The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-07-07
THE MANNING TINES MANNING. $. c.. JULY Z 1908

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the death couch IN the throeS OF
That relentless foe. time is @iCen
for the crowdinS witnesses Of
his years to whisper in his 81,
most inaudiblc ears the mistakes
of his miSSpent days. and he is
seen to stretch upon his couch
and sroan the wall Of the dyin"
as though remorSe was CRYING
for new chance TO change the
experience, whichiS not granted.
Death gathers new grip, taking
its victim through the valley
and shadows OF the smoking city
where he is allowed 70 see gath !
cred around him the household
of disappointment whose ruin he
has wrought. with vision OF
their poverty, homele>sneS. RAGS
and disappointment. A wife vino
has Ion" since preceded him to-
the death valley returns and re,
views 20 him her once happy ana
hopeful prospect which he has
blishteG by debauchery, and
again he sishs with groanlngs
and pains: see his contorted
muscles twitch in horror of the
view. Death, still holding him
fast to his task. there come now
from the Internal region the pale
faces Of all the ruined, damned
souls that We're enSnared and
sent down 10 the pit by his evil
influence. to work their last ef-
fort Of torment in the conSign.
ment Of his spirit TO It's reward.
The wife whose spirit had been
broken and soul abandoned TO
sin by reason Of his abuses. now
comes back from the region OF
the damned, and stalks before
him in Shastly form: she places
her cold, icy hands upon his
forehead and whispers in his
ears, "Clrses on you for my
own damnation. The dead
children who had been spirit
crashed in life and influenced to
lead a life OF sin and depravIty
by his deeds, now return in
ghaStly vision and, clustering
around his struggling form, lay
their awful accusation against
him. Then the departed spirits
Of those whom he had influenced
in life to follow his example, in
turn make their visit to the dy-
ing couch of the miscreant to &C
cuse him and condemn him for
his life deeds: and each time
this sting of death plies his poi
sonous fang: the victim RACES
with new agony, till the work
is done and the vestibule is
cleared by the actual entrance
into the fellowship Of eternal
darkness and woe.
I was called upon once to
witness the death of young
man who was LED to it by alco-
hol. His mother and sister
were Christian women. | have
never understood how they sur
vived the scenes and experiences
Of that hour. AS he was in the
agopies Of that ordeal we asked
if he would like an interest in
our prayers; he insisted that it
would be Of no use for he was
already damned. What I have
rehearsed as a dying experience
OF the drunkard, he made clear
by audible enunciation. While
strong men held his demon
possessed body to await the de-
parture Of the spirit, he would
tell his mother and sister he was
in hell, and that he felt its very
fires gathering about him. His
last words were:
Il am dying and | am enter
ing drunkard's hell.
There is time today to take
warning, my friends, and seek
that refuge which is only found
in total abstinence from the the
use Of the curse, and q life Of
trust in the Redeemer. May His
Spirit impel your decision now
and save you through ali eter-
nifty.