The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-01-14

between them and the house of God.
The fact Is we must keep our rcspecta-
bility though thousands perish. Christ
sat with pubhcans and sinners. but II
there come to the house of God man
with marks of dissipation upon him people
are almost sure to put up their hands in
horror as much as to say, us 1t not
shoclSingI"
How these dainty, fastidious Christians
IN all our churches are going to get into
heaven l do not know unless thew have
an especial train OF cars cushioned and up
hostered. each one car TO himself. They
cannot go with the great herd of publ
cans and sinners
fallen, 1 tell you plainly that If 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
L think also that men are oftsl hin.
dered, from returning by the fac5 that
churches are anxious about their member
ship, too anxious about their denomina-
tions, and they rush out when they see a
man about to give up sin and return to
God and ask him how he is going to be
baptized, whether by sprinkhng or INNER
sion, and what kind of a church he is
going to join
Oh despise not parental anxiety! The
time will come when you will have neither
lather nor mother and you will 20
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
forgiveness as you may over the mound
al nd Nhaur 81
Dead 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 cothned and sepulchered
1here IS no balm powerful enough to
heal the heart of one who has brought
parents to sorrowful grave, and who
wanders about through the dismal GENE.
terry. rending the air and wringiug 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 a moment In
many case hesitation is the loss of all
AT the corner of street saw a 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
mad stout chest and a robust develop
ment Splendid young mani Cultured
young man! Honored young man! Why
ana he stop there while so many were
gong up and down? The fact is that
every young man has a good angel and
pad angel contending for the mastery of
ms spirit, and there were a 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; Il will take you home. will
spread my wings over your pillow. / 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.
VIII 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 a Christian resurrec-
ton. L have been sent of the Lord to be
your guardian spirit. Come with me-"
said the good angel in a voice of unearthly
symphony. 1t was music like that which
drops from lutte of heaven when a ser.
aph breathes on it.
oh, mo- said the bad angel, come
with me. have something better to of
fer. The wines / pour are from chalces
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 L worship. Tho
skies are Italian. The paths 1 tread aes
through meadows daisied and primrose6.
Come with me-"
The young man hesitated at time when
hesitation was ruin, and the bad angel
smotc 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.
lshed. That was the turning point in that
young mans history, for, the good angel
flown, he hesitated no longer, but started
On a pathway which is beautiful at tho
opening. but blasted at the last. The bad
Pngel led the way through gate after gate,
and at each gate the road became rougher
hnd the sky more lurid, and what was pc.
cular, as the gate slammed shut it came
70 with Jar that indicated it would never
open. Past each portal there were a
grinding OF locks and q showing of bolts
and the scenery on each side OF the road
changed from gardens TO deserts, and the
June air became a cutting December blast
and the bright wings of the bad angel
turned to sackcloth, and the fountains
that at the start had tossed with wine
poured forth bubbhng tears of foaminq
blood And ON the right side OF the road
there was a serpent and the man said TO
the bad angel, What is that scrpentt"
And the answer was. That l8 the serpent
Of singing remorse." On the left side Of
the road there was n lion. and the man
asked the bad angel what is that Hon?"
The answer was. THAT is the hon of all
dcyourinE despair a ,u'turc n-yg
through the si,y. and the man asked Inc
bad angel What Is that ulture" The
answer was, THAT Is the vu'ure waiting
Tor the c1rcaescs of the slain
And then the man said Co The bad an.
gel What does am this mean 7 trusted
i'm what YOU said at the street corner:
trusted it an. Why have YOU thus Do
celved met' Then Che last deception feu
OIL the ch1rmcr and he sand. on was cent
from the pit TO destroy your soul
watched my chance for many IL long year
When you hcsi,ated that nieht az ftf
street corner J gained my triumph Now
YOU arc here TIA. hal You are hcrei
Come now. Jet us Gll enc chlGee arJ
drink Go darkness and woe and DEATH
Hail. hail."
Oh young man. will tho good argsI
sent forth by Christ or the bad anacI scni
forth by sim set the victory over vour
soul? Their wings are intcri0ckrd thit
moment above you c0nicud.ur for Yauf
soul as above the Apenniaos eagle ard
condor fight in midsky This hour de,
cides eternal destinies
AN fBrG a-rr