Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-05-04
firssiSe 8ea0ing.
20 Z BoYs.

In q few brief years those whom we now
address will have reached the are Of man.
The responsibilities, the trials, the tempta-
tons of mature life will be upon you.-
What are you doing to prepare yourselves
to discharge these responsibilities, to meet
and overcome these trials and temptations?
Will you as gold, come forth purified -
These are questions worthy your most Sc
rieus consideration. We know that Won
do not like to look life in the face as an
earnest thing. Accustomed, it may be, to
having your every want supplied by kind
and indulgent parents, you forget that it
will not always be so. We say to you,
life Is an earnest thing. We cannot afford
to be idlers in this world we have much
TO do, and but a brief existence in which to
accomplish it. The Creators first law to
man, was the law of labor the great rep
resentative of the race was placed in the
Garden ito dress it and to keep it." Do
not think then, young friend, that you can
afford to be idle spnrn the idea Of living
upon another's wealth determine to be
something, and to do something. You
must, in a great degree, be the architect
of your own fortune. Do You desire a
name in the world 2 you must work for it.
Your character must be so formed as to
%entitle you to the praise Of men, or you
shall never receive it. But do not seek to
live simply for the applause of men; live to
do good, to do right, regardless of the
worlds praises. Be sure you're right, then
go ahead. Enlist in the army Of Total Alb
i4,nonoo npAnp Aha rn1 xuh,4o a~1 liz,
pledge yourselves to fight till death against
the greatest enemy Of your country's lib
critics, and your most cherished hopes. We
want you to feel that this is solemn pledge
which you take; we want you to be
worker in the cause. There are enough
drones already, sure yog will not be one
King Alcohol is a real enemy the war j
every day becoming more desperate clio
ser and closer press the advancing foe
fight we must, or perish. Boys, in the ful
vigor of youth, We say come up to til
work, come to it with no wavering pun
pose, but with a solemn determination t
fight manfully until the end.
Nor is alcohol the only enemy agains
which we have to contend. We hay
wicked and depravcd hearts within u.s.
The great enemy of our souls will take u
his abode there unless we are in earnest
keep him out. Oh should we not loo
upon life as an earnest thing, when we r
fleet upon the great consequences whit
depend upon it. Young friends, have yc
ever thought what there was to be accor
plished in this brief existence-a Heav,
to be gained-a He'll to be Stunned. Thil
not that you shall be carried with t
= crowd to the abodes of the blest. If Y
gain admittance there you must be in cal
est, you must fight you must win
crown, if you would receive it. Have y
started in this race, or have you been W
ting the time already the brightest a
happiest days of your existence, those m
free from care, have passed away, and
great end Of life unaccomplished, not e1
commenced. Oh, you have no time
lose ; be in earnest, on on! Hear )
not the sound as it comes forth from
grave Of that young friend, cut down in
first dawn Of life :-"Whatsoever thy ha
find to do, do it with thy might, for
night cometh when no mar can work
Say not then life is not an earnest thi
but arouse you, and in the strength of
prepare for the battle.-PhI. S. of r.