand, 81 was sent
from the pit to destroy your soul. ]
watched my chance for many a long year,
When you hesitated that night at the
street corner l gaincd my triumph Now
| you are here. Ha, ha! You are here!
| Come, now, let us fill the chalice and
drink to darkness and woe aud DEATH
| Hail, haill"
Oh, young man, will the good angel
! sent forth by Christ or the bad angel sent
forth by sin get the victory over your
soul? Their wings are interlocked this
| moment above you, confending for your
| soul, as above the Apennincs eagle and
condor fight in midsky. This hour de-
cides eternal destinics.