| Show TALKS TO BOYS I 1 THE TWO ROA ROADS da the famous german author jean pi atul ua richter relates an anecdote of a youth who fell fel into lioto an slumber and dreamed that be was waa an aged man standing anding at at a window in contemplation temp lation of his hie past career he raised his bla eyes to the deep blue sky where the store stars shone steadily then man he cast them hem on the eaith esi th where few more hopeless beings than himself moved toward their certain goal the tomb it seemed to him that he be had bad passed sixty of the stages which led to it and had bad brought from big bie journey nothing but errors and re remore moret his hia health was waa destroyed his big mind vacant hk heart sorrowful and his old age devoid of comfort As ae a vision before him the days daya of his hia youth rose roae up and he recalled the solemn moment when at bla bin humble german home hla his father had placed him at the entrance of two roade telling tell ilIg him that one led into a peaceful BUDDY land covered with a fertile harvet harvest and resounding with soft sweet song aang that the other led the wanderer to a deep dark cave whence there was waa no issue where poison flowed instead or 01 water and where serpents hissed and crawled he looked toward the sky and cried out in agony 0 days daya ol 01 my youth deturi 0 my father place me once more at the entrance to ftfe that I 1 may choose the better baj I 1 V but the days daya of his hia youth and his fattier father both had pawed away he saw wandering lights floating float lug beyond over dark marshes ma and then disappear these theme were the days daya of his bia wasted life he saw a star afar fall from heaven and vanish in dark darkness neef this athla was an emblem of bim himself self and we the sharp arrows of unavailing remorse struck home to big bia heart he remembered hla hill youth ful companions who entered life with him but who having trod the paths of virtue and of truth were now honored and happy the clock in the high ower near by struck and the sound recalled bis big parents early love for him their erring son BOD the leeanna they had taught him the i they had bad offered up in his behalf overwhelmed with shame and grief he dared no DO longer look toward that heaven where his big father and mother were tears teara ran from his darkened eyer and with one despairing effort he be cried aloud come coine back my early day dayi I 1 come bach he was aroused by his bla own voice hia ble youth bad come back for fori it thad bad been but a dream which came to big bia now new year years a night he wase till ecung but his faults fault were sea mil he thanked fervently that time ime van till still his ala own owe that lie be had bad not yet entered the deep dark cavero cavern but was free to tread the road leading to the peaceful land there 0 to o enjoy the society of the good and the purt pure and in hla big heart he resolved that the prayers of parents the lossone of kind teachers and the admonitions of those who pointed the way to god and heaven bould not be wanted waited on him bim the dream how typical of many career which can be pointed to in cow corn mod everyday life in which the he bitter cry oh give me back my early daak to la unavailing where wasted youth will not return with theme theae lessons of actual existence ex before them more vivid then even the young mans dream it is ia not to be wondered that the earnest efforts of parents parent teachers and preachers prea ohen of of the divine plan of salvation go out in intense pleadings plead loga today for the tb youth of thene theme mountain vales vale to walk in the road which leads leada to eternal peace and happl Dem to sacrifice those appetites habits habito and inclinations which only produce broken health be clouded minds comfortless age and ceaseless misery the ending of the two wo roads road how bow far spar apar I 1 yet at their outset outlet the divergence Is so ao blight as to seem hardly perceptible but the space grossi wider and wider as an we go along either until the other passes panes out of night flight how shall we choose so go as aa to avoid the deep dark poisonous cavern as aa an aim inevitable destination go to the entrance of the two roads as aa did the dreamer and liatti I 1 the voice of our father instructs in language not to be in tones as penetrating as those in which were uttered the me ten commandments amid the thunders on mount sinai more than thres three thousand yearn yeara ago age and whose echoes are ringing over earth today areat what does he aa for surely words of such vast import should be indelibly impressed on every brain should be written on every heart gliet us recall a recent episode in our experience when the tempter made special efforts to lead the boys boya io in the way of darkness by inducements du cements to contract the habit against the which the servants of the most high made emphatic protest pretext text this thin brings the inquiry la Is following the tobacco habit babit which to many seems but a little step at most moat from the right way treading the road toward that awful cave whence there IS ia no DO where poison flows instead of water and where serpents hiss bis and oraw lot liet ua as find and the answer examine as carefully as an time will permit and tell in plain words of the blala facts we meet what does father say aay as he calla oal cur attention to the two roads jobse oo co is ia not good for the bodi 1 11 surely he knows known for in the divine providence he formed that body baay and gave it to man again tobacco la not good for man but Is an herb for bruises and sick cattle SU si it may not be used internally for medicine for man when be in ia ill even the man who wha thinks thereby to cure his sickness siok nesa has ha not the divine permission to use tobacco within his bis body as whatever might be abe imaginary relief in one direction the whole effect la is not good so 0 o says the lord eco to ia an herh herb for bruises and sick iok cattle and then lost lest the dumb brute aratea should be injured by its application to their afflicted bodies there Is added the express caution to be used with judgment and skill how strong the admonition I 1 in the young mans man s dream how had he chosen the downward roso he had disregarded his hie fathers father Js warn ings inge had disobeyed his bis counsel and when he was approaching the certain goal of mortality found that in consequence of his errors he be could not enter that haven where his parents parent obtained peaceful rest in the depths of despair he be implored the return of his youth that he might choose that other way boys you who heed not our father Fat bet warning who lieten flaten not to hl his coun eels eela which of the two roads are you traveling ye who are still otili at the brink of life where the be roads yet seem close together which will you follow answer in your own hearts and yet we have not entered the field which we are to examine except to lay down a fundamental principle that we may find it necessary eBsary to apply many times time in our research rene arob viat god bod our father points the way and imprints the be charac character tey of the road at every step through natures elp laws those who want to know the he better way will go with us as we investigate further |
