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 -TT ^ 
 
 SAY NO. 
 
 ■T 
 
 yahn J^ennm^A, 0). Ql, 
 
 ROLLO k ADAM; JOHN YOUNG ; JAMES BAIN 
 
 1865. 
 
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 .-O^ri''? 
 
!♦! 
 
 National Library Bibliotheque nationale 
 of Canada du Canada 
 
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 Mhie^A V £ immd 
 
 Canada 
 
SAY m 
 
 BY 
 
 yakti yemiin^^b., 
 
 HOLLO & ADAM j JOHN YOUNG ; JAMES BAIN, 
 
 1865. 
 
 4 
 
m 10. 
 
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 ^oAn yhvilng^^, ®. ®, 
 
 BOLLO & ADAM ; JOHN^YOUNG ; JAMES BAIN. 
 
 1865. 
 
^4m— «I1>< 
 
 I, 
 
 |HILDREN AND YOUTH, YOUNG MEN 
 AND MAIEfENS, HEARKEN ! 
 
 I need not begin by asking how many 
 of you wish to be happy. I take it for 
 granted that you all do,--eY€ry one. You 
 have one heart and one tongue for happiness. 
 I never knew or heard of any, such as you, 
 who did not desire to be happy ; but I have 
 known a great 'many who did not take the 
 right way: who thought happiness was in 
 the gratification of self will, and that it could 
 not be found in endeavouring to obey their 
 Christian parents, Sabbath School Teachers, and 
 Ministers. Well, some of you may have got a 
 wrong notion of it, and perhaps some of your 
 parents, I am sure unwittingly, have done, 
 you harm b^; .nghteningyou with what you call 
 religion. I do hope none of you have parents 
 who punish you for some fault, by making you 
 learn some verses of the Bible, or some answers 
 in the Catechism. You do not like the rod of 
 correction j and certainly you will not love the 
 
4 SAY—NO. 
 
 Bible the better, if it is made one. If any of 
 your parents do this, ask them very earnestly, 
 and very kindly, not to do it any more ; and say 
 to them, you would rather bo punished 
 some other way, than bo made angry at that 
 which is good. Tell them too, that you would 
 like to bo educated to read and learn the Bible 
 as a pleasure, but never as a task. 
 
 Another thing, I hope your parents take care 
 to avoid, and that is, frightening you with the 
 minister, and threatening, when you are head- 
 strong and naughty, they will tell him about it ; 
 so that when you see him, you expect a censure, 
 rather than a smile. Oh, no, your minister 
 does not wish you to be afraid of him, but 
 rather that he be welcomed as your true friend, 
 ever glad to see you happy, and to tell you how 
 to be happier still. Our Lord Jesus loved little 
 children, and little children loved Jesus. Your 
 minister is to follow the example of Jesus to- 
 T^ard you, and you should follow the example 
 of those little children toward him . He would 
 like you to be the happiest children in the world. 
 No matter who tells you diflferently, never be 
 afraid of him, and though you have been very 
 naughty, and the older ones have gone astray in 
 bad courses and with bad companions,always look 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 ( 
 
SAY— NO. 
 
 ( 
 
 on your minister as one sure friend you have, who 
 will be happy to advise you, and to encourage you 
 to that which is good, and tell you and help you 
 all he can, how to be happy. 
 
 Bat do you know that you often mistake 
 pleasure for happiness ? Do you know that 
 there is often a great difference between them ? 
 Happiness springs from feeling and doing right, 
 and is that which conscience,and the Bible, and 
 God approve. Happiness is never lost, for it V3 
 a joy to remember for ever. Pleasure, real 
 pleasure, is a twin sister to happiness, and they 
 go hand in hand together, as God hath set them 
 on the way. You remember those lines speaking 
 of wisdom, or the Bible, or religion, which 
 say :— 
 
 " She guides the younc; with innocence, 
 In pleasure's paths to tread ;" 
 And as the young grow older, and nlso grow 
 better and better j then 
 
 " A crown of glory she bestows 
 
 Upon the Iioary head. 
 According as her labours rise, 
 
 So her rewards increase ; 
 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, 
 And all her paths are peace." 
 
 But there is what ■"• 
 
 ounj 
 
 >eople. 
 
 jd old 
 
6 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 people, too, call pleasure, which ia a mere mo- 
 mentary emotion like the plucking of the beauti- 
 ful flower, but from that instant its bloom be- 
 gins to fade and die. A man has what he calls 
 pleasure in th3 theatre, but ho would not like to 
 die there. A man has happiness when he wor- 
 ships God in the church, and he would not be 
 afraid to die thus and there. Pleasure cannot 
 always stand reflection ; happiness always can. 
 Some of you, perhaps, have been so sinful as to 
 play truant one day, or one afternoon from 
 school, and you were so pleased with the amuse- 
 ment, or with the companion you had, and it 
 was all very fine,, and far better than being shut 
 up at those lessons, but — you did not go home, 
 and tell father and mother what you had 
 been about ; — you did not go home, and 
 across the door-step with a right merry 
 laugh, and run and say,—" I played truant to- 
 day." No, no. You did not do that, you 
 were afraid to do it ; and why ? because you 
 knew you had not done right. You had pleasure, 
 you played truant to have pleasure, but you 
 were afraid to tell the truth, and therefore you 
 were not happy. 
 
 Still you will tell me that you desire to have 
 
 I 
 
 
 ; X Know you uO, uUt l um trying to 
 
 ^tlvi. 
 
SAY— NO. 7 
 
 show you that much you call so is not 
 good for you ; It would hurt your mind, your 
 heart, your soul, and make you deeply regret, 
 maybe all your days, that you ever had any- 
 thing to do with it. I wish you to have plea- 
 sure of the right kind, and just as much as 
 you can possibly obtain. I am sure he has a 
 cold eye who looks on you and grudges you 
 your heartiest frolic of innocent glee ; he has 
 a little heart who cannot have sympathy with 
 you in your j^ ^chful days ; and he has a stern 
 authority who would deny you your sports and 
 gambols, which a kind Heavenly Father has 
 implanted inclinations within you to seek for, 
 and which he allows to the little lamb frisking on 
 the meadow, to the bird that hops and sings 
 on the spray,and even to the wolf's whelp playing 
 in the forest, and to the tiger's cub having its 
 enjoyment in the jungle. To tell you that you 
 should not have pleasure, would be to say 
 what is both unnatural and unscriptural. 
 "Rejoice, young man in thy youth, and let 
 thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy 
 youth." "Rejoice'' always, though, as accounta- 
 ble to God :" and let your "cheer" ever be 
 such as you will not be afraid of oa tho 
 judgment day. 
 
3 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 I advocate for you pleasure that will make 
 you happy, but then do not mistake what 
 I mean. The ancient Roman and Greek chH- 
 dren were taught a story like this, that there 
 were three sisters of great beauty, who dwelt 
 on the islands on the south coast of Italy, and 
 who by their charms and music, attracted those 
 who sailed through the narrow channels to come 
 on shore; and they so adapted their songs of en- 
 ticement according to the dispositions of the 
 persons who listened-as the ambitious, or vol- 
 uptuous, or covetous,— then got them in their 
 power, lulled them to sleep ia a false security, 
 killed them, and afterwards devoured them. 
 Only twice did ships' crews escape. 
 
 Once, Ulysses filled the ears of his men with 
 wax; had himself bound securely to the mast,Iesfc 
 the temptation, when he came near,might be too 
 strong for him, and commanded to steer straight- 
 ]y and steadily on. And once, again, when Or- 
 pheus, setting up his own music from his own 
 voice, and his fingers sweeping the strings of the 
 harp, prevented himself from hearing the songs 
 of the sireds.By those fictions,the old poets meant 
 to convey the moral that, often what seems to 
 be so charming is but the temptation to ruin 
 and we can only ind our safety in refusing to' 
 

 SAY—NO. 9 
 
 hear. Always allow the better heart to hava its own 
 music of innocence and contentment and then the 
 seductions ofevil cannot effect us. Avery similar 
 ifcory was wont to be told of a beautiful lady, who 
 took up her abode at a little distance from the 
 highway ; and whenever she saw a traveller 
 began to sing most lovely songs. The stranger 
 became fascinated, and desired to be near, and 
 nearer. He left the highway, on a path that led 
 through most beautiful flowers, and wag so 
 pleased with the sights, and sounds, and smells, 
 till, all at once, he plunged headlong over a 
 concealed precipice ; and then she ceased her 
 song, and the charmer became the fury. It 
 means temptation, unholy pleasures that lead 
 irom virtue and God, to vice and destruction. 
 Take Ulysses' plan, and when any one would 
 advise you to do wrong, put wax in your ears. Or 
 take Orpheus' plan, to have a singing happy heart 
 and happy life, and then you do not want to have 
 or to hear anything better. A British noble- 
 man, a fine youth he was, became a cele- 
 brated poet, but also a bad man,-.determined to 
 have a hfe of pleasure, as he called it. He was 
 to live to please himself and not to please God • 
 
 and so he spent his means, his character and 
 heaUh- and voWu nr^ci^^ '■-v^- . -. .. 
 
 v«i.i.^ aju „.vxi rrantuu liTlHl, WaStCU talCUtS 
 
10 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 wasted everything, before he reached half 
 the ordinary age of man, wrote in this most 
 melancholy strain respecting himself . 
 
 **My days are in the yellow leaf. 
 . The fruits, the flowers of love are gone ; '< 
 The worm, the canker, and the grief. 
 Are mine alone." 
 
 That was Lord Byron. With pity, we say, 
 " poor Lord Byron 1" Better bo humble and 
 poor and good, than be high and rich and 
 wicked. The happy life is in virtue and piety, 
 and the poorest of you can be far happier than 
 a King, if you will only be good. 
 
 But you must DO something to be happy. 
 God does not make happiness for us, and give 
 it to us, whether we seek for it or not. No, the 
 way of God is this, that if we desire to be hap- 
 py we must work for it, and work for it ac- 
 cording as He directs us in the Bible. Now 
 there is a very great deal you can do, and I 
 could give you a great many advices what to 
 do, how to do, and when to do, but I purpose 
 to tell you only about one. I am going to advise 
 you to do one particular thiLg, and if you 
 do it you will be happy. Now, are ycu begin- 
 ning to say, "Ho ! Ho ! one thing only ! that's 
 not much, that's first rate, 1 can easily do one 
 
 ;i 
 
SAY— NO. 
 
 11 
 
 tiling !" I am not so sure about that, my dear 
 child. "Well what is it ?" do you say. It is 
 just at the right time, to be able to say the 
 right word to the wrong thing. Do you think 
 you will be able and willing always to do that ? 
 Do jou think you will be able to say NO ? That 
 is a short word, and soon said.lndeedifc is,though 
 a great many are either not able or not willing 
 to say it when they should ; who if they would on- 
 ly boldly, and firmly say it with all their mind, 
 would be kept away from a great deal of mis- 
 chief, suffering and sin. I wish you to learn to 
 be happy, and to live happily, and therefore I 
 am going to urge and entreat you, to 
 be ready and determined, always, when you 
 should, to say, with a resolute heart, NO. 
 
 Come, now, let us see about this, how you 
 are to say NO. lu war, cannon balls are fired 
 against the enemy, as hard, and as far aa 
 gunpowder can drive them ; and likewise I desire 
 your NO, NO, to be your cannon balls against 
 the devil and the flesh ; against bad companions, 
 bad teachings, bad example, bad every- 
 thing. 
 
 You like stories, and illustrations from per- 
 sonal acts and experiences. You remember 
 best the teaching which has plenty of these 
 
12 
 
 SAY—NO. 
 
 in it. Now I could find a great many in general 
 history that would do very well,and he instructive 
 and pleasing, hut there is a wonderful lihrary 
 that all of you can carry in your pocket, most of 
 you 1 helieve have carried it already-a library o" 
 many volumes,ifeaoh hook were hound separate* 
 ly-and it, is in this lihrary that I am to find the 
 people, the stories,— real true stories,— and true 
 examples. That wonderful lihrary is the 
 Bihle. You love the Bihle, and the more you 
 know it you will love it hetter still. Many 
 think the Bihle a dull hook, hut it is not. It 
 is full of stories, and all to teach us when we 
 should say, NO. 
 
 God in His inspired word calls you " son." 
 That does not mean only the hoy, hut the girl 
 as well. God speaks to and counsels girls as 
 well as boys. Both require advice. Both 
 need to he told to do good. Both have to 
 he told not to sin. For example, God says, 
 
 "My son if sinners entise thee, consent thou 
 not." Now that is " my child," whether boy 
 or girl: whether big or little: whether man or wo- 
 man ; for all are God's children, because He has 
 made and preserved them, and what He means 
 is, when bad people ask you to go with them 
 
SAY — NO. 
 
 13 
 
 in bad ways, and to do bad things, you aie to 
 say NO,— and stick to it. 
 
 Now, FIRST, I shall tell you of some persons 
 who did not say No, when they ought to have 
 done it, and what happened to them because of 
 their refusal; and second,! shall tell you of other 
 persons who did say NO, and what became of 
 them. 
 
 I can merely mention a few out of the large 
 numbur, and also say but little on each. In- 
 deed, many of you may say that you know all 
 about them the moment I give the names, but 
 perhaps you will learn a little moro of them, and 
 a good deal more from them for your own con- 
 duct and character, just as you find that they 
 did or did not say, NO. 
 
 I. Those who did not say NO when they 
 should have done it. 
 
 You remember about Eve, the first mother of 
 all living. Why did she fall — then was ashamed 
 -then driven out of Eden? It Was beeause,wheii 
 the devil came tempting her, she said NO, but 
 in such a way] that he saw he could try again ; 
 and try again he did, and she listened to his 
 advice. She felt willing to listen — she began to 
 be pleased at what she heard 
 was receiving good advice^ — si 
 
 she thought she 
 
14 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 Father Friend-she disobeyed Him,and at length 
 8aidYE8,when she Bhould,from first to last, have 
 said NO. She ought to have said, " God told 
 me what to do, and I shall do it : go away from 
 me, I shall not listen to you : go away, you tell 
 me what is not true; I know you do not tell 
 the truth; I know you tell what is 
 false, for you do not speak like my Friend and 
 Maker, God ; and now, once for all, go away, I 
 shall not listen to you"— but she did not do 
 that, and she sinned and fell, and became un- 
 holy, and lost her innocence, and immediately 
 her happiness,at the very time,too,when she ima- 
 gined,at the devil's advice,she was to be far better 
 and happier than before. And just as at the in- 
 stant she ate of the forbidden fruit, it tasted so 
 pleasantly, she advised Adam to partake too, 
 and he did not say NO, even once, but ate, like 
 her, and then our first parents fell ; the foun- 
 tain head of the one great stream of human life 
 became poisoned at its spring, and since then 
 " there has been none righteous, no, not one." 
 You know what immediately followed their 
 transgression, how they became so afraid- 
 afraid then, for they never knew what fear was 
 till they sinned ; and they became so unhappy- 
 
 unhappy in 
 
 
 e^jj^ afraid of God. 
 
 h i 
 
SAY — NO. 
 
 16 
 
 i dear young people, what a sinful \vorld this 
 has become I a world in which death leigns ! a 
 world in which there is no paradise, now 1 and 
 all that change has been, and all that evil is,be- 
 cause the first man and woman did not ^uy NO 1 
 
 Did I say to you that there is no paradise on 
 this earth ! Yes, not indeed such an one as Adam 
 and Eve had, and over which God can now pro- 
 nounce His benediction ; but nevertheless, there 
 is a little one that all can carry within them ; 
 for try to keep your consience void of offence 
 to\^ards God and man ; try always to obey the 
 word of God ; try always to eay NO, to what is 
 bad, and you will have an Eden, a very happy 
 Eden, in your own hearts. 
 
 You remember Cain, the first man who was 
 ever born in this world. God had told him to 
 worship. He had instructed him how to be re- 
 ligious, how to express his thanksgivings for 
 daily mercies ; how to confess his sins ; hojy to 
 supplicate for pardon ; how he was to be saved ; 
 how, as he had lost the liberty of living in the 
 old Eden, from which his parents had been 
 driven, he might g^t, after he died, to the Pa- 
 radise in heaven ; but Cain said NO, to God, 
 Cain would not be religious according to God's 
 "^Ule. He would not go to heaven in God's way, 
 
16 
 
 SAY— NO. 
 
 « 
 
 and so God became displeased,and would not ac- 
 cept his worship. Then Cain was angry ; yes, 
 he waa angry even at God. Then he became 
 angry at his good brother Abel, who had done 
 right ; dene exactly as God had told him ; and 
 just because God was well pleased with him. 
 Then Cain began, maybe, to be angry at himself, 
 and to let 
 
 " His angry passions rise," 
 
 when he should have said, "I shall not be angry 
 at my brother ; I shall not wish any harm to 
 my brother; I shall not do any injury to jpy 
 brother ; rather, I am glad God is pleased with 
 Abel, and I shall try to do, and to be like him." 
 Cain should have said NO, to sin in his heart, 
 but he did not. He permitted sin to grow to 
 anger, and anger to grow to murder in his heart, 
 and then it came from his heart to his hand s 
 and he killed his brother. He shed the first 
 human blood on the earth, and you know 
 how he was afterwards punished, and became so 
 miserable, and went away with a great burden 
 on his soul, and a great wail on his lips, crying 
 " my punishment is greater than I can bear." 
 Why ? Because he said NO, to God ! 
 
 You remember Jacob, the grand-son of the 
 man who had the noblest title that ever anj 
 
 • 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
SAY— NO. 
 
 17 
 
 ti 
 
 Abrfiham was his name, but that was his title 
 
 ia the peerage of the Kingdom of God, and far 
 
 higher than that of a duke, or even a king. Jacob 
 
 was the grandson of that great man ; and with 
 
 all the advantage of his good example, should 
 
 have tried to be as good as, if not better than, his 
 
 grandfather, but he did not. Well, but I would 
 
 take the blame from him a little ; for a good 
 
 deal of a young man's character depends on his 
 
 mother, and Jacob's mother did not do right. 
 
 The Bible does not say a word whether she was 
 
 good or bad, but merely tells us what she did ; 
 
 just as it tells us of many other persons, some 
 
 good and some wicked : and even of some good 
 
 people who said and did that which was wrong ; 
 
 and so, by what Jacob's mother did, no one can 
 
 say she did right. 1 what a blessing, a moit 
 
 precious blessing to have a good, kind, teaching, 
 
 watching, praying, and exemplary mother ; one 
 
 respecting whom a son or a daughter can say, 
 
 with groat love and thankfulness, << Mother 
 
 mine, you never advise but to what is true, and 
 
 pure, and lovely, and of good report. God bless 
 
 my Dkother." Ye children who have good 
 
 pious mothers, love them with all your heart ; 
 
 be obedient to them with a ready and simple 
 
 will ] for raeh mothers never, intentionally, ask 
 B 
 
18 
 
 SAV— NO. 
 
 
 you, or direct you, to do anj/thing contrary to 
 the law of God, your own best welfare, or that 
 of any one else. But Jacob's mother, llobekab, 
 had a prcfcroace lor Jacob rather than Esau, 
 and wished to cheat Esau out of the blessing 
 that belonged to him u.s the first-born. It is 
 true that the purpose of God was accomplished 
 through it ; for lie controls all things, bo that 
 even wicked persons and wicked devices are 
 wisely overruled for fulfilling the wise ends of 
 His Providence. It would be dreadful for the 
 world, if wicked people could do as they liked, 
 and God could not help it, nor make their evil 
 designs work for ultimate good! But Bebekah 
 did not know anything about the purpose of 
 God. It was her own purpose she was bent 
 upon, and that purpose was wrong ; for it never 
 can be right of any mother to injure one child, 
 in any way at all, even if it be to ben- 
 efit another. To accomplish her favouritism 
 for Jacob, Rebekah asked him to deceive his 
 father Isaac, who was then old, and frail, and 
 blind ; and vith her words, and 'm ;■ ^wn haD is, 
 she told him what to say, and hovv to pretend 
 to be his brother Esau. It was very bad. Jacob 
 knew better. He knew it was wrong. He had 
 fears about doiag it. tie was mean and covct- 
 
 
SAV — NO. 
 
 19 
 
 ous enough to like to obtain the blts^iog from 
 his old father ; but just because it was wrong, ho 
 was afraid of being found out and punished. 
 Ho was not afraid, or ashamed, of the siu, as 
 he should have been, but he had a cowJirdly fear 
 of the consequences, if ho should be detected. 
 It is generally so with bad boys—bad-hcart- 
 ed boys — that they are wean, selfish, 
 and cowardly. Even against the advice of 
 his mother, Jacob should have determin- 
 ed to do to Esau as he would havo Esau to 
 do to him, but he listened to her, an 1 did 
 not say NO. Disguised from the likelihoc d of 
 detection ; disguised by his own mother, he con- 
 sented and went to the bedside of his eld 
 blind, father, and pretended to be Esau ; and 
 to be so kind and aflfectionate; and there lied, and 
 lied again to him. It was terrible. And what 
 anguish of heart he caused his venerable parent 
 when he knew it ; how he "trembled very exceed 
 ingly !" and how, when Esau came and found 
 •what had taken place, it caused him to " cry 
 with a great and exceeding bitter cry I" What 
 misery J aoob's conduct caused, by his not sayin* 
 NO! ...,,.^. 
 
 Ah I but is it thought, "well, Jacob got what 
 
20 
 
 BAY— NO. 
 
 the family possessions — the blessing wfts the title- 
 deed — and he must have then been very happy ?" 
 Many a one has obtained his desire, but in- 
 stead of being happy has been very miserable; and 
 so it was with him, and with his mother too. 
 After the sin was committed, Bebekah soon 
 had another view of the matter. She heard that 
 Esau was very angry with»Tacob,and therefore she 
 must part with him, her favourite son ; now she 
 must send him far away, hundreds of miles away, 
 and that washer groat grief— but she had to do 
 it. She parted with him and never saw him 
 again. Thus she was punished with a living 
 grief; Esau away in anger from her, and 
 Jacob away in fear of hi^ life, and she 
 left in loneliness of heart, the worst of aU. 
 I hope it did her good before she died. 
 
 But Jacob did not escape. " Be sure your Hn 
 will find you out,'* is a great truth, which Gk)d hits 
 declared ; and more or less, and sooner or lat^, 
 it does so, even in this life ; and so it found 
 Jacob and punished him. He found himself, 
 for many years, banished from home, and thrice 
 most painfully deceived both in his tenderest 
 affections and property. He would not say HO 
 to what was wrong ; and he came to feel how 
 bitter it was to have others say NO to him. 
 
 y 
 
 J 
 
 
u 
 
 SAY— NO. 
 
 21 
 
 Jl 
 
 ^g, 
 
 when he was asking only that which was right. 
 Beware then, of doing wrong, for depend 
 upon it you will suffer, in your person, or prop- 
 erty, or consoience,and it may be,even, in all the 
 three. The Germans have a proverb which has 
 a great and true meaning, and when translated 
 reads thus. Jacob knew and felt its truth ;— 
 
 ** The mills of God grind slowly, 
 Yet they grind exceeding small ; 
 Though with patience He stands waiting 
 With exactness grinds He all." 
 
 I do trust that none of you have parents who 
 ask, or advise you to cheat, or steal, or tell lies. 
 I pity you if you have. And if so, I give you 
 an earnest counsel that, if they bid you sin, 
 even to them you wre to say NO. Say NO, 
 even to father and mother, if they desire you 
 to d^ .ny thing contrary to what God commands. 
 It is quite right, it is a duty to say NO to your 
 parents, if they ask you to an. You read your 
 law in the Bible, •* Children, obey your parents 
 in the Lord ; for this is right." That does not 
 mean you are to obey them if they ask you 
 to do wrong, but it is, "in the Lord," they 
 are to govern you. They are to do to you as is 
 comniantled in tfn* TliKIa anA ftiam «t/mi ««/> i^ 
 
 - — — . — ^«-^ft»^- *»tft»^ crjisv£i VvU a4^ bV 
 
22 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 obey them, but whenever they coi^niand you to 
 do what the Bible condemns, then, you are to re- 
 fuse "in <he Lord," and say NO. Your first duty 
 is, always, to feel and say, " I must obey my 
 Father who is in Heaven." Here is a good 
 " Law of Life," 
 
 '' Li\e I ! so live I, 
 To my Lord heartily. 
 To my Prince faithfully. 
 To my neighbour honestly. 
 Die I! so die L" 
 
 You remember Absalom, and how cruel he 
 was to his old father. It is very sinful to be 
 harsh, andhard,and disobedient to parents when 
 they are comparatively young ; or in middle life, 
 and hale and hearty; but it is far worse when they 
 are old and feeble,and,it may bo,in circumstances 
 of trouble and trial. It was very cruel of Absalom 
 to his father, King David. He was ambitious 
 of honor and power; and taking advantage of 
 some discontented subjects, and trying to make 
 more, ho gathered an army to drive 
 his father from the throne; and, indeed 
 did not care though those angry people took his 
 father's life away, as well as his crown. Ab- 
 salom was young, wayward, unfilial, disresnent- 
 
 • ' 
 
SAY — NO. 
 
 32 
 
 ful. He listened to bad adviser's, and associ- 
 ated mill bad corapanions, instead of honoring 
 his father, and duty, and love, and truth. 
 Temptation was in his heart ; it also came in his 
 way,and he did not say NO. He should have said 
 to rising disobedience in his own heart, and to 
 'he evil counsels of others, " I shall do no hurt 
 IT harm to my father. It would be highly sin- 
 ful if I did. I shall be a good son, not a bad 
 one." But he did not resolve so, and his wick- 
 ed conduct soon cost hira his life. If he had 
 said NO, he might have lived long, lived well, 
 and at last died happily. How often it is that the 
 young hurry themselves into an early grave ! 
 They are so apt to think that they are wiser 
 and know better than their parents and older 
 friends; and therefore determine on their conduct 
 and course of living, in spite of all admonitions 
 and warnings ; and still anticipate avoiding the 
 fate of others who have gone before them in the 
 same career. Somehow, many young people 
 flatter themselves that they have the power of 
 escaping the consequences of wrong doing, 
 though they know that others, like themselves, 
 did the same, and fell victims to their folly . 
 It is true : the Bible says it : and experience 
 confirms it, " Ho that walkech with wi>^e men 
 
 • ' 
 
24 
 
 SAY— NO. 
 
 ii 
 
 
 shall be wise, but a companion of tfoola shall be 
 destroyed." 
 
 You remember Solomon. He was very good 
 while he was "young and tender." When he was 
 raised to the throne as successor to his father, 
 he was very pious, earnest, and exemplary. 
 One might suppose that, like a great many- 
 like the most—with flattering prospects, he 
 would desire to be rich and renowned ; to be suc- 
 cessful in his wars ; to add valuable territories to 
 his dominions, and have kings to bring their 
 tribute to his feet; but such was not his anx- 
 iety. His solicitude then was to do right. He 
 wished to be a good king and a good man. So, 
 on one occasion, he went to have a great public 
 worship of God, and after it was over, God 
 appeared to him, very likely that night, in a 
 dream or vision, and said, "Ask what I shall give 
 thee." By that, God meant to bestow on him what 
 he should say he liked best. A proud, or covetous, 
 or avaricious boy may say « What a capital 
 chance to get plenty of money, and property, 
 and all earthly good I" I fear, that too many 
 would embrace the opportunity, if they had 
 it, just to gratify their selfishness. Solomon 
 did not make that great mistake. He asked 
 for "wisdom and knowledge" to enable him to be a 
 
SAT— NO. 
 
 25 
 
 just and ^ise monarch. And because he had done 
 so, instead of praying for wealth, honor, power, 
 and long life, he received from God the gift of 
 wisdom and knowledge ; and besides, all that he 
 might have requested, " riches, and wealth, and 
 honour, such as no king ever had before him 
 or ever would have after him." He was to 
 stand in history alone, in his royal greatness, 
 and grandeur. All that early history of 
 him is delightful ; like a summer morning, all 
 so beautiful and bright, before the black thunder 
 clouds roll up the sky. Solomon could do as 
 he pleased. He commanded every means and 
 opportunity to gratify himself; so by and by, 
 he began to put his wisdom to a wrong use, 
 and set out on a search for "experience of wisdom 
 and knowledge." He was not contented as he was. 
 He wished to know what people call "the 
 world." He desired to see what foolish and 
 reckless youth call <Uife ;" and so he w^s tempted 
 to try one thing that was called " pleasure," and 
 did not say NO ; and then he was tempted to 
 try another, and did not say NO ; and so on he 
 went, faster, and faster, as every such young 
 man does ; woryg and worse ; wicked, and more 
 wicked, and most wicked. Everythmg 
 that was called nleaaurfl. nr tliaf dm a 
 
26 
 
 SAY—NO. 
 
 thought might cause pleasure, Solomon tried, 
 but each one, in turn, failed to satisfy him, 
 Each rose had its thorn. Each cup had its 
 dregs. Still he went on trjinj,' to find pleasure 
 in doing what he liked, but he was never con- 
 tented, never happy after he would not say NO: 
 and actually went so far as to build a temple 
 to idolatry. He got heathen wives and heath- 
 en people about him, who advised him to do 
 that, and he did not like to say NO; and besides, 
 he made a trial of it to see how it pleas- 
 ed him. The first and seoond commandments, 
 which he knew very well, should have been his 
 law, and from them he ought to have learned 
 to say NO to all advice, and to all temptations 
 to forsake the God and Guide of his youth. 
 Thus it was that the fine, good, young Solo- 
 mon, became the bad old Solomon ; though 
 before he died it is to be hoped he repented and 
 reformed,, and gave his heart and life again to 
 God. Jle wanted to drink his fill of happi- 
 ness, but for a very long time he always went to a 
 poisoned spring. He allowed his own in- 
 clinations to direct hinr, instead ui the law 
 of God; but he tells us, after every trial, 
 now of this, "It is vanity;" and then 
 ofthatj'Mt is vanity," "all i-^ vanity." All 
 
 
SAY — NO. 
 
 27 
 
 mere worldly happiness, away from good- 
 ness is "vauity of vanities;" it is an empti- 
 ness : the soul is unsatisfied : and the life has tho 
 worm of discontent gnawing greedily at its core. 
 Solomon knew it all too well, and from his own 
 experience he preached a sermon to the young, 
 and, by the Holy Ghost, he is preaching it still, 
 and saying the more earnestly to you, just be- 
 cause he forgot it, "Remember now thy Creator 
 in the days of thy youth." All your young days 
 keep remembering that ; remembering the law 
 of the Bible, to obey it with a pure heart, and 
 it is not very likely you will forget it when you 
 grow older. Yet, after everything Solomon 
 did, and tried to find and enjoy, he said that 
 this is "the conclusion of the whole matter," 
 this is the way to live, to begin life and to 
 carry through life : "Fear God and keep his 
 commandments ; for this is the whole duty of 
 man." Solomon's whole sermon has this great 
 lesson, to say NO, to sin, whether it come daz- 
 zling like an angel of light, or black as a 
 demon from the ^ pit. (), I need not speak 
 about sin coming to you as a black demon. 
 It never does. I wish it did, for then it would 
 frighten you. Sin comes smiling like an 
 >»ijt; it IS- after vou obov sin that it be- 
 \ 
 
 
28 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 iii«, 
 
 comes black and forbidding. Solomon, in 
 seeking for new pleasures, saw new angels, as 
 he thought j but from his experience he has 
 warned you against their deceptions. His an- 
 gels did not always keep smiling. I think if 
 ho were living now he would say again 
 
 "In life's gay morn, when sprightly youth 
 
 With vital ardour gbws, 
 
 And shines in all the fairest charms. 
 
 Which beauty can disclose j 
 
 Deep on thy soul, before its powers 
 
 Are yet by vice enslaved, 
 
 Be thy Creator's glorious name 
 
 And character engraved. 
 
 You remember the Prodigal Son, delineated 
 by our Saviour. By the parable, The Lord 
 meant to liken the GentUes, or all people except 
 the Jews, who had forsaken God an<i got bat 
 and wretched in idolatry; but it has also a great, 
 true, individual lewon. The younger brother 
 was wild in his heart, and he sought for the 
 means to be wUd in his life. He would 
 not stay at home. He must be his own 
 master. He must have his own wUl and 
 way. He must go where he pleased. That is 
 the picture of wicked waywardness, and head 
 
 f 
 
SAY— NO. 
 
 29 
 
 stroDgness; and there are too many who 
 oaD, if they choose, see themselves in it. The 
 Lord who knows human hearts, and wills, and 
 Ways,has in that given their own many accurate 
 likeness ;— accurate but not beautiful. 
 
 There is a young man who would not say NO 
 to his own desires and passions : and who would 
 not have NO said to him, either, if he could 
 help it. He got his will, and as in all such cases, 
 he went from bad to worse. An old proverb states 
 the truth of such like : ^^ they run fast whom 
 the devil drives." He lost his money ; he lost 
 his character ; he lost his self-respect ; and at 
 length sank to the very lowest depths of degrada- 
 tion ; for what could be meaner, and especially 
 in the eyes of a Jew, than to be a swineherd 1 
 When he left home he did not contemplate such 
 a result. He left for pleasure ; but landed in 
 wretched abandonment. He never would toy NO 
 to sinful ways^ till he could not get ^ny farther, 
 and he then daid it. Oh ! that was a blessed re 
 suit, for ma&y sin, and sin on, and go down, 
 and down, body^ and soul, and never repent 
 and are lost, all of them lost, for ever lost. The 
 prodigal " came to himself," Jesus said. He 
 <' cam to himself." He had not been < * himself,' 
 
 tfifnf ifl in YiiR vfdrKt siiitA nf tMirifl T 
 
 V osuv »vrA AV&. 
 
80 
 
 AY — NO. 
 
 I.: 
 
 Satan "hath blinded the minds of them which be- 
 lieve not," that they believe a lie. Sin deceives ; 
 and if any of you should have the disposition of 
 the prodigal, then you are saying Yes, to what, all 
 the time, you should be saying NO. Take care of 
 the first thoughts of self will, or a perverse heart, 
 which may lead to the first steps Crom under 
 the old parental roof tree. If from home you 
 must go— and it may be a duty for you to do it— 
 never depart in pnger ; never by stealth ; never 
 in disobediencr. No good will come of it if you 
 do- Never oic^s the door step, one inch even, 
 logo out ih^o the world fcr honest labour, with- 
 out carrying your parents' blessing to cheer 
 your heart, if you can get it. I like these 
 lines of the genial Thackeray. 
 
 " And if, in time of Sacred youth, 
 We learned at home to love and pray, 
 
 Pray Heaven that early love and truth 
 May never wholly pass away.'' 
 
 You remember about the terrible I^emoniac 
 of Gadara. On one occasion, when the Lord 
 Jesus crosEed the lake of Galilee, and landed on 
 the eastern^ shore, among a mixed people — 
 though' chiefly heathen — there ran to Him 
 a wild man : who was attracted bv His 
 
HAY — NO. 
 
 31 
 
 lovely anil benign appearance. That man 
 would live in no house, but preferred to 
 dwell among the tombs — the excavations, or 
 natural cuvcs in the limestone rocks there. lie 
 was very strong and fierce, and broke the chain?, 
 with which his friends and neighbours had re 
 peatedly bound him, uid escaped away again to 
 the mountains, to have his dismal habi- 
 tation with the dead. lie must have presented 
 a pitiable sight, as well as a terrible one. 
 
 Imagine that you sec a splendid ship,— a full 
 rigged steamship- with full steam on, and all sail 
 set, right out in the ocean under a heavy gale, 
 with a broken and useless rudder, and a 
 drunken crew. IIow she plunges; how she yaws; 
 how she rolls ; hov/ the seas sweep over her ; how 
 she goes down, broadside down, as if she may not 
 come up again ; how she rises, but to take 
 another plunge ; how the itasts bend ; how the 
 sails split into ribbons ; how the yards break j 
 how the paddle wheels keep turning through 
 the great waves, and how the very power of fire 
 and steam below, and the spread of canvas 
 above, drive her on the more rapidly and cer- 
 tainly to become a wreck ! Suppose that specta- 
 cle, and you exclaim, " Save the ship I let a good 
 captain and crew get on board : shut off the steam: 
 
32 
 
 r 
 
 , I 
 
 If 
 'I 
 
 ii' 
 
 SAT — NO. 
 
 take in the sails; rjg out a temporary 
 rudder, and keep her from destruction !" Now 
 such like, it one way, was that Gadarene. He 
 was in splendid animal health j strong as a 
 giant; could live out in all weathers ; but that 
 very strength of his made him the more a ter- 
 ror to the country side, and also more hurtf\il 
 to himself. His mind was broken. The God- 
 given intellect that makes man, and guides man, 
 was broken in him. The Devil had done it, by 
 what was called " possession." I am not going to 
 say anything about the many means and ways by 
 which people may Io6e their reason ; but I earn- 
 estly desire you to set the very highest value on it, 
 and take the greatest care of it. As therudderis 
 to the ship, so is your reason to you. 1 take 
 care of it; and, above all, pray God, everyday, 
 to take care of it for you. 
 
 But I have fiometling more to say about that 
 man. 
 
 When he beheld and came to Jesus,he wag very 
 subdued and respectftil. It was strange that he 
 should be so mild now I See him with his big, 
 broad chest ; his strong naked limbs ; his matted 
 hair ; his gashed and bleeding flesh ; his yet wild 
 and rolling eyes ; and how he comes and stands 
 80 meekly before Jesus I Hewasun^derthewon 
 
f<Ay— NO. 
 
 33 
 
 u« iflo UoviJ s work was there and 
 
 devil, felt that lie must eavo that man ■ and 
 «o, at once, tie commanded the uncloak n/rM 
 come out of him. Then began a d dfuT " 
 gle and .he evil .pirit urged the man to c ,1 
 loudly as he could, to be let alone. He did ^o^ 
 wish to bo better TT» ™„. i "''' 
 
 ue wished to have no blessing, or health nr 
 happiness from Jesus TT» ™„= , . ' °^ 
 t„ -.„ 4 :, 7 " ^"^ pleased enoueh 
 
 to stand and look at Jesus; but he desired fn 
 t ewh.b,tohavethe unclean spirit Cat ' 
 u.m. 0,, rather, the evil spirit made him feci 
 ^0. But now, wnen Jesus would restore hm 
 he ,s mado to cry, " What have I to do S 
 
 thee Jesus, thou Son of th„ »ost high qS 
 Udjure thee, by God, that thou torm'ent 1 
 
 Now the same thing is constantly going on in 
 many st.ll. So long as the devif eaf keep 
 ho^d ofthe mind, the will, the ruling pajZ 
 
 and inclinations, he doeanotcarehowmuZo 
 Plo look at what is good, and go to church, and 
 remember to say their prayers, and be 
 

 I 3 
 
 34 
 
 BAY — NO. 
 
 outwardly respectful to religious things. Iii 
 
 fact lio 
 
 manages 
 
 them all the better by 
 
 that. But whenever Christ would work 
 in the heart, and cleanse it, and renew it; 
 whenever He would correct and direct the 
 mind, then the devil urges you, with all youi' 
 miglit, to got away from Jesus, or get Jesus 
 away from you. All are, more or less, under 
 the power and influence of Satan, and can only 
 get him vrcll away from them, just as thej 
 resist him, and do not permit him to dwell in 
 them, or tempt them. Remember, then, that 
 it is only the man with a ruling, reigning devil 
 in him, who says NO, to Jesus. Whea Jesus 
 seeks to take away the bad heart, and give you 
 the good one — the bad spirit, and give you tho 
 good one — remember, that the devil is in you, 
 and bidding you say it, if you say NO ! You 
 are told and intreated to be good ; to love 
 Jesus ; to believe on Him as your only Saviour j 
 to obey His laws ; to follow His example ; and, 
 therefore, I hope none of you will act like the 
 man who had a devil, and to all the dying 
 love, and living love of Jesus say NO ! It is 
 true that Jesus made the devil to come out of 
 that man against his will ; and so He can res- 
 
 n 
 
SAY— NO. 
 
 35 
 
 Dgs. In 
 titer by 
 d work 
 jncw it ; 
 rect the 
 
 all your 
 3t Jesus 
 s, under 
 can only 
 
 as the J 
 
 dwell in 
 hen, that 
 ng devil 
 oa Jesus 
 
 give you 
 ! you tho 
 is in you, 
 0! You 
 
 to love 
 
 Saviour • 
 pie ; and, 
 
 like tho 
 lie dying 
 3 ! It is 
 me out of 
 
 can res- 
 
 pecting the devil in you, and you under 
 
 his 
 
 but 
 
 power : but your duty is not to believe 
 only respecting what Jesus can do, but to think 
 what He bids you do, and at once to do that 
 He asks you to give Him your young heart,' 
 your young love, and your young life ; and ! 
 do not then allow the devil to tempt you to say 
 
 You remember Judas Iscariot. Somehow 
 the very sound of his name is bad, and I am 
 sure you do not like it. I suppose he was a 
 fine boy, and a diligent, industrious young 
 man; for he was highly honored to be 
 mvitcd by Christ to follow Him, as one 
 of His publicly attached friends ; and, also, to 
 be instructed under His personal ministry. 
 He was even ordained, by Christ, as an Apostle, 
 and thus obtained the very highest rank in the 
 church. He was considered by the other Apos- 
 ties honest and careful, and more of a busi- 
 ness man than any of them ; and, therefore, be- 
 came their Treasurer,to receive money, now and 
 then, from themselves or their friends, to pro- 
 vide for daily wants, if need be; to purchase 
 what way necessary for the religious feasts, 
 and also to give to the poor. Yes the poor I for 
 
I 
 
 36 
 
 SAY NO. 
 
 though Jesus and the Disciples were poor them- 
 selves, they had a treasurer, whose duty it was 
 to save, as much as he could, for other poor. 
 What an example of compassion and benevo- 
 lence ! But Judas was a Rreedy man. That 
 was the great defect in his character. Avarice 
 was the open door by which Satan got into his 
 heart. You learn it when Mary of Bethany 
 poured the alabaster box full of very costly per- 
 fume on Jesus' head and feet. Several 
 of the Disciples grudged it a little — may- 
 be a good deal — for they thought it use- 
 less waste; and that, in their circumstances 
 Jesus did not require so much, when they and 
 other poor, had need of the price of it for food 
 and clothing. But Judas grumbled most of all 
 and complained, upon the plea that the 
 poor should have got the worth of it. 
 St. John says, " not that he cared for the 
 poor; but because he was a thief, and had 
 the bag, and bare what was put therein." He 
 was covetous, and having the opportunity he be- 
 came dishonest. He thought it was not known 
 and, perhap3,it was not,at first, but it became so 
 at length. His own actions betrayed him. It is 
 BO, almost always, Decause it is very difficult for a 
 
SAT NO. 
 
 thief to completely hide his 
 
 37 
 
 crime. He mav 
 tnink he does, but unexpectedly he is detected 
 and then the sin and the disgrace punish him 
 and often ruin him. How many a child has 
 become bad, by stealing from his parents, just a 
 little, a very little, and thought that it was 
 not muca ; and again a little, very little, and 
 that was not much ; and so the desire for steal- 
 inggrew stronger, and the thoughts about the 
 sm grew fewer, and the heart grew harder, and 
 at length he became the pickpocket^-the house- 
 breaker-the robber-^the murderer! Ire- 
 member, just as long ago as t can, that I was 
 taught this, among other words and ways, to de- 
 ter me from taking what was not my own— 
 
 " They who begin to steal needles and pins 
 Will end with horn'd kine." * 
 
 That is, if you once begin to steal a littlt, 
 and not think it sinful, you will go on to steal 
 mora and more, larger and larger, till you will 
 steal all you can. Beware of the beginning ! 
 Judas Iscariot was greedy; that was his natur- 
 al character, and it seems singular he should 
 have been chosen for an office that would bring 
 temptation in his way ; but then, had he bsea the 
 
ill 
 
 W 
 
 I i 
 
 
 38 
 
 SAY NO. 
 
 man he professed to be, the office should have 
 stimulated his truth, his honour, and his consoi- 
 ence,always to gay NO to his coYetousness. But 
 he did not restrain it, on the contrary he 
 encouraged it ; and so, of his own act and will, 
 became the betrayer of his Lord and Master- 
 Just see how he was punished ! He knew, 
 quite well, that Jesus was innocent of all crime ; 
 but he knew also that the rulers of the Jews 
 were eager to apprehend him ; and he began to 
 reason with himself this way : " Well, if I can 
 get good pay from these priests and rulers, I'll 
 betray Jesus,by telling them where, some night, 
 he can be found, and when the multitude of 
 the people, who are his friends, will not be there 
 to hinder them. I'll then get the money, and if 
 they seize Jesus, He can take care of himself, 
 and make his enemies utterly powerless against 
 Him ; so then I'll obtain the money ; no harm 
 will come on Jesus ; and those priests and rulers 
 will lose the prize they seek, for it will be no sin to 
 deceive them." It seems as if he reasoned bo ; 
 and that Satan led him to do it ; for it is im- 
 possible to suppose he had enmity to 
 Jesus, or that he saw the sin then, in its awful 
 enormity, iof if uC nad, uc wouid nave ^uuduercu 
 
SAY — NO. 
 
 39 
 
 at it. But he was led on by his greed to try to 
 cheat the enemies of Jesus, by thinking no injury 
 could come on Him, and thus he would gain the 
 " thirty pieces of silver." He should not have 
 considered a moment, even, about Jesus' power 
 to protect Himself, but his heart should have 
 cried out, to the first wrong thought, " NO ! 
 NO I NO ! it is sioful, and away with it." 
 But instead, he cherished it, and it seemed de- 
 sirable. Money was to be made by it. That 
 was the great thing, money ; so, at present, 
 he would say nothing about it to Jesus, 
 and in the long run all would come right ; 
 for then he would have a fine sum for 
 his own use ; beg forgiveness from Jesu^ ; and 
 laugh at those high and wicked people in Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 That is the way sin, greed, and selfishness 
 work in the mind; and that also is the way thieves 
 and robbers are made. John Flavel, a clever old 
 divine, said, that " the i >art of the bad man is 
 the devil's workshop." Just so, and he is al- 
 ways busy there ; and our Lord has told us 
 what he makes and sends out, and among other 
 things there are these, " evil thoughts, murders, 
 thefts.' Take cere, and keep your yoang 
 
.. 
 
 40 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 heart from being a workshop for any such pur- 
 poses . 
 
 The whole scheme, however, seemed at 
 first an excellent one to Judas Iscariot ; but 
 when ho saw that Jesus suffered himself to be 
 seized, and led away from Gethsemanc, ho 
 alight wonder and have misgivings. When he 
 heard, or saw that He was taken to the palace 
 of the Hi^h Priest, and m^t before Pilate and 
 Herod, and never escaped, or vindicated Him- 
 self, he might get very uneasy; but when he 
 heard the sentence of death pronounced onHim ! 
 and in spite of Pilate's remoastanoes too, then I 
 Oh ! then ! his sin, his guilt, his greed, turned 
 upon him to devour him. Jesus was to bo put 
 to death I and he had been instrumental in 
 doing it! Ha must do everything to save 
 Jesus! He then took those *' thirty pieces of 
 silver" and rushed to the temple, and told the 
 Chief Priests and Elders, " I have sinned, in 
 that I betrayed the innocent blood ;" but they 
 scorned him away. They had been very friendly 
 andconfidential so long as he was to be the traitor, 
 but now when the end was gained, and that was 
 all they wanted, they turned from him withdis- 
 gust and contempt— as all people do from mean 
 
SAY—NO. 
 
 41 
 
 and wicked mea who have served their purpose. 
 They cared not for his declarations, or his 
 anxiety to save the life of Jesus, or for all his 
 protestations that he had acted falsely ; but 
 instead, only suiered at him, and said," What 
 is that to us ? See thou to that." They then 
 turned their backs on him. So with useless en- 
 deavours to undo his awful crime, and with hia 
 conscience all ablaze, and the " thirty pieces of 
 silver" in his hand, feeling like buroiog him to 
 the bono, he cast them on the floor, and in his 
 agony of remorse rushed out to the parapet wall 
 and threw himself over, sheer down five hun- 
 dred feet, into the valley of Kidron, « that he 
 might go to his own place." 
 
 That is the christian tradition respecting the 
 place and manner of his fSte. In the account by 
 St. MattheWjitis said that ho "hanged himself ;'» 
 but the intention is not so much to tell the mode 
 but rather the fact that he, from the terror of a J 
 accusing conscience, committed suicide. In The 
 Acts we read respecting him that, « falling head- 
 Jong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his 
 bowels gushed out;" a statement which is in 
 harmony with the tradition. 
 
 You read in the Bible that « The love of 
 
42 
 
 BAY—NO. 
 
 ' 
 
 I »• 
 
 money is the root of all evil, which while 
 some coveted after, they erred from the faith, 
 and pierced themselves throngh with many sor- 
 rows." Now, do not commit the common mis- 
 take of supposing that " money" is the root of all 
 evil. It is not : but rather it is at the root of a 
 great deal of good. la almost all good works we 
 cannot do without it. Money is a gift from God. 
 He made the silver and the gold. But " the 
 love ofmoney," that is it, the " love" of it, the 
 simple "love" of it,the greed for it, the endeavor 
 to get it by dishonorable or dishonest mean?, 
 " is the root of all evil." The love of it was 
 the " root" of all that prompted Judas' heart, and 
 was the first cause of his awful end. How the 
 " love" of it made hiof to act so sinfully, and 
 "pisrced" him at last, with such a dreadful 
 "sorrow!". Had he acted like Peter, and 
 *' gone out and wept bitterly" the salt tears of a 
 penitent heart, I am sure Jesus would have for- 
 given even him ;but instead,he tried to escape,by 
 a sinful death, from his present misery. "It had 
 been good for that man if he had not been born," 
 said Jesus ; and why ? Because he can never difi ; 
 and having gone to the eternal world, but not by 
 Jesus, who is " the way to the Father," he must 
 
SAY— NO. 
 
 43 
 
 >) 
 
 
 live on with his soul " pierced" through and 
 through with unabating sorrow. " The love 
 of money" did it all. That "love" is working 
 still. It is causing daily frauds in business , and 
 men to betray those whom they should defend. 
 It is this which makes the great insecurity of 
 commercial life. It is this which does more to 
 corrupt individual character, and society, 
 than all besides. It is this which leads so 
 many to the jail, and the penitentiary, and often 
 to the scaflfold ; though, indeed, many are not in 
 the penitentiai-y, who, from the way they have 
 " loved" money, well deserve to be there. Take 
 hoed that you never deserve to be there. Be- 
 ware of the beginning of that sinful *' love of 
 money." Say NO to it. It was one of the 
 prayers of King David,and let it also be yours : 
 
 Mj heart unto Thy testimonies, 
 And not to greed, incline. 
 
 I have now finished all that I intend saying 
 on the first part, and it is to be hoped that you 
 see the great importance of saying NO ; and the 
 serious consequences to soul and body, which 
 may resuit irom not uoiog it. 
 
44 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 ■A " 
 
 I ( 
 
 ir. 
 
 The Second Part— I make the conclusion 
 of the subject ; and it only requires some brief 
 notices of examples for your imitation and en- 
 couragement. 
 It is on those who did say NO when they should 
 Lave done it ; and bow they were rewarded. 
 You remember Noah. He came to be a kind 
 of second father of the human race. When 
 he lived, for no less than six hundred years he 
 was among very wicked people ; in fact, just as 
 bad as they could be. They did not deserve 
 to live, and so God dofcrmined to destroy the 
 •whole of them. But why preserve Noah and 
 his family ? Just because he was good. He 
 never engaged in their wickedness, but always 
 condemned it. He was a ^Treacher of right- 
 eousness" to them, though to no good result 
 The people did not like his preaching- and 
 when he warned them of the deluge they would 
 not listen to him; and while,for one hundred and 
 twenty years, he was building the ark at the 
 command of God, they laughed at him : but 
 still he was determined to believe and obey God. 
 They might be infidels, but he would be a be- 
 liever. They might ridicule the revelation 
 
SAY—NO. 
 
 45 
 
 which had been given to him ; nevertheless 
 he would boldly believe and act on it. They 
 tempted him to scoff, and scorn the threaten- 
 mgs of God, but ho would not join them. He 
 would not say NO to God, when ho was told to 
 prepare to save himself and his family. He 
 was like one very bright star, shining out on 
 a very dark night, in a very black sky. He 
 would serve God in spite of all opposition and 
 temptation ; and so it was, when the deluge sea 
 swept around the world, and became the com 
 mon grave of its great and guilty population 
 God housed Noah and his family safely in the 
 ark till the danger was past.-— Now the Bible 
 gives a lesson in that history, to teach us how 
 it is quite possible for even one man, alone, in 
 the face of a whole world of wicked men, to say 
 NO to them all. Let him do it, and God will 
 protect him! Noah did it,andGod bore him up in, 
 and brought him through, the perils of that 
 awful judgment time/ 
 
 You remember Lot, who dwelt iu Sodom. 
 He chose that country for the sake of his cattle, 
 because "it was well watered everywhere." In 
 making his choice, he should have thought, also 
 of the character of the people among whom he' 
 
46 
 
 '. ■1 
 
 8AV— NO. 
 
 was to live and bring up Lis family ; but ho did 
 not ; though it would have been far better for 
 him, in the long run, if he had. 
 
 The inhabitants of Sodom, and all around, 
 were as bad as it is possible to conceive them to 
 have been; and we aro told that Lot was 
 grieved every day with their abominable con- 
 duct. You may say, * Why then did he not 
 leave the place ?' Why ! because it is generally 
 very easy to krop away from wicked cities, and 
 society ; but .':• ■; one is there, and in business, 
 and with pioporty, and associates, it is diffi- 
 cult to k ,e. Besides, it is astonishing how 
 soon people get accustomed to sights and sounds 
 and deeds of wickedness, even though they do 
 not join in them. Lot seems to have been in 
 such a position. He should never have gone 
 there j but now there, and not ten righteous 
 persons in it. Lot endeavoured to be as good as 
 possible. He was known as a religious man. 
 The people knew that they need not ask him to 
 join in their wickedness, for he would instantly 
 say NO. 
 
 Perhaps some of you live near to those who 
 are very wicked ; but remember Lot, and en- 
 deavour not to be like them. Rather be good 
 
 ! ) 
 
 ♦ " 
 
«AV— NO. 
 
 47 
 
 and try to make thcra like you. Every one has 
 an influence for good or evil ; either a restraining 
 influence) to keep the bad from getting worse, or 
 a constraining iofluence to make them better. 
 Try your influence for good. The Bible gives 
 you light. If you believe it, and obey it, it 
 makes you a light. Then if you are a light, 
 this is the law of Jesus for you, " Let your 
 light so shiuo before men, that they may seo 
 your good works, and glorify your Father who 
 is in heaven!" 
 
 You remember the four princely Hebrew 
 youths who were led captive to Babylon. They 
 were all f the royal blood ; and taken to honor 
 and serve the Babylonian court. Now, 
 many, had they been in their place, would 
 have said, "We are going to Babylon, 
 and we must do all we can to obtain favour 
 and success there. We must live there as the 
 inhabitants do. We must be as agreeable 
 and conforming to their habits and customs as 
 possible, and so make the bes^ of our circum- 
 stances." Put, not so with them. They took 
 their stand at the very outset. They were to 
 be educated and trained for royal service j yet 
 lest they should partake of anything contrary 
 
48 
 
 1 ii 
 
 SAY— NO. 
 
 tc the Jewish ceremonial law-meat that had 
 been offered to idoJs, or wine that had been 
 offered to the gods, and so considered to be bless- 
 ed by them-they resolved to live on simple 
 bread and water, and to all entreaties or expos- 
 tulations to change their diet, they firmly said 
 NO. Their religious duty was firut. They 
 felt that they could not be happy, and did not 
 deserve to prosper, if they were not strictly re- 
 Jigicus. They made it their rule "whether 
 therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do 
 do all to the glory of God." These were young 
 men, who would not do what they thought was 
 wrong, to please anyone, and their decision in 
 the right laid the basis of their further success. 
 They could say NO,and they did it ; and it was 
 the making of them. 
 
 They gained the favour of the King, and 
 were rpeedily promoted to the highest positions 
 in the government, under himself. Daniel was 
 prime minister,and the others, Hananiah,Mishael, 
 and Azariah, were subordinate to him. 
 
 Bat on one occasion, Nebuchadnezzar— 
 who was a great idolater— determined to have 
 a splendid celebration in honour of a new statue 
 of his idol,Bel,and commanded that all who did 
 
SAV— NO. 
 
 49 
 
 not bow down to it should be cast, as a sacrifice 
 into the fainaee before it. Where Daniel was 
 at that time, we do not know-probably away in 
 a distant part of the Empire-but the other three 
 were m Babylon, and were reported as reftsing 
 •to worship the idol. They said that they neither 
 d.d,nor would worship it. They were "told that 
 the furnace would be their fate if they persisted. 
 They replied that they would rather be burned 
 to death than be idolaters. They boldly re- 
 fused the Kmg I and the like of .hat wasnerer 
 
 King Nebuchadnezzar ; but they had a higher 
 «.ing, Jehovah ; and they would please Him 
 firs come what would. So they were cast into 
 the fiery furnace, heated seven times," bat lol 
 they walked in it, and were unharmed, for God 
 protected and preserved them; and when thev 
 were brought out they had not even "the smeU 
 of fire on them."God acknowledged them by his 
 mraeulous care, for saying NO. And 
 Nebuchadnezzar also honored them for their 
 decision boldness and piety ; and was almost 
 converted to be a worshipper of the true God 
 These right heai ted and high principled youths. 
 When threatened for their resolution against 
 
50 
 
 »Ay— NO. 
 
 wrong, told tho King decidedly that they had 
 not been considering consequences at all they 
 had simply been considering duty, and were re- 
 solved, come weal or woe, come life or death 
 that they would not worship the golden image he 
 had set up. That was a certain thing for 
 perish rank, office, power, life, all but truth • 
 and for truth, and a good conBcieno-^ they were 
 prepared to die-and they could do no more 
 God teaches,by their conduct and history that 
 none should calculate the temporal advantages 
 of doing right or wrong, but resolve to do 
 right at all hazards. And to do it with the firm 
 faith that, at length, it vindicates and rewards 
 itselfjfor though it may have its furnaces of trial 
 It walks unscathed in tho midst of them • and 
 comes from them all the brighter for havin- been 
 there. In respect to some persons it may tak» a 
 long timc,almost a lifetime,before a false charge 
 IS disproven, or a ^rong impression removed and 
 they obtain what is due to their principles' and 
 mtogrity ; and some even die before their char 
 aol»rH are truly vindicated. But never mind.feel 
 nght and do right : 
 
 " Keep conscience as the noon tide clear " 
 and as the sailor on his watch, though the 
 
!it thejr had 
 t all, they 
 ad were re- 
 > or death, 
 Q image he 
 ^hiiig, for 
 'Ut truth ; 
 ! they were 
 no more, 
 istorj,that 
 advantages 
 Ivc to do 
 h the firm 
 d rewards 
 OS of trial, 
 leni ; and 
 tying been 
 »ay tak« a 
 se charge 
 oved, and 
 iples and 
 lieir char- 
 mind,feei 
 
 e clear," 
 ►ngh the 
 
 SAT— NO. si 
 
 waves run mountaina high, so long as he knows 
 that he has a good ship and is on an open sea ; 
 and with his bright eyes ever looking ahead' 
 can sing out with a sense of security, • and a 
 heart of hope, "all's well," so all's well 
 wh3n>u try to do right. And all will be for 
 ev-r well with the good,when all wrongs shall be 
 
 ghted, and all duty rewarded, as they receive 
 ^rom Christ's own mouth the:.- welcome home, 
 " Come ye blessed of my Father ; inherit the 
 the kingdom prepared for you from the foun- 
 dation of the world." 
 
 You remember Daniel, the most eminent 
 of those Hebrew princes. Daniel the Great, I 
 would call him ; for he was a most remarkable 
 man,with a wonderful history. His noble char- 
 acter in boyhood and manhood, for piety, truth 
 and decision, is set forth in the Bible as a' lesson 
 and example to all. 
 
 After theBabylcnianKingdomfell it formed part 
 of theMedo-Persian empire,andDanieIrose to the 
 very highest offi-e under Darius. But the nobles 
 were envious of him. They could not, indeed, 
 say a bad word against him, but then " what 
 right had he, a foreigner and a captive, to rule 
 
 on<1 lift l«!a l.^. J -« t-J-l, »» T-r .. _ _ ' 
 
 aav. «*. ..»„ „c«u »u mga. upon the whole, as 
 
6? 
 
 SAY — NO. 
 
 poor human nature is, it is not wondeiful that 
 they disliked it, as they would have preferred 
 their own exaltation: but they took a very wrong 
 way, a very sinful way, to accomplish his degra- 
 dation,and, if they could, his death. They did 
 did not go and tell the King what they really 
 were aiming at ; but under pretence of pleasing 
 and honoriDg him,they asked a decree — a Medo- 
 Persian decree, which, when given, never 
 changed — and to this eflFect, that the man who 
 should be known to ask a petition of any god 
 or man, for thirty days, save of Darius, should 
 be cast into the don of lions. It was given. 
 The King, vain-glorious man, was gratified that 
 for thirty days he was to rank above the God of 
 all the earth. 
 
 Daniel heard of what had been done. He 
 "7ery likely suspected that it was aimed at him- 
 self ; at his dishonor or his death; for to him dis- 
 honor, respecting his conduct to his Gcd, or his 
 fellow men, was worse than death. Ho heard 
 the law. He know his duty. He foresaw the 
 consequences. And what will he determine ? The 
 nobles eagerly wait and watch. Up they get 
 on next day, by sunrise, to see what Daniel will 
 do. And they look to the wonted place where 
 
SAT— NO. 
 
 53 
 
 he made his devotions ; and there he comes, with 
 his firm step, and his undismayed eyes that can 
 hravely look all the world in the face, and he 
 kneels upon his knees looking towards Jerusa- 
 lem, and prays and gives thanks before his God 
 as he did aforetime ! He prays, but not a single 
 petition is made to Darius. Jehovah, openly 
 and avowedly gets all the glory of his worship. At 
 high noon they watou again, and there comes 
 Daniel to his prayers to his God. At evening 
 they watch once more, and Daniel, true to a 
 minute,is there at his prayers again. Through 
 the whole day he has been unbendi'^g against the 
 decree. In the matter of religion and conscience 
 he has boldly refused to acknowledge Darius a« 
 having the right to limit or control his devo- 
 tions, let the consequences bo what they may. 
 
 Darius was told of Daniel's conduct, and 
 was required, by his own decree.to punish him. 
 He now saw that the whole plan for honoring 
 him was but a plot to destroy his faithful ser- 
 vant : still he must execute his law, and com- 
 mand that Daniel be oapt into the lion'a den. 
 It was done. The King did it against bis in- 
 clination, but with a hope that Daniel's God 
 vonld nraaerve him And ra it wno • Tkanml hmA 
 
54 
 
 SAT— NO. 
 
 li 
 ill 
 
 Dot forgotten God, and God did not forget him. 
 Daniel did not neglect tc pray ; and was not 
 ashamed or alraid to let men know that he pray- 
 ed. It was not for show,but from a sense of duty 
 he did it. Now lie has, by his whole conduct, 
 given to young and old a noble example of resol- 
 ute, holy purpose, never, on any account to 
 neglect doing what they know is right. ! for 
 the spirit, the heart, the devotion, the courage, 
 the conscience of Daniel ! Ho, and his three 
 companions left Jerusalem with the determin- 
 ation, go where they might, and come what 
 may, that they would say NO, and act it out, 
 too, when it was against sin. It was that 
 which under God, was really the secret of their 
 success. — Now, go from home, young man or 
 maiden ; but first of all, before you leave it, go 
 to that old bed side of yours, that you may not 
 kn«el to pray at for many a long day again, and 
 there implore God tohelpycu to battle against 
 impiety and vice with a defiant NO. Having first 
 done that, go forth strong in ths Lord, and in 
 th« power of His might. Go forth then,and Hia 
 care be over you, and His blessing be on you, 
 to keep you and prosper you in all your wajB. 
 r ^Jix^ npw I give you last, and best, and great- 
 
 ii!f: 
 
SAY— MO. 
 
 ^ 
 
 est of all, the example of the Lord Jesus, your 
 own hlesseri Kedeemer.— You remember the 
 first special temptations by the devil, which as- 
 sailed Him ; and how, to each of them, He at 
 once, and firmly said NO. Now Jesus is very 
 particularly ourTeacher,both by His law and by 
 His life, and in these He shows us what we have 
 to resist, »nd, then, how we are to overcome. 
 Jesus fell back, for his defence, to get hold of 
 the sword of the spirit which is the word of 
 God," and with that He fought the tempter 
 thus, "It is written." 
 
 Because, "It is written, ' He could not do 
 what the devil asked and urged ; and He told 
 him so."It is written," 0! what a precious lesEOa 
 Jesus gives, to go to the Bible for the rule of 
 duty, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse 
 his way ?" How shall he make his way in 
 life clear, and correct, and comely? The an- 
 swer is, " By taking heed thereto according lo 
 thy word." That was Jesus' way, " It is writ- 
 ten," and that was reason enough why He 
 should say NO. Yes, Jesus— even Jesus!— 
 felt the necessity of being guided by the Bible, 
 and how much more should you ! 
 
 " Jesus, my all, to Heaven is gone ; 
 
m 
 
 SAY— NO . 
 
 li 
 
 |i 
 
 He that T placed my hopes upon ; 
 His track I see ; &^A I'll pursue 
 The narrow way till Him I view." 
 
 If tempted to break the Sabbath and make it 
 a holiday, instead of a holy day ; if your own 
 heart should^at any tirae,whisper it to your sou 
 to forsake the worship of God, say NO. '' It is 
 written,"; « Remember the Sabbath day to keep 
 it holy," « Blessed is the man that keepeth the 
 Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his 
 hand from doing any evil." 
 ^ If tempted to disobey your parents or be un- 
 kind to them, say NO, for « It is written," 
 •Honour thy father and thy mother,thatJthy days 
 maybe long upon the land which the Lord thy 
 God giveth thee." Remember too that Jesus was 
 y subject" unto his parents, and " increased 
 in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God 
 und man." It is true « that a wise son mat 
 eth a glad father, but a foolish son is the heavi- 
 ness of his mother." 
 
 If tempted to blaspheme and use sinful in- 
 VMjations and bad words, say NO, for " It is 
 written," "Thou shalt not take the name of the 
 Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not 
 hold him guUtieas that taketh His name in 
 
8AT*-.No. 
 
 57 
 
 vain." " Swear not atall." " Let your oom- 
 munioation be Yea, Yea ; Nay, Nay; for whatso- 
 ever is more than these Cometh of evil." 
 
 If tempted to lioentiousaess and to associate 
 with bad companions, remember *'It is written '* 
 " Hear thou my son, and ba wise, and guide 
 -thine heart in the way. Bo not thou among 
 wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh ; for 
 the drunkard and the glutton shall come to 
 poverty." Say NO, for "It is written," "He 
 that walketh with the wise shaU be wise, but 
 the companion of fools shall be destroyed." 
 
 If tempted to defraud, or cheat, or steal, or 
 covet ; say NO to the first, and to the last, for 
 " It is written/' "Thou shalt not steal." « Thou 
 Bhalt not covet." " Covetousness, which is idol- 
 atiy," sets up another God, and the worship of 
 it is in every base, and mean, and dishonorablo 
 thought and deed. ,i{ 
 
 Take care of yoursdlf , if you wish and hope 
 to get to heaven. Take care of all you think 
 and Bay and do, for « It is written," « Know 
 ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the 
 kingdom of God. Be not deceived ; neither 
 fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor 
 effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with man- 
 
58 
 
 tULT—NO. 
 
 hud, nor thieyes, nor covetonp, nor drunkarcb, 
 nor revilera, nor extortioiierB, shall inherit the 
 kiDgdom of God." 
 
 If you should,at any time,feel that you need 
 not attend to religious duty now . that you are 
 too young now; that it will do many years hence 
 to seek for the salvation of your soul; then reraem- 
 ber that you have no to-morrow ; you have only 
 to-day; and "It is written," "To-day, if ye will 
 hear His voice, harden not your hearts." It is 
 in your youth, your early youth, when you have 
 the " dew of thy youth" on you,that God urges 
 the solemn request, " My son give me thine 
 heart." Do not say NO. 
 
 " It is written." How much is written ! and 
 «U to make us wise unto salvation. Learn 
 then, from the Holy Scriptures, how and when, 
 to what and to whom, to say NO. Make it,' 
 ii3nceforth, your purpose, your prayer, your 
 U£e,to say Yes to all that God's law enjoins,and 
 NO to all that it forbids. Do that, and you will 
 'ive in the outer court of heaven ; happy, though 
 less happy than those above ; but preparing, by 
 ihe Lord's grace, for the full enjoyment of the 
 linless, the sorrowless, and the deathless land. 
 You sing : 
 
SAY—NO. 
 
 59 
 
 (( 
 
 There is a happy land, 
 Far, far away 
 
 and 80 there is, thanks be to God for it, and 
 to Jesus who opened the way to it, and haa 
 marked it by his own holy steps ; but also 
 
 II 
 
 There is a happy land^ 
 
 j> 
 
 that the true-hearted Christian youth find here, 
 wherever they go.Happincss is in them,and thus 
 they carry it with them ; and were it not so, it 
 could not be found by thein, even at the very 
 right hand of God. 
 
 A Dieu. That is the French way of saying 
 the English good-bye j and good-bye is the 
 eontraction for the social hand-shaking benedic- 
 tion of our Sazon ancestors, who called God 
 « THE GOOP." Each expression is,inreaUty, 
 a prayer ; a commending of our friends to the 
 care and keeping of God. 
 
 I ought to ask no less, and I can ask no mox« 
 than, 
 
 THE GOOD Bj With You.