Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-05-23

they now do with you. and II necessary
and they could find no other place they
would be willing TO gamble ut your
grave.
Some years ago in Glasgow a team
OF horses took fright and ran away.
The coachman was buried from his
box. The carriage was tossed about
from side to side. With snort and
lathered tanks the mad creatures ran
on. Inside OF the vehicle was seen
the pale face OF woman. whose arms
clasped to her bosom a little child.
You might as well have tried TO stop a
thundcrbolt as to stop that runaway.
Down the street they came faster and
faster. The carriage grazed this post
and that wheel. The people cleared
the track. Suddenly FROM out of the
crowd man sprang. He was dressed
i'm the comtnos clothes of laborer.
With almost superhuman strength he
caught the bits OF the wild animals.
Though they trampIed him underfoot
and were beating out his life. he hung
on until they were halted. The by
ISLANDERS helped the fainting woman
out of the carriage. Loving hands car
borcr to the hospital. That night one
OF the finest mansions OF all Scotland
was lighted. A party was going on.
The guests and friends were congrat-
ulating the hostess upon her escape
from almost certain death. la the ear
ly hours OF morning the neighbors
heard the noise of song and mirth and
merriment. Not far from that man.
sion, I'm one OF the public wards OF the
hospital, a hero's life was ebbing away.
1t was the life of the poor man who
that afternoon flung himself under the
sharp iron hoofs- As the nurse was
moistening the dry lips and lifting him
just a little, and as the gurgle was
sounding In the throat, he asked, HAS
she not been to see me?' mo" was
the answer; "she Is at a party and
can't come" "Oh," said the dying
man. Il did hope she would think
enough of me to come just for one mo-
ment-" Such will be the Indifference
OF evil companions after thew have
wrecked your life. Are you ready to
sacrifice all that you hold dear for such
Sriends7
One day some gentlemen were talk
ing to my uncle, and one said, lis it
not strange how willing the world is
TO kick man when he is downT'
"No," answered my uncle. II do not
think the world kicks n man so much
when he is down as when he is trying
to stand up" my son. IL sinners en-
tice thee, consent thou not"
King soIomon's warning.
King Solomon warns the young peo-
pie not TO consent to sin because after
we have once yielded we will never be
the same again. IL would be pleasant
IL we could so on SHINING and then a TT
or awhile say, II guess | will stop and
| start over again." But we cannot say
or do that. Whatsoever man s~rrsth
that shall he also reap. IL n man make
bed Of roses. he sleeps i'm q cloud of
incense. If he gather only the thorns.
he must I've lacerated by the thorns.
After you have once robbed the firm
will never fully trust you. After YOU
have once wrecked your health you
can never be anything but a suffering
invalid. After you have once led an
immortal soul astray and that soul has
departed from earth TO meet its judg-
ment at-the bar OF God you can never
change its eternal destiny. Many n
man today would willingly cut or his
right arm IL he could only change the
past. He cannot. The past is forever
dead unless that past can be changed
in heavenly sense through the mercy
and the pardon or God. Make not the
mistake which so many older men
have made OF having a bad record dur.
Ing the period or youth and then hay
ing that record curse all the midnoon
and the twilight OF your existence and
curse you down TO the grave.
During the persecution OF the uurue.
nots In France father and mother had
to Zee from the city for their lives.
They had to leave behind an only girl.
Fearing lest he should not recognize
his child again. the father took a sharp
knife and cut the arm OF the child
almost TO the bone. Time passed on.
The war was ended. and the father and
mother returned TO the French capital.
They went everywhere looking for
their long lost daughter. When the
father thought he saw his child, he
would examine the arm just above the
wrist. At last he found his child. He
found her by the proof OF n red scar.
So Satan puts the fatal mark of sin
upon every one OF his Disciples. Though
we may repent OF our past. though we
may agonize before the mercy seat
and ask God TO forgive us our sins.
though we may receive heavenly par
don. we cannot In an earthly sense OBJ
literate the telltale signs OF the past.
We cannot destroy the earthly effects
OF youths follies any more than q
Lady Macbeth could cleanse the blood
or her fingers by plunging them into
an ocean OF tears. or Il Jean Vatican cs-
cape Javert, the merciless sleuthhound,
or a fleeing Cain wipe away the black
mark written upon his accursed brow.
The Young Mans Rest Friend.
But tho greatest lesson of this text
Is yet to be spoken. Solomon tells us
not TO let evil companions entice us
away. But man is a social being. He
longs for friends. lie must have friends
who will associate with him when he
wceps as well as laughs. when he is
dying as well as when he is strong and
well. AS Solomon bids you to beware
OF evil companions, viii introduce to
you one who will be the best Friend a
young man ever had. Young man, you
cannot afford to face the temptations of
n great city alone. Perhaps you know
about this loving Friend TO whom l
want TO introduce you, He was with
your sister when she died. Well. you
remember how she smiled up into his
face. BE was with your mother dur
ing all her troubles in life. The last
words your father spoke on earth was
his name. That name-shall speak it I?
Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! That is the
Friend who will see you all the way
through If you will only trust him.
You must now make a choice-a choice
between this dear Friend and evil COM
panions. This Is a very anxious mo-
ment for many OF us. 1t is an anxious
moment for Christ as well as for you.
One dark night Waterman fell