Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-11-14
MORAL AND AgG:G::Tg,
tFrom "llins Addressed to the Yourg Men of
the United States, BY JomS Topn."l
YOUN MEN.
THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

YouNG MEN are coming up at day,
when The great end to which this nation
is destined is becoming more clearly
manifested -. when the curtain which
hangs over all the future is bee coming
more and more rolled up, and they can
not but see what they have 10 do.
Young man! when you breathe the
free air Of these hills and Of these val,
leys-when you tread the sods Of this
iand, there comes voice to you from
the future, urging you to do som c,hing
personally and individually to make the
stakes Of your country firm TO make
these institutions safe for the good OF
the unborn millions yet to live here on
her soil, for an example to the whole
earth-and for the purpose of being
Gods steward in distributing these, and
the higher blessings Of immortality to
all who live on the face Of the earth.
You have doubtless read the history
of our fathers, and ielt the fire burn
within you as you followed them in their
suAerihgs, their irrepressiblc efforts for
civil and religious Liberty, and the indif.
ference with which they looked upon
their lives in comparison with these OBJ.
jec's. You perhaps have silently wish.
ed that you could have lived in their
day, and shared their snaerings. But
the man may stand up in years as dis
tant hom you as you stand from our ia
Tiers, and sig more deeply that he coul
not have lived when you live. Interests
are committed to you, as great, 10 say
the least, as were ever committed to them
-and il you are faithful to your trust,
as high rewards shall awai, you as were
ever bestowed upon them. Contests on
scale fearfulIy gran! are TO take place
here. The wicket aud the enemies oi
human freedom, among men AMI among
fallen spirits, will do all they can to put
out the beacon light of civil and relig'
ious liberty which he's for more than hall
a century been throwing its Ii shl over
this land. lnfdelily and skeplicism will
muster and take the census Of their
forces, and if there is any hope that
either alone, or by uniting, they can turn
back the tide Of life, and render turbid
the waters which flow from the throne o'
God, they will sound the onset, and bio"
the trumpet, and wage warfare c>r'
pared with which all other wars have
been toysome games. In any Other SIT
ua,ion would take the young man by
the hanl. encouragc46in. entreat him.
point to his own happiness, and the eX,
,pectations and the hopes Of friends, and
by all these, urge him to prepare him
self for the duties and conflicts of life
.but as We are situated, ] almost lose
sight Of so small matter as the indi
pidual happiness of the young man, and
the hopes of (riends,-in my deep anx
iety that every young man should be pre-
pared to meet even higher duties thar
these. And il ] fail to impress, in an,
measure, my own feelings Of response
biity upon my young reader, ! hope lh'
visions OF the future which rise up 81
yiyidly before mo, may at least impair
that vigor 10 my pen and that warmth t.
my heart, that will make some Of tn
chapters Of this little work useful, AM
approve themselves to Him, whose ap
probation is of importance unspeakabl
great.
A great part Of mans life IS spent il
making good resolutions-determinn
to commence plans shortly, and to en,e
upon schemes presently which will az
complish much. At no period Of III
are these more abundant than when "
are young. How do we promise ou
selves that by and by we shall begin
accomplish great things! How often {
young men determine that they will n
20 through life in the treadmill Of the
fathers. They will be known and fe
Every returning year finds them still
solViag to do great things-but the o
portunity has not yet arrived So pas
es life away, and the hopes Of tho hes
are as far from being fulfilled as ever.'
Now ! wish to warn you-and | may
we'll do Il here as any where-agaIn
these good resolutions. Not that y
may not make them il you choose; b
tho warning | wish I'd give you is tn
you are not 10 wait for opportunities
do great things; but 10 begin TO do WI
ever comes 10 hand and 10 do It we'll.
No matter what you are called upon
do sirst,-do il Immediately, and do it
we'll ,as possible. There are but &
great occasions in life; but few opp
tunities in which to do great things /
,aaers arc daily, hourly opportunities
doing little tbings, and 81 do,pS IN
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