Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-09-18
10 oats, as thing 20 be expected in

youth. 0s'eu =
mad one lesson oa this subject fr,m
the llpsSof an aged counsellor said vals
ued friend to me, not long since. q which
pas never bcen forgoften. The timely
warning sayedlme. [ vas nineteen years
q age, and bed just entered College =
Young men we're there from nearly euaru
state In the Qonfe deracy, and some of tham
already sadly corrupted. was social. IN
nigh health and spirits, and an imaoipa-
tion was forever carryisg me beyond the
actual and the present. Before had t;me
- rejection, aud befa5r2 ysn conscious
ness o. wrong had reathSd me, was afioat
% a dangerous sea, my boat glided swift
" forward, and the syren's songs already
IN my ears.
"one night we had wine party in the
town which ended in excesses. the tbopobt
Q, which has called burning blush to nv
cheeks hundred times since, 7 had nj
oeen very well for some days previously,
suffering from constant headache and low
febrlle symptoms
The dissipation Of night .urned tbo
scale upon the wrong side, aud I was 50 III
on the next day that it was thouobt hest
60 call IN physician. lie was an old man
"I the old school gentlemen, aud wise
thoughtful and kind He commenced at
ooce' the business of finding out everything
10 regard to my habits, principles ana
ulodes OF thought, and there was some
ohing In him that so inspired me with CON-
ndence, that [ concealed nothing He
looked grave, and offered remonstrance
:" Oa,' said |, almost lightly. .vouno
men must sow their wild oats. The oround
VIII be SO much better prepared for r seed,
ing wheat, after the crop is taken
An error of the gravest character he
lephed seriously, 'and one that has ruined
It's thousands and its tens of thousanas ~
young men. Is garden better prenared
Tor the reception of the good seed for ba-
wing hfst been permitted to grow weeds ?
put the question to your common sense
Are there not some soil SO filled with ali
OF evil seeds, that the gardener
with his utmost toll and care, can scareelv
.ehioVe g The vigorous plants that sprine to
llie IN the warm sunshine and rain II
IS no mere comparison, that of human
soul to garden. Truth is good seed
which IS sown In this garden, false princi-
pies the evil seed, or wild OATS which the
hand scatters, if permitted upon
he virgin soil. Now, is it not an insnlt
% reason to say that man will be wiser
truer and better man, for hayino false
principles, leading at once to an evil life
o%a uPoH ssras tns gsoaas q bis mind ia Egnsh
most the completion of lifes earthly cycle,
and I have seen sad number of young
men lost-to the world, to themselves
and lost, fear, to the company OF God's
blessed angels, 10 consequence OF that SIN
ole idea sown intot the earth of their minds.
On. cast it out at once! Keep yourself
pure. Let right principles, chaste thoughts,
noble purposes, manly aims grow IN your
oarden-not the accursed wild oats. be
prudent, temperate, virtuous, obedlent to su-
neriors. honorible and kind. Aim to be
man-not a sensualist. Govern yourself
as man, instead of letting passion, appe.
tite. or any sensual desire rule you as
tvraut. Sow no more wild oats. You
will fiad trouble enough in your after life
with the seed already scattered IN your
fields
"The scales,' said my friend, " dropped
at once from my eyes. | saw that the
good old physician was right, and that this
cant about sowing wild oats involved one
of the most dangerous fallacies into which
the mind of young man can fall. Ii
was NV last folly of this kind.