The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-05-24

OF some Christian friend. "Who are you!"
Your sports are merely means 70 an end.
They are alleviatlons and helps. The arm
OF toll Is the only arm strong enough 10
bring up the bucket out of the deep well
of pleasure. Amusement Is the only bow.
er where business and philanthropy rest
while on their way 20 stirring achieve
ments. Amusements are merely the vines
that grow about the anvil of toll and the
blossomiug OF the hammers.
l 80 further and saw that all those
amusements are wrong which lead into bad
company. Ii YOU SO to any place where
YOU have 10 associate with the intemper.
ate. with the unelean, with the abandoned,
however well they may be dressed, in the
name OF God quit 1t. They will despoil
your nature.
| had friend in the West - rare
friend. He was one of the first 10 wei.
come me to my new home, To fine per.
sonal appearance he added a generosity,
frankness and ardor OF nature that made
me love him like a brother. But | saw
evil people gathering around him. They
came up from the saloons, from the
gambling hells. They piled him with a
thousand arts. They seized upon his So
cial nature, and he could not stand the
charm. They drove him on the rocks, like
ship, full winged, shlNerlng on the break.
ers. | used TO admonish him. would
bad habits and become Christian"
oh" he would reply. II would like 20,
| would like 20, but | have gone So far
| don't think there is any way back" In
his moments of repentance he would go
home and take his little girl of eight
years and cmsSvce her convulslvely, and
cover her with sdornments, and strew
around her pictures and toys and every.
thing that could make her happy, and
then, as though bounded by an evil spirit.
he would go out 20 the infaming cup and
the house OF shame like a fool TO the cor
rection Of the stocks.
| was summoned to his dCathbed; I
FASTENED; | entered the room. found
him, TO my surprise, lying IN full every.
day dress on the top of the couch. | put
out my hand. He grasped II excitedly
and said; "Sit down, Mr.. Talmage; right
there" sat down. He said last
night ! saw my mother who has been dead
twenty years, and she sat just where YOU
sit now. II was no dream, | was wide
awake. There was no Gclusion in the
matter. | saw her lust rs plainly as |
see you. Wife. | wish YOU would take
these strings off me. There are strings
spun all around my body. | wish YOU
would take them off me" | saw it was
delirium. "Oh," replied his wife, my
dear, there l. nothing there; there ~
nothing there" He went on and said:
Just where YOU sit. Mr.. Talmagc, my
mother sat. She said 10 me, Henry, |
do wish you would do better | got out
of bed put my arms around her and
said: Mother, ! want 20 do better. |
have been irving to do better. Won't you
help me TO do better? You used 60 help
me' No mistake about t; no deusion. |
saw hcre-the cap and the apron and the
spectacles-just as she used 10 look twen.
~ years ago. But ! do wish YOU would
take these strings away. They annoy me
so | can hardly talk Won't you take
conscious Of the fact that he did not
realize what ! was saying. ! got up.
said: "Goo1byl | hope YOU will be better
soon" lie said "Goodby, goodbvl"
That night his soul went up TO the God
who gave 1t, Arrangements were made
for the obsequics. Some said: Don't
bring him in the church. He was too
dissolute" "Oh," ! said. bring him. He
was good friend of mine while he was
alive, aud shall stand by him now that
he is dead Bring him to the church"
As | sat in the pulpit and saw his
body coming up through the aisle ] felt
az ii | could weep tears OF blood. told
the people that day: This man had his
virtues and a good many of them. He
had his faults and a good many OF them.
But If there Is any man IN this audience
who is without sin let him cast the first
stone at this coffin lid" One one side
OF the pulpit sat that little child, rosy,
sweet faced, as beautiful as any little
child that sat at your table this morn
ing, | warrant you. She looked up wlst
fully, not knowing the full sorrows OF
an orphan child.
Oh, her counlenancc haunts me to-day
like some sweet face looking upon US
through a horrd droaml On the other
side OF the pulpit were the men who had
destroyed him. There they sat, hard Wis
aged, some OF them pale from eXhaustlng
disease, some of them flushed until 1T
seemed as II the fires OF iniqulty iiaIned
through the cheek and cracked the lips.
They were the men who bad done the
work They were the men wao had bound
him hand and foot. They had kndled the
fires. They had poured the wormwood and
gall into that orphans cup. Did they
weep No. Did they sigh repentingly?
No. Did they say: What a pity that
such a brave man should be SLAIN" No,
no. Not one bloated hand was lifted 90
wipe a tear from n bloated check. They
sat and looked at the coffin like vutures
gazing at the carcass Of lamb whose
heart they had ripped out! | cried IN
their ears as plainly az ! could: There
is a God and judgment day" Did they
tremble? Oh, no, no. They went back
from the house of God, and that night,
though their victim lay IN OakwOOd Gene
terry, ! was told that they blasphemed,
and they drank, and they Eambled and
there was not one less customer IN all the
houses OF inIquity.
This destroyed man was Samson in
physical strength, but Delilah shearcd him,
aud the Phllistnes ot evil companionship
dug his eyes out and threw him into the
prison of evil habits. But IN the hour
Of his death he rose mp and took hold
OF the two piiiarcd curses II God against
drunkenness and unclCauness and threw
himself forward until down upon him
and his companions there came the thun.
ders OF an eternal catastrophe
Again, any amusement that gives you
n dlstaste for domestic life is bad. How
many bright domestic circles have been
broken up b. sinful amusements! The
father went of, the mother went of, the
child went of. There are to-day frag.
ments before me OF blasted househoids;;
Oh II YOU have wandered away, i would
ike 20 charm you back 70 the sound OF
that one word home
/ saw n udywari husband standing at
the deathbed Of his Christian wife, and
! saw her point - a ring on her finger
and heard her say 90 her husband DO
you see that ring" Re replied: "Yes, !
see it, Well said che, do you re.
member who put 10 there: Yes said
he, Il put it there And all the past
seemed to rusl upon him. BY the mem
ory of that dly wh,n, IN the presence
OF men and angels, YOU promised TO be
faithful IN JOS and sorrow and In sick
ness and IN health; by the memory Of
those pleasant hours when you sat TO
gether In your new hDrc taking OF
bright future; by the cradle and the joyful
hour when one life was spared and an.
other given. by that sckbed, when the
little one lifted up the hands and called