The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-03-31
NUMBER 8.
A WORD TO YOUNG LADIRA ,

\
We wish to say word to ysu, young
ladies'. about your influence over yonpg
men. We believe that young lady. ~
her constant. consistent, christian exara~
pile, may exert an untold power. You d.
not know the respect, the almost worship,
which young men, no matter how wicked
they may be themselves, pay to chris
tian lady, be she old or young. Agsn.
tlemau once said to lady who boarded:
in the same house with him, that her lie
was constant proof Of the truth Of the
christian religion. Often the simple re-
quest of lady will keep young mans
from doing wrong. We have knowntAis:
to be the case very frequently; and young
men have been kept from breaking the
Sabbath and from drinking, just becauss:
a lady whom they respected, and for WHOM
they. had an affection. requested il. A
tract given, an invitation to 60 to church,
o request that your friend would read ths
Bible daily, will often be regarded, when,
o more powerful appeal from other sources
would fall UNDECIDED upon his heart
Many of the gentlemen whom you meet 10
society are away from their own hotues-
away from the influence Of parents and
ssters-and they will respond to any ID.
terest taken in their welfare. We Ill
speak of a young mans danger from evil
associates, and the very bad iaasencs
which his dissipated companions hare
over him We believe it is all true; aud
We believe il is just as true, that gentle.
mans character is formed, to very great
extent, by the ladies that be associates
with before he becomes complete maA
of the world. We think, in other worda
that young man is pretty much what his,
sisters and young lady friends choose to
make him. We knew family where the
sisters encouraged their younger brothes
to smoke. thinking it was manly, and 70
mingle with gray, dissipated fellows -Js-
cause they thought it SMART" aud he did
mingle with them, until he became jsst
like them, body and soul, and abused the
same sisters shamefully, The influence
began farther back thar with his gentls-
maa companions. 1t began with his sis.
terS, and was carried on through the form.
ing years of his character. On the other
hand, if sisters are watchful and affection.
ate, they may, in various ways, lead them
along, until their character is formed, and
then high toned respect for ladies. self
respect, will keep them from miagling With
low society. N
If young man sees that the religion
which in youth he was taught to vsnersts
is lightly thought Of, and perhaps sneersa
at, by the young ladies with whom hs ss-.
sociates, we can hardly expect him to
think that. is the thing for him. Lat
none say that they have no influence at I'll.
This is not possible. You cannot live
without having some sort ofinauence, any
more than you can live without breaah.
ing. One is just as unavoidable % the
other. Beware, then, what kind of inla-
ence it is that you are constantly exerting.
An invitation to take glass Of wine, or
to play game Of cards. may kindle the
fires of intemperance or gambling, whish
will burn forever. A jest given at the
expense of religion; light, triAing man.
ner in the house of God, or any Of the
numerous ways in which yon may show
your disregard for the souls Of others, may
be the means of running many for tins.
and eternity. e.. ,,a..5.-s X.