Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-02-16
IMPORTANCE OF DECISION.

Another danger, to which young men
are exposed, arises from the want of firm
ness and independence ofcharacter. They
have not due sense of their individual
responsibility; and are too apt to yield to
the practices and opinions of others, in
opposition to their own convictions ofdu-
ty. They imagine that their respecta~
bility and success in life depend on be-
ing on good terms with those Of the same
age and standing with themselves. This
leads them to accommodate themselves
to their habits, to their modes of thinking
and acting, and to their errors and vices.
They dread the thought Of being singu-
lar. They cannot bear the ridicule Of
companions, nor gather courage enough
to say, no, to those associates who would
draw them into fellowship with them
selves, in dissi patton, and vice. Many
a young man has, in this way, fallen to
rise no more. He yielded TO the soici-
tations ola sinful companion, not because
he approved them, but because he did
not dare to resist them. He went with
him into the ways of evil, not because he
was pleased with them, but because he
had not courage to turn his back on his
seducer, or incur the sneers of an un-
principled associate.
This is an evil, the extent Of which
cannot be well estimated. Every season
great numbers of youth come from the
country, to our larger towns and cities,
to engage in the various departments Of
business and trade. Many of them are
from Christian families, and bring with
them the loveliness Of a fair, unsulied
character. But they know little Of the
world little of the temptations and vi
ces to which they are exposed in their
new place ofresidence. Drawn, as they
soon are, into fellowship with those who
have gone there before them, and accus-
toned. as they are, to look up to them
as their superiors, they naturally conform
to their habits and practices, and fall an
easy prey to the corrupt and corrupting
examples by which they are surrounded.
They have not firmness to resist the en-
ticements of depraved companions. The
consequence is, they fall in with the
mass of corruption around them, and go
to swell the monstrous tide Of depravity
and dissipation, which is rolling, as a
mighty desolation, over the cities Of our
land.
or all the causes which operate to un-
dermine the principles and ruin the cha
racters of young men, this, l have long
been satisfied, is the most fatal. / mean
the pernicious influence ofbad company.
We are all, says Mr.. Locke, kind of
chameleons, who take tincture from the
objects which surround us. And great
er than he has sad He that walketh
with wise men shall be wise, but the COM
panion Of fools shall be destroyed.
We are, by the very constitution of our
nature, creatures of Imagination. We
instinctively and necessarily catch the
spirit, and copy the manners, and imi-
tate the practices of those with whom we
associate. Show me the company you
keep and l will tell you your character,
is an old adage, and it is verified by uni
versal observation. This principle of our
nature is capable of being turned to the
most valuable purposes. BY associating
with the virtuous, the wise, and the good,
we bring to bear on ourselves a most
powerful influence Of assimilation. All
our good principles and good traits are
strengthened and improved; and we feel
ourselves advancing, easily, in all that is
worthy and excellent.
On the other hand, if we associate
with the immoral and the unprincipled,