Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-08-25
Do not crush the Fallen.

If there were less of the disposition, SO
common in this fallen world, to lend an &C.
celebrating kick to the man who has started
down the hill" many of the wrecks we meet
with IN llfes pilgrimage might have been ar
rested in their downward career, and the un-
happy victims to the sneers and supercilous
carpings of an uncharitable world been saved
and restored to usefulness and honor in So
ciety. But alas, it is too true, if a man is
unfortunate IN business, or has acquired hab-
its that are ruinOus to his character and pros
peTity in life, there are too few who are ready
to speak a kindly word in his ear, and by
love and friendship win hun back to virtue
and to honor.
The following article on this subject, is
from that excellent literary paper, the Oxford
! Leisure Hour, and breatheS that pure spirit
which the great Apostle so beautifully tells
us "sutfereth long, and is not pulled up"
NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND."-Charles
Reade, the English novelist, VINO sometimes
5 writes books TO puzzle the critics. has given
to the reading world, an interesting and high
ly Useful fiction. bearing the above title. LII
d Story, very sad in some places and quite
startling III others, he has taught a very in
structiye lesson, to wit that the most aban
doped of God S creatures may be reformed
even the uIalefactor, or even a lower wretch
than . malefactor. He teaches the lesson il
his own peculiarly graphic way, that it is tn
duty of the Christian and the philanthropiS
to extend their sympathies and their word
of encouragement to those mortals Steepe'
in the cesspoOfs Of damning iniquity, for a
long as mind lasts " IT Is never too late t
mend" From the earliest time, there ha,
been a war Of determination between yirtu
and yice-between truth and falsehood, an
We dare say this will continue until pertlap
" the latest syllable of recorded tine" Sine
mother Eve disobeyed the Lord III the Gal
den ut Eden, and thereby brought deaf
into the world and all our VICE. Adams poS
terlty have indeed been children of SIM
There are shose vino IN their intercourse wit
the world ave more ANS ect and cautious
and obey the nice formalities of the worl
with a greater degree of punctiliousness tina
their feilow-mortals around them VIII
would yet forever damn those Trailer being
who are less fortunate than themselves, al
differently constituted, because they som
times overstep the bounds of becoming mo
esty !" violate the stern requirements
strict morality /; damage themselves sefions
and like honest Tam becomes Ger all Il
ills of life victorious" We say there a
those s no would send, in the language
Bailey's Festus," all such offenders
Flaming Hat TO he'll"
Charity, that priceless iewel-that ines
0 mabfe virtue which the Bible so positive
: e%njolns, these ceusors surely cannot posse.
q " Never too tate to n.ehd' indeed. Nc s
-, say these unco good thou hast gross
SinHed-thou hast "cut such fantastic
S perS" that thou shalt not be pardoned. 1t
d too late toH goa to mend. But after all
q any man has unfortunately wYonged hims
and society, aud wishes to reform, the b
Z way-indeed the only way, is to act in acc
II dance with his own honest purposes desp
E. the jlbes ard croaktngs of either pseudo sal
q or outright sinners. For in the end, he VI
Q receive the cuIRtenance of the ~virtuOus a
u the good, and ESQ, then the others will in
itably follow No honest mans character
tr in danger as long as it is only assailed by
! deEanIations of Il rogue. Then let him W
is determined to amend his manners, his h
ed its, Or his morals, do so without fear .
ne with a manly heart" and with Shakspec
he may well and truly say,
rs My r~etwmation, glittering DER nv faul
:. Shall show more gOodly, and attract m
- eyes,
rt nan that which hath no foil to set it off.
IN