Smyrna times., 1856-08-20
Our Duty TO the Young.

reservoirs of numerous and various means. tr
But in The formation of human character nc 81
means are more extensively or powerfully em- al
ployed than the influence of our fellow-men th
around us. That we might be. susceptible to in
the plastic touch of that human influence, which a
is designed to deveope our moral character, "
and form US after the highest standard of moral s
purity, the creative hand of God, in the exhibit il
ton of his wonderful wisdom, has deeply inn Il
pressed the human constitution with the princi- 1
pie of imitation. s
And this, to the young, is source of ncal- i
culable advantage, as it puts them in the way of
virtuous life, long before they could be led into
the ways of correct living, bY the perception of
moral relationships, or by the deductions of
such tedious ratocinations, as are possible only
to mature minds. Thus, by habit, children may
be practically in the way of life; and this hab-
it, superinduced by the imitation of the pure in
heart and the holy in life, will derive strength |
and stability from subsequent moral perceptions,
which no satanic power can subvert.
| But it is worthy serious and solemn refec- |
tion, that that very principle of our nature,
also to conform us to the likeness of evil
Hence the mournful fact, that the great ma 10.
rity of children go astray and were it not for
the redeeming and transforming power of truth,
= as presented in the great remedial scheme of
the Gospel, the habit of evil acquired in youth,
would govern the manhood of life with power
and uniformity, which would be melancholy
: prognostic of the certain mind of the offenders.
s And youth is always in danger of wrong
{: and death-producing bias, from the powerful
y and mournful fact that the majority of those
j. whose interior character is exemplifed before
5, our children, are the unblushing enemies of
d God by wicked works, so that every member of
society is contributing his part to the formation
of the worlds moral character, either for obe-
dience, usefulness and happiness, or for remorse-
; less rebellion, wide-spreading injury, and in
creasng misery.
> In view, then, of the principles developed by
r these reflections, it need not be question foI
. a moment, as to the obligation of society to the
" young. This obligation can be discharged, in
= part, by individual care and example, in the alb
" sence of any special, legal enactments. Ex
ample has led many youth to the desecratior
~ OF the Sabbath, which was not the result ethe
of intention or rccklessness. So, in number
'' less instances; has it filled the mouth will
- shocking profanity, whose lips would have de
lighted themselves in the refining service of
lofty praise. 1t has put words of shameful OBJ
nm scenity into mouths, whose lips would hav
-, dropped with the sweet Installations of a chast
- conversation.
N Multiplied thousands have learned, in thi
ts Eway, to frown and scowl whose placid smile
mr. might have spread the sunshine of cheerfulnes
,a, and bliss over wide and dependent CIRCLE
h., Crowded myriads by the baleful cheats of ba
he example, have been turned away frsm the ten
IN. pie of God, who would have swelled the mum
cir ber of those who by mn his praise in the sane
RI, tuary. And, as the heart-rending sequel of tn
;. whole, the wailings of eternal perdtion recor
the number of those who have fallen from tn
.;s. lofty and blessed destination of man, throug
,as the blasting scourge of bad example.
The same amount Of good example migl
itb have been equally potent in producing result
, : the opposite of all this. But men often seer
fO W tCCiS thdb lie QOeS ne
Is interfere with the material interests of societ,
they have right to act as they Please-th1
eo the evil Of their conduct is to themselves b.
,ss not so. Such are the intimate relations an
:" marked dependencies of human beings, thi
IN every wrong act of life is a serious injury
of the moral interests of mankind.
ID II our wrong actions are witnessed, their il
cor huence is as blighting mildew from perditiol
running every verdant impulse of purity in tn
young. And if our sins are beheid by none bl
the eyes of the ubiquitous God, still we ind
"e rectly injure the moral interests of the worl
by disqualiiypg ourselves for the good "
might do, in counteractng the bad influence
~ others.
But there arise cases of moral perversit
which are widespread and dominant, and whic
H. will never yield to the voice of entreaty, or t
- corrected by any amount of reformatory exam
,ra pie. In such cases the duty of society to tn
young, is TO rear up such barriers of legal Ell
ion actment as will stand between the young ar
.s, the pit of misery and destruction. And ju
= such a case is that of the manufacture, sale an
-, use of Intoxicating drinks.
1t is a well-known fact, that in advance of q
the clamors of appetite, the use of ardent spi
its is often commenced solely in imitation
la. the vile example of others.
ere So that our obligatiVe 10 put the traffic out
the the States, and, if possible to Danish it from Il
,es- world, is not binding merely in relation to tho
the who are already suffering its runous effects, b
ned also in relation to the children of the age who
M propensity to imitation may lead them, into Il
an a"u i''se'y VI auI""Sa'u me- the de-
and shame of his death, and the fearful agony
.or, his future state.
Dor. Let us, then, remember our duty to II
young, and 80 live, that we may make the il
press of purity on all around us, and people Il
- realms of light with spirits saved from the CO