Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-11-23

and BODY by their indulgence And shall not light be
poured upon the benighed mind Shall numbers srf-
fer more than to die thousand Deaths through igno-
rancee
There is reason to believe that in nine cases out of
ten, those unhappy females who the tenants Of
houses of i'll fame have been the victims OF this vice In
the first place Were this the peculiar vice of the low
and vulgar there might be excuse for the apathy
and false decacy that pervade the community respect
ing it. But it invades all ranks Professed christians
are often among its victims. Sometime since became
&C 1uainted with lovely and intellectual young man.
who was student in of our Theological Semina-
ries His health became poor that he was obliged
leave the Seminary and 10 his friends. saw
him lose his reason, and become maniac. [ was sat
s6ed from all the symptoms in the that this sin
was the cause of his wre.ched condition. He died
without recovering his reason, and friend of his, who
was in the Seminary with him, told me after his de-
cease that he was indeed victim of solitary vice.
DR.. Woodward, the amiabIe and efficient principal
of the Insane Hospital at Worcester, says in his
]" Hints for the Young" after stating variety OF ca
ses have purposey selected class of most respect
able individuals who have been the victims OF this
vice. because believe that in our high schoos. acad-
emies and colleges the evil is alarming, or more So
than amongst an equal number Of young men in any
of the humble walks of Iif.. Lam confident that the
sedenary and Inactive more commonly its victims
than The laborous aud active.
am that full credence is not given by all to
the extent Of the evil that results fom this cause My
knowledge is almost exclusively derived from OBJ
servation. | not sensible Of the ertent and fire.
quency of the practice, of the disastrous effects
which followed II, till circumstances placed me in the
way of extensive experience Twas obliged to believe,
however reluctantly, what was constantly before my
eyes. For the last four years it has fallen to my lot
to witness, examine and mark the progress of from ten
to twenty-five daily, who have been the victims
of this debasing habit; and that cause what
ever which operates upon the human prosrates
all It's energies, mental moral, and physical, TO an
equal extent have of idiocy from
this alone than from all the other insan
hy. If insanity and diocy do result, other dseas.
es, irremediabe and hopeless follow in its train; OF
such degree of mbecility marks its ravages upon
body and mind to destroy all the happiness of life
and make existence itself wretched and miserable in
the extreme"
When commenced my Investigations on this sub
ject, not at all prepared for the Ct things
that met my view. | was not prepared to believe thai
the vice at all common among females. But
have been obliged to believe what numbers have toli
me of themselves. Some Of the most lovely and con
scientious females have met, have confessed {,
me that they had been victims of this habit. The,
were ignorant of turpitude, of its moral ond physi
cal effects. Information alone wanting to saw
these individuals from state Of health which mad
! life itself burden. Again ask. shall withhold
correct information from our children, and leave then
the teaching of the enemy Of all good and their
, depraved passions!
4 A christian female has given the following con
), fession. which she permits to | deem bes
for the good Of her sex:
! DEAR MRs CT believe YOU ure engaged in a
! important and holy work and my hearts desire an
prayer God is that you may long be spared pro.
ecute it. 1t has been neglected till the world is file
with misery and crime. An imperative sense of dut
( constrains to communicate some facts that ma
: tend to encourage you, to convince the skepca nm
TO arouse those who have the supervision Of youth
: greater fanhfuness and assidu,y. When very youn
y | became addicted self pollution, and continued
y for several years. and but for mercifll Pfovidenc
that made subject of converting grace and an cal
" marriage, might now be suffering all its concon
n liant evils. Allow me TO offer few thoughts =.
spectng the vice. believe it uery prevalent, The
= for many years supposed it confined to myself RI
cent FACTS have fearfully demonstrated the
I was most religiOusly educated Ny parents endea,
" ored to make feel the holiness Of the law and i
I obligations But the seventh commandment owe
J. looked. Thus was left, the untaught child of nj
ture. exposed to the unchecked dictates Of deprave
y heart and corrupt associates. Il was unsupported
:. my parents. | suppose if now to state thes
u facts to them they would hardly credi, them a
q ways supposed contracted this practice nstinctve
g till recently, friend who is several years older iha
10 myself. informed that al the age of four years 81
20 taught mel