The Delta independent., 1901-05-24

but laugh ne would not have given us
shoulders with which to lift and hands
with which to work and brains with
which to think. The amusements OF
life are merely the orchestra playing
while the great tragedy of life plunges
through Its five acts-infancy, child
hood. manhood, old age and death.
Then exit the last earthly opportunity.
Enter the overwhelming realities Of an
eternal world!
go further and say that all those
amusements are wrong which lead into
bad company. II you go to any place
where you have to associate with the
intemperate. with the unclean, with
the abandoned, however well they may
be dressed, in the name of God quit
1t. They will despoil your nature.
They will undermine your moral char
acter. They will drop you when you
are destroyed. They will not give one
cent to support your children when
you are dead. They will weep not one
tear at your burial.
The Final Scene.
was summoned to his deathbed. 1
hastened. ! entered the room. found
him, to my surprise, lying in full
everyday dress on the top OF the couch.
l put out my hand. He grasped 1t ex-
citedly and said, sit down, Mr.. Tai
mage, right there" l sat down. He
said: Last night / saw my. mother.
who has been dead twenty years, and
she sat just where you sit now. 1t was
no dream. l was wide awake. There
was no delusion in the matter. l saw
her Just as plainly as l see you Wife,
l wish you would take these strings on
me. There are strings spun all around
my body. l wish you would take them
OF me-" saw it was delirium. "Oh.
replied his wife, my dear. there is
nothing there" He went on and said;
lust where you sit, Mr.. Talmage, my
mother sat. She said to me. Henry. l
do wish you would do better got
out of bed and put my arms around
her and said: Mother. l want to do
better have been trying to do better.
Won't you help me to do better? You
used to help me- No mistake about 1t.
no delusion. / saw her-the cap and
the apron and the spectacles. Just as
she used to look twenty years ago. But
I do wish you would take these strings
away. They annoy me so! l can
hardly talk. Won't you take them
away?" l knelt down and prayed. con-
scious Of the fact that he did not reali-
ize what was saying. got up.
said: "Goodby. hope you will be
better soon. He said. "Goodby. good
by"
That night his soul went up to the
God who gave it. Arrangements were
made for the obsequies. Some said:
Don't bring him in the church; he is
too dissolute" "Oh," said. bring
him In. He was a good friend Of mine
while he was alive, and shall stand
by him now that he is dead. Bring
him to the church"
Dslishs 4. TIE nsns Liss-
Again, any amusement that gives
you a distaste for domestic life is bad.
How many bright domestic circles have
been broken up by sinful amusements.
The father went OF. The mother
went OF. The child went on. There
are today the fragments before me OF
blasted households. Oh. II you have
wandered away, would like to charm
you back by the sound of that one
word, home" DO you not know that
you have but little more time to give
to domestic welfare. Do you not see.
father. that your children are soon
to go out In the world. and all the in
huence for good you are to have over
them you must have now? Death will
break In on your conjugal relations.
and alas II you have to stand over the
grave Of one who perished from your
neglect!
All, my friends there is an hour COM
ing when our past life will probably
pass before us in review. It will be
our last hour. II from our death pill
low we have to look back and see q
life spent in sinful amusement, there
will be a dart that will strike through
our soul sharper than the dagger with
which Virginius slew his child. The
memory Of the past will make us quake
like Macbeth.