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Abel.
Righteous Abel would have si
lenced his own accusing blood
if.he only could. When Cain sud
denly struck him down, dying
Abel took all the blame on him
self. As long as he could speak
Abel excused his brother, and
sought to be reconciled to his
brother. He put himself in the
wrong and his brother in the
right. He saw, now, when it was
too late, how he had grieved and
vexed and offended his brother.
He had not thought about his
brother. He had not put himself
into his brother’s place. He had
not looked at things with his
brother’s eyes. He had been glad,
and he had let his gladness too
much appear, when his own of
ferings were respected and his
brother’s despised. Forgive me, O
my God! Forgive me, Omy broth
er! was Abel’s last prayer. What
ever dead Abel’s blood may have
cried, I feel sure what dying Abel
himself cried. Lord, lay not this
blow to my brother’s charge, he
cried. And when Abel had said
that again and again he fell
asleep.
If Cain had only-done theoppo
site of what he immediately did
as soon as he had buried Abel; if
ne had only determined iu spite
of it all still to abide in the land
of Eden; if he had only kept him
self in the presence of the Lord,
and had not allowed himself to go
out from the presence of the
Lord; if he had only laid the
foundation of his city beside
Abel’s grave, then Abel’s prayer
for his brother would have been
heard, and Abel’s blood from that
day would have begun to speak
almost like the blood of Christ
itself. Had Cain all his after days
prevented the dawning of the
morning that he might offer un
ceasing sacrifices beside his
brother’s grave; had he risen
from his bed at midnight till,
being in an agony, his sweat was
as it were great drops of blood
falling to the ground on Abel’s
grave; then Cain would have
been a pattern that in him God
might first show forth all long
suffering to those who should af
ter Cain believe to life everlast
ing. And if you would but de
termine to learn tonight of
Cain and Abel; if you would but
keep at home and dwell in the
presence of your past sin, and
in the presence of the Lord; if you
would but build your house,if God
would but prepare your table, in
the presence of your enemies;
now that Christ’s atoning blood
has taken the place of Abel’s ac
casing blood; now that Christ's
peace speaking blood is every
day and every night being sprink
led from heaven upon His and
other men’s murderers; —you
would even yet escape being a
fugitive and a vagabond on the
earth, and would be made a fel
low-citizen with the saints, and
of the household of God.
Where, then, is Abel thy broth
er? Answer that on the spot.
Where hast thou hid him? Say
on the spot, Lord, come with me
and I will shew Thee. Go back
often to Abel’s grave. Go back
continually to your past life. Go
back to your school days. Go
back to your college days. Go
back to your first office, your first
shop, your first workshop. Re
call your first friend. Pass be
fore your eyes the first young
man, the first young woman, you
were intimate with. Call up the
long-moldered corpse of your
first affection, your first passion,
your first love, your first lust.
Give instances. Give names; and
ask if God has another case like
yours in all His book. Face full
in the face that monstrous folly;
that word, that act, that makes
you blush scarlet and turn in
your seat to think of it. They
are turning on their beds in hell
at this moment for far less. Go
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
SUBSCRIPTION, Paa T 53.00. I
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bick to than farmhouse in the
country, to that hamlet up among
the hills, out of which you were
so glad to escape from the pres
ence of the Lord and from the
place of your sin, and get
away to hide yourself in the great
city. See how one ghost awakens
another ghost till they come up
an army of the ghosts of dead
men and dead women against
you. Men and women now dead,
and in their own places. Men
and women also still alive, but
dead to you,—would God they
were! Men and women who,
when they, or their children, or
only their spoken or written
names pass before you, make you
wish they were dead—they or
you. Go back, I say. In God’s
name, in God’s strength, goback!
Take time, and go back. Take
trouble, and go back. Take pains,
and go back. Do not grudge time
and trouble and pains. You will
be well paid for all your time
and trouble in humiliation, in re
morse, and in godly sorrow. Ev
en if you took, what Cain, it is
to be feared, did not take—even
if you took one whole hour every
night alone with your past life, it
would not oe mis spent time. Re
deem the time. Redeem it, and
you will be justified for so doing
long before the great white
throne is set. No; one whole
hour every twenty four hours of
your present life would not
be too much time to give to
go over your past life. I under
take that if you will go home,
and shut your door, and begin
with such an hour to night, you
will not fall asleep in your chair.
Why are you so pushed for time
to repent? Why is retrospection
the only thing that you have no
tirfie for, and always push it into
a corner? Is it because you
are not your brother’s keeper? Is
it because you never struck afoul
blow in the field? Is it because
no gray head has ever gone down
to a grave that your hands dug?
Is it because no young man’s faith
and no young woman’s trust, and
no unsuspecting friend’s good
name has ever been shaken, or
deceived, or pulled down and mur
dered by you? Have your hands
been always so washed in innocen
cy ? Are there no tears against you
in God’s bottle, and no names in his
book? God takes care and ac
count not of murdered lives only,
but also of murdered names and
reputations. How many men and
women have we all struck at
with tkat sharp razor,an envious,
malicious murderous tongue?
Work at your consciences, you
children of God, till they are
as quick to detect, to record, and
to recollect an unkind, an unjust,
unhandsome, slighting, detract
ing, belittling, sneering word, or
look, or shrug, as they are to
keep you in mind of a foul blow
in a field, and a far-back grave in
a wood. It would lay some high
heads here low enough this night
if the graves of all good names
and reputations they have had
a hand in murdering were to sud
denly open around them. All
good men, all men of God, keep
a good whole churchyard of such
graves ever open before them.
And if you do not, whatever you
may think you are, and whatever
other men may think you are,
Christ, your angry Judge, knows
what you are.
There are no ministers here,
but there are a good many divin
ity students who will too soon be
ministers. Will they listen and
let me speak a word or two to
them on the blood of Abel? One
word which I have purchased a
right to speak. Alas! alas! We
are called and ordained to be our
brother’s keeper long before any
one has taken us and shown us
the way to keep ourselves.
And with what result? With
what result let our commun
ion-rolls and our visiting-books
answer. If any minister would
be shut up and determined to
preach nothing else and nothing
ever but the peace speaking blood
of Christ, let him read every
night in his communion-roll, in
his young communicants’ class
list, and in his pastoral visita
tion book. That name, that name,
that name, that family of names!
Where are the owners of all these
names? What account can I give
of them? If they are not here to
night, where are they ? Why are
they not here, and why are they
where they are? What a preach
er Paul must have been, and what
a pastor, and supported and
seconded by what a staff of eld
ers, since he was able to say to
his assembled kirk-session in
Ephesus that he was clear of the
blood of all his people! What
mornings to his tent-making,
and to his sermons and to
his epistles; and what after
noons and evenings to humility,
and to tears, and to temptations,
both publicly and from house to
house! Like Samuel Rutherford,
and long before his day, always
at his books, always among his
people, always at their sick-beds,
always catechising their children,
always preaching and always
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. DECEMBER 24. 1896.
praying. No, I know no reading
so humbling, so condemning, so
killing to us ministers as our
communion-roll. We ministers
must always appear before our
people, and before God, clothed
from head to foot with humility,
with a rope upon our heads, and
with nothing in our hands or in
mouths but the cross of Christ
and the blood of Christ, that
speaketh better things than that
of Abel.— Bible Characters—
Whyte.
For the Index.
Reminiscences of Georgia Baptists.
BY S. G. HTLLYER, D. D.
No. 20.
KEV. JOSIAH SPRY LAW.
Brother Law wanted about
one month of being twenty-four
years old when I first met him in
January, 1832. He had obtained
a good classical and English edu
cation at the Sunbury academy
under the instruction of Rev.
James Shannon. He had also
taken a full course of instruction
in the Theological Seminary at
Newton, Massachusetts. He
was, therefore, well equipped in
tellectually for the work to which
he had devoted his life. His or
dination took place soon after
his return from Newton. It may
be interesting to notice that at
the same time, and by the same
presbytery, two other ministers
were ordained with brother Law.
These were Rev. Charles B.
Jones and Dr. Jesse H. Campbell.
Brother Law succeeded his
father, Rev. Samuel S. Law, as
pastor of the Sunbury church,
and had but recently entered
upon his work when I became
acquainted with him. He was
pastor of the church, and I was
rector of the academy. We soon
became intimate associates and
life long friends.
He was endowed by nature
with a good intelligence, a clear
perception and a sound judg
ment. To these qualities must
be added a fluent speech and a
remarkably correct elocution', and
all these natural gifts were well
developed by a good degree of
literary and theological culture.
In his person he was rather
small in stature, but symmetri
cally built with good limbs and
muscular fiber; so he was active,
strong, and capable of enduring
much physical effort. He was
indeed a handsome'
In his manners he was easy
and graceful. In conversation
he was genial, affable and kind.
He was not averse to pleasantry,
wit and humor, and yet his re
ligious sentiments were, like the
chords of a musical instrument,
always ready to respond in har
mony to every touch of spiritual
thought. These qualities made
him a welcome guest in every
social circle. The young and
the gay could approach him
without reserve or embarrass
ment; the old and serious found
in him an earnest and sympathiz
ing companion; and the timid
Christians, troubled with doubts
and fears, could find in him
ready words of counsel and of
comfort.
IN THE PULPIT.
It was, after all, in the pulpit
that brother Law appeared to
the best advantage. He knew
how to grasp the meaning of his
text. And when he had grasped
it for himself he knew how to
present his meaning to his hear
ers clearly and forcibly. This
he accomplished by a carefully
prepared analysis. His topics
were well chosen and appropri
ately arranged, so as to bring out
distinctly the teachings of the
text. When this was done, he
knew how to apply those teach
ings to the wants of his hearers,
and by earnest words of exhorta
tion and persuasion, to enforce
their acceptance of them in their
hearts, and the observance of
them in their lives. He was an
excellent and interesting preach
er. Though he often read his
sermons, yet such was the cor
rectness of his elocution, that
his delivery was never dry; his
audience listened to him with
interest and pleasure. His' fluen
cy qualified him to speak extem
poraneously with great effect;
and thus he was doubly equipped
for the work of the ministry.
Several times during the year
that I was with him in Sunbury,
there were baptisms. On one oc
casion he had the pleasure of bap
tizing a younger brother; and at
the same time, or on another occa
sion,he baptized a younger sister.
These two were, with himself,
the children of his father’s first
wife, who, years before, had
gone home to heaven. In the
presence of a large congregation
assembled on the bluff already
mentioned, as he was about to
baptize one of these precious
relatives, he paused a moment,
and looking towards the sky ex
claimed with tender feeling: “If
the redeemed in heaven are per-
mitted to know what is taking
place on earth, a sainted mother
is now looking down with joy
upon the scene before us. She
sees her darling child about to
put on Christ by baptism.” O!
there is something so lovely in a
New-Testament baptism! ' It is
the place where one, who has
died to the love of sin, comes to
be buried, symbolically, with Je
sus. that he may rise with him to
a new and a higher life. It is an
epoch in his life which he never
forgets. Other memories may
be sweet, but, “like the music of
Caryle, ’ are often “mournful to
the soul.” But the memory of
one’s baptism is not only sweet, —
it is often, like the music of the
angels, full of rapture and joy.
HIS LABORS.
Brother Law spent most of his
life in Sunbury. For a short
time he was pastor of the First
Baptist church in Macon, and
afterwards in Savannah. But he
seemed to prefer to labor in his
native county. He soon returned
to Sunbury and again became
pastor of the church at that
place.
His labors, however, extended
to other churches within his
reach. The white membership
of these churches Wfcs small, but
the colored members were very
numerous. Like his father, bro
ther Law felt deeply the spiritual
wants of the colored people. It
was interesting at our commun
ion seasons in Sunbury, to look
up at the galleries that extended
round the sides of the auditorium
all filled with negroes. They
were there to hear, with their
white friends, the preached Gos
pel, and then, as many as were
members, to take with them the
memorial symbols of our Savior’s
dying love. While the deacons
were carrying round the cup,
brother Law would return to the
pulpit, whose elevation brought
him nearly on a level with the
gallery, and there preach almost
another sermon specially adapted
to the needs of his colored hear
ers.
The planters on the seaboard
of Georgia were generally
pleased to have ministers, who
were willing to do it, to come and
preach to their negroes. Some,
perhaps a majority, went so far
as to build a house devoted to
religious services. It was called
the “prayer that
house the
religious
labor for
happened to be in the neighbor
hood. We have already seen
how brother Dunham and brother
Samuel S. Law labored among
the colored people. Brother Jo
siah walked in the footsteps of
his vent rable father. I have
known him ride several miles
after supper to fill an appoint
ment in one of these prayer
houses. I was with him in one
of his evening excursions. We
found the house well filled. His
mode of conducting the services
was just the thing for his humble
auditors. He was as a gentle
shepherd feeding the lambs of
the fold.
Brother Law’s fame was not
confined to the narrow region in
which he lived. In 1839 I met
him at the Georgia Baptist Con
vention at Richland church in
Twiggs county. On that occa
sion I heard him preach a mag
nificent sermon to a large and
appreciative audience. From
that hour he ranked among the
best preachers in Georgia.
He was once offered, by the
Board of Trustees, the chair of
Theology in Mercer University.
But after due consideration he
declined the office. He was not
willing to give up his regular
ministry among the people whom
he loved, for scholastic honors.
He preferred to continue upon
the field where he had been so
useful and where he was so much
beloved. Everybody who knew
him loved him, especially the
colored people whom he served
so faithfully. It is said that, just
a- few days before he was stricken
with the malady that ended his
life, he baptized at one place
thirty negroes, while sixty oth
ers, perhaps at another place,
were awaiting, his services.
But death intervened; he went
home to die—to die in the merid
ian of his manhood. Strange
that such a life should be so
short! His death occurred in
1853, when he was only about
forty-five years old. He rests
from his labors and his works
have followed him. He left a
widow and a large family of
children to mourn his loss. And
thousands of sympathizing
friends in Georgia were ready to
mingle their tears with the tears
of his weeping household.
May the Lord help the readers
of this humble tribute to his
memory to gather spiritual
strength and fidelity from his
example.
563 S. Pryor St., Atlanta.
For the Index.
The Help of Hindrances.
BY MRS LAURA RICHARDS.
To those who walk by faith
and not by sight, hindrances are
but stepping stones heavenward.
An upward ascent means climb
ing step by step ; it means more,
it means overcoming obstacles in
the way. “He that overcometh
shall inherit all things; and I
will be his God, and he shall be
my son.” Rev. 21:7. The hin
drances are the world, the flesh
and the devil; they stand in the
way, they cannot be avoided,
they must be overcome; hence
life is a battle. And for what
end, and why ? Life is a pur
pose, a plan, a mission, as well
as a battle. Taking it easy, en
countering no obstacles, making
no fight, showing no colors in an
enemy’s country marks a traitor
and not a soldier. Striving,
struggling, watching,waiting,en
during shows a life of usefulness;
while indolence, ease, indiffer
ence, negligence means failure in
any sphere of life. Contrast the
two, consider what is at stake.
Can any one sit down in idleness
and hope to glorify God there
by?
No matter how much we trust
him, no matter how much we
love him, praise him, enjoy him,
still the fight has to be made.
God has so ordered it, so plan
ned it; it is the inevitable, and
is for his glory and our good.
This is the Holy Ghost dispen
sation. The world is turned up
sidedown. Acts 17:6. “When
I am weak then am I strong.”
A hindrance is a help, a step
ping-stone to success, when it is
overcome in the strength of
God’s power; when it strength
ens faith in God. Growth in
grace called forth the exalting,
victorious expression of James
1:2: “My brethren, count it all
joy when ye fall into divers
temptations,” and Paul’s sweet
assurance: “He will not suffer
you to be tempted above what you
are able to bear.” The testimony
of the true and tried in all ages
of the world tell of the help of
hindrances: “ Man’s extremity is
God’s opportunity.” From the
very borders of the grave is
Hung back to the world the hap
py joyous note of freedom: “O
death, where is thy sting ? O
grave, where is thy victory ?”
Bu^^ drances
occasion
to exercise the Christian graces:
“ Patience, forbearance, gentle
ness, humility, charity, faith,
hope, love ?” It is the hindrance,
the trial of faith, that work
eth patience that develops
patience. Take heart, O ye
weary, tired, burdened pilgrim
on life’s toilsome road ! Are you
tried almost beyond endurance ?
Here is courage. Only through
that channel comes to your life
the opportunity to be patient,
patient for Christ’s sake. Are
you crushed, bruised, broken in
spirit ? Is that the hindrance,
the trouble, the trial ? Humility
ie the precious jewel within your
grasp, beautiful in the sight of
God. Are you helpless, power
less, every pi op taken away ?
Rejoice, you are just at the point
where God’s strong arm will sup
port. Are you on the verge of
despair ? Overcome the hin
drance by exercising hope, hope
in God, precious boon to mor
tals given ; you are the only one
who can appreciate the gift.
Read Revelation with the
word “overcome” as the key
note. It is a glorious revela
tion. “He that overcometh,”
runs through it like a golden
thread, and always with a bless
ing entwined, even the glories,
beauties and privileges of the
heavenly kingdom.
Read the epistles of Peter in
the light of his experiences in
overcoming hindrances. “Think
it not strange concerning the
fiery trial which is to try you,
but rejoice in so much as ye are
partakers of Christ’s suffering.”
“The Lord knoweth how to de
liver the godly out of tempta
tion ” “Tried as by fire.” “Puri
fied.” “Kept by the power of
God.” “Redeemed by the
precious blood of Christ.”
Read Paul’s experience, ye
who are praying' for deliverance
from some “thorn in the flesh,”
and list for the gentle whisper:
“ My grace is sufficient.”
Canton, Ga.
For the Index.
An Incident and Its Lesson.
BY ANNA S. PRUITT, CIIEFOO.
Last month on our way to visit
some Chinese Christian friends we
encountered a high river, greatly
swollen by recent rains in the
mountains. The water was up to
a man's waist and still rising. Mr.
Pruitt and I rode across in safety,
but the children preferred to trust
themselves to be carried across
pick-a-back by strong men. Four
year old Ashley was the last to be
landed safely on the farther shore,
lie came to me with beaming face,
saying: “I held up Mr. Wang’s
hand, so he didn’t fall. If I didn’t
hold him up I ’fraid he would tum
ble into the water.” Thus he
had crossed the wide river, not
thinking of his own condition
should he let go, but believing
that his little strength was needed
to keep his stalwart bearer from
falling.
I am thinking that some of us
travel heavenward guilty of much
the same mistake. Are we inclined
to take credit to ourselves person
ally for the advance of righteous
ness in our neighborhood, for the
good work of the Spirit in our own
or others' hearts ? At any' rate, we
think and speak with pride and
satisfaction of the manner in which
our church and our denomination
have held up God’s cause, feeling
that but for their strength and de
votion the work of the Lord must
languish.
Do we not sometimes forget that
God’s great purpose in allowing us,
in our feebleness, a share in his
work, is to carry us safely and
triumphantly through the tempta
tions and trials of this life? Our
work, ordained and blessed of him,
is to cling closely to his precept
and example, without counting
results, and assuredly it is not for
us to take to ourselves credit for
anything the Lord accomplishes
through us and for us. It is he
who bears the burden and we who
are saved through his grace. Is
our faith in him, or in our church,
or our denomination ?
To withhold our prayers and our
more material support from his
great work of spreading the Gospel,
will not result in the failure of his
purpose by one iota. It will not
cause that a single one of his elect
shall fail of full salvation. It
weakens not God’s cause, but our
own safety. He needs us because
we need him.
For the Index.
Rev. Dr. T. Curtis.
BY REV. B. W. WHILDEN.
CLOSE OF LIFE.
For the following remarks I
am indebted almost entirely to
Rev. M. C. Barnett, one of the
historians of the Broad River
Baptist Association.
When Dr. Curtis was pastor of
the Wentworth Street Baptist
church in Charleston, he was a
messenger from the Charleston
Association to the Broad River
at the session of the latter in the
year 1846. The historian says it
was the first time he met him at
the session of the body. A cir
cular was presented on Domestic
Missions. The Association was
at that time numbered among
anti-missionary associations. The
circular was thoroughly mission
ary in spirit.
“Dr. Curtis took a very active
part in the debate in behalf of
the circular. To me, at that time,
he was very singular in his man
ner in debate. He signified that
he imagined himself almost an
intruder, especially as he had to
take a position which was op
posed to Eider Dobbins, whom he
seemed to regard with a pro
found veneration. He perhaps
had never met with Dobbins be
fore; but he was acquainted with
him from character, and to op
pose Dobbins in debate seemed
to him almost like opposing an
oracle. In all his remarks,
therefore, he kept his eye stead
ily on Dobbins. He stood up
close to the table, facing Dob
bins, and while making his
speech he would frequently bow
down with his face nearly to the
table, and then at the end of his
sentence he would frequently
throw himself back over a per
pendicular and for a moment look
steadily at his brother Dobbins, as
if he would ask him to forgive
him for what he had said amiss,
and then down and up in like
manner.”
In 1845 he became a member of
the Broad River Association. A
church was formed at Limestone
Spring, where he settled, and
this church united with that
body. The members of that
church were mostly the teachers
and pupils of the Limestone
Springs Female School.
As might naturally be sup
posed, Dr. Curtis was a useful
man in the bounds of this associ
ation; useful in debate and use
ful by valuable papers prepared
by him at the request of his
brethren in some of their annual
meetings.
There was a good deal of im
petuosity about Dr. Curtis in de
bate; still no man ever obseived
the decorum of debate more
strictly than he did. None ever
paid more deference to the age
and standing of a competitor.
With all his singularity of man
ner, however, he soon ingratiat
ed himself into the favor of the
association. So, if you were
present at any g eeting and saw
Dr. Curtis ride up, you would see
directly the people begin to
gather around him to hear h
VOL. 76-NO. 52
rich suggestious, and his amus
ing anecdotes of things that he
would tell of things that princi
pally had taken place in Eng
land. Toward young ministers
he was really a father in Israel.
I have thought he knew more of
the value of learning and the
uses to be made of it than any
man I ever saw.
The association at the session
in 1858 adopted the circular
letter prepared by Dr. Curtis on
the proper observance of the
Sabbath. “This was the last
time that most able and vener
able brother ever met with our
association. Before another meet
ing of the body his Master called
him to the ‘general assembly of
the saints, and church of the
firstborn.’ I remember that dur
ing the whole session of the body
he was particularly affectionate,
and sometimes expressed him
self as being very old fashioned
in his feelings in matters of re
ligion. In singing the last hymn
of'the meeting he walked through
the crowd, shaking hands with
the brethren while the tears
stood in his eyes. He then led
the devotions of the brethren
with great fervor of thanksgiv
ing and supplication, and the as
sociation adjourned, and many of
his brethren never saw his face
any more.”
Williston, S. C.
For the Index.
Pen Droppings.
BY l. l. v.
Some individuals possess a
rather misty quality known as
“goodness of heart,” which, in
the estimation of many of their
acquaintances quite atones for
the lack of half a dozen or a half
score of the more substantial ele
ments of character. When it is
alleged of such an one that he is
addicted to strong drink, we are
met by the rebutting statement
that he possesses great goodness
of heart. Should we urge that
one has slight regard for the
truth, and gives too loose rein to
his imagination, we are met by
this same averment about his
goodness of heart. Thus does
this quality, whatever it be,
stand as an offset against the
most objectionable traits. It may
be that on investigation we shall
find it to be a mere negative kind
of amiability which never offends
and seldom resists. Sometimes
it means a real benevolence of
disposition which is ready to per
form any act of kindness that
may come in the way. These
people for whom so much good
ness of heart is claimed are not
as a class very reliable. You
may not count on them as having
firmly settled and well under
stood ways of thinking and act
ing. They are apt to be described
as “enemiesto themselves” —the
apologist forgetting that one
rarely if ever damages himself
without hurting somebody else.
It ie true, however, that there are
those who insist upon the rules
of a rigid morality in themselves
and in others without much of
kindness in their disposition.
One who really needs help will
not feel so sure of obtaining it
from one of these as he would
from a person less careful in his
deportment. The merciful, even
though often erring, will win
more love than the sternly just,
even though that justice never de
generates into unfeeling harsh
ness. There is much to be said
for those who have what is
rightly called goodness of heart.
But as we said in the outset, this
quality is made to stand for too
much. It should not excuse the
want of sound moral principle.
It ought not to extenuate the sin
of drunkenness or debauchery
that the drunkard or the de
bauchee is ready at times to do
an act of kindness. We may
commend the good quality with
out excusing the bad.
Never sit down and confess
yourself beaten. If there are any
difficulties in the way, struggle
with them like a man. Use all
your resources, put forth all
your strength, and you ‘never
say die.” The case may seem
hopeless, but there is gene
rally away out somewhere. Are
bound and fettered by hurt
ful habit? Do not despair. You
can’t do much to help yourself, it
is true, but there is one who nev
er fails to strengthen the young
man when he makes an honest at
tempt to overcome temptation and
master every evil passion. “He
brought me up also out of a hor
rible pit, out of the miry clay,
and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my goings.” That
is the experience of thousands of
our fellows who have felt their
feet slipping, who have begun to
sink in quicksand of sin,and have
reached out a hand to accept the
loving help of the strong and
gentle Christ. While he lives
and loves no man need ever give
up.— Ex.