Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1859-03-05
Wild Oats.

Many j young man has been lurad
from the path of virtue, and enticed
into the Foad that leads, by an easy de-
scent. into the accursed valley of de-
etfuction, through the thoughtless
speech Of Some thoughtless person,
talking hippantiy about sowing wild
oats, as & thing tc be expected in youth.
e J had one passion on this subject
from t'le lips Of an aged counsellor"
raid vailed friend to me, not long
since, (Which has nsEar been forgotten.
The timely warning saved me. | was
nineteen years Of AGE, and had just
entered college. Young men were
there from nearly eTery State in the
Union, and some Of t!lena already sadly
corrupted ] was social, IN high health
and spirits, and with an imagination
forever carving me beyond the actual
and the present. Before | had time
for reflection, and before even a con
sciouSness Of wrong had reached me,
was ahoat on dangerous sea, my boat
gliding swiftly forwards, and the ST.
ren's songs already in my ear.
"One night VIC had wine party in
town which ended in excesses, the
thought Of which has called burning
blush to my cheeks hundred times
since. had not been very well for
some days previously suffering from
constant headache and low tebrile
symptoms The dissipation Of q night
turned the scale upon the wrong side,
and 7 was so Ill the next day that it
was thought best to call in a physician.
lie was an old man, of the old school
of gentlemen, and wise, thoughtful,
and kind. He commenced, at once the
business of finding out everything in
regard to my habits, principles, and
modes Of thought, and there was some
thing in him that so inspired me with
confidence, that | concealed nothing
He looked grave and offered remon-
STRANGE.
"'Oh,' said I, almost lightly, young
men must SOW their wild oats. The
ground will be so much the better pre-
pared for seeding wheat, after the crop
is taken
"sAn error of the gravest character
he replied, seriously, 'and one that has
ruined it's thousands and tens of thous-
ands of young men. Is a garden bet
ter prepared for the reception of good
seeds, for having been first permitted
to grow weeds? put the question to
your common sense. Are there not
some soils 30 filled with all manner Of
evil seeds, that the gardener, with his
utmost toll and care, can scarcely re-
move the vigorous plants that spring
to life in the warm sunshine and rain !?
It is no mere comparison, that of the
human soul to garden. Truth is the
good seed which is sown in this gar
den, false principles the evil seeds, of
wild oats which the enemy's hand
scatters, if permitted upon its virgin
soil. Now, it is not as much an insult
to say the man will be a wiser, truer,
better man, for having false princi pies,
leading at once to an evil life, sown
upon the ground of his mind in youth,
and it is to say that 8 garden will be
more thrifty in after years, for first be-
ing permitted to grow weeds?
"'My stranger friend | have lived
almost to the completion of Iife's earth
" cycle, and have seen sad number
of young men lost to the world, lost to
themselves, and lost / fear, to the COM
pany of Gods blessed angels, in conse-
d,.ance of tha. single false idea sown
INTO tbe earth Of their minds. Oh, cast
-. = once. Keep yourself pure