The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-03-02
WILD OATS.

| MANY young man has been Iured from the
path of virtue, and enticed into the road that
| leads, by an easy descent, into the accused
valley of destruction, through the thoughtless
| speech of some thoughtless person, talking
fippantly about sowing wild oats, as thing
| to be expected in youth.
II had one lesson on this subject from the
lips of an aged COUNSELLOR" said a valued
friend to me, not long since, (which has never
been forgotten. The timely warning saved me.
was nineteen years of age, and had just en-
tered college. Young men were there from
them already sadly corrupted. I was social, in
high health and spirits, and with an imagina-
ton forever carrying me beyond the actual
and the present. Before I had time for re-
Election, and before even consciousness of
wrong had reached me, Twas aloat on danger
GUS seas, my boat gliding swiftly forwards, and
the Sirens songs already in my ears.
s.One night we had a wine party In the town,
which ended in excesses, the thought of which
has called burning blush in my checks hun-
dred times since. I had not been very well
for some days previously, suffering from con-
slant headache and low febrile symptoms
The dissipation of night turned the scale
upon the wrong side, and I was so i'll the next
day that it was thought best to call in q physi-
clan. He was an old man, of the old school
of gentlemen, and wise, thoughtful, and kind.
He commenced, at once, the business of find
ing out everything in regard to my habits,
principles, and modes of thought, and there
was something in him that so inspired me with
confidence, that / concealed nothing. He
looked grave, and offered remonstranee.
'etOh,' said [, almost lightly, young men
must sow their wild oats. The ground will be
SO much better prepared for seeding wheat,
after the crop is taken.'
AN error of the gravest character he re-
piled, seriously, eand one that has ruined its
thousands and tens of thousands Of young
men. Is garden better prepared for the re-
eeption of good seed, for having been first per
mitted to grow weeds I put the question to
common sense. Are there not some soils so
filled with all manner of evil seeds, that tks
gardener, with his utmost toll and care, can
scarcely remove the vigorous plants that spring
to life in the warm sunshine and rain ? It is
no mere comparison, that of the human soul to
a garden. 1t is, in reality, spiritual garden.
Truth is the good seed which is sown in this
garden false principles the evil seed, or wild
oats which the enemy's hand scatters, if per-
mitted, upon its virgin. soil. Now, it is not as
much an insult to reason to say that the man
will.be a wiser, truer, better man, for having
false principles leading at once to an evil life,
sown upon the ground of his mind in youth, as
it is to say that garden will be more thrifty
in after years, being first perInftted grow
weeds? -
My stranger friend! I have lived almost
to the completion of lfe's earthly cycle, and
have seen sad number Of young men lost to
the world, lost to themselves, and lost, / fear,
to the company of Gods blessed angels, in con-
sequent of that single false idea sown into the
earth of their minds. Oh, cast it out at oncei
Keep yourself pure. Let right principles,
,haste thoughts, noble purposes, manly aims,
grow in your garden-not the accursed wild
pats! Be temperate, prudent, virtuous, obe-
lient to superiors, honorable, kind. Aim to
De man-not sensaulist Govern yourself
is man, instead of lifting passion, appetite,
,r any sensual desire rule you as tyrant.--
Sow no more wild oats. You will find trouble
enough in your after life with the seed already
in your fields
"The scales" said my friend, "dropped at
'nce from my eyes. 1 saw that the good old
physician right, and that this can't about
owing wild oats involved one of the most
dangerous fallacies into which the mind of
,oung man could fall. 1t was my last folly of
his kind. .''.Arthar's Home MagaSine.