Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-08-29

whose eye and training they are, for 30 many
If their early years. Children are, with
are exceptions, what the parent makes them
by his teachings, OF what they are allowed
10 become by neglect.
If the father has wine upon the table, and
keeps choice liquors in his cellar, he need not
be surprised if his son become drunkard-
though he himself may never have been In
toxicated in his life. Each generation ad-
vanccs upon the preceding in wickedness as
well as wisdom.
If the minister preach smooth things, 1t is
not strange if his hearers practice rough ones
If he read them homilies on training up
children in the way they should go, and
make an utter failure in training his own
household, his words will fall to the ground
and his instructions, making no lodgment in
the hearts OF his parishioners, will return
to him void again.
If he preach ever so high-toned doctrine
and morality from the pulpit, and yet indulge
in his cigar, and occasional glass of wine or
lager, or in other practices of more than
doubtful character, it viii neutralize all his
preaching, and tend to make religion dead
letter, and reproach to its professors. The
conduct of ministers on the streets, in the
cars, and at watering places, often breaches
stronger sermons against religion, than ever
come from their pulpits in ia .JdUor.
1t is not strange, that loose training in the
family-trsshy and vicious reAding-extrav.
agant and artificial modes of living - the
scramble for riches without regard to the
means - the corruption OF morals in high
places-the bribery in our legislAtureS-the
feverish excitement in which our people, par
particularly the young, are kept by politics,
war, and wild and extravagant business ven
lures it is not strange say, that these
influences should bring forth their appropri-
ate fruits and should faint business morals,
as well as our political and social integrity,
generate and bring forth whole broodS oi
Ketchums and Jenkinses, to say nothing Of
smaller peculators, and common thieves and
plunderers So long as loose modes of think
ing, teaching and living, prevails, as we
know they do all over the land, and in al
most every household 50 long as 80 many
of the leading men of society, and often oi
the church ITSELF make haste TO get rich
without the strictest regard to the means,
and 80 long as these examples are held up
before the young as worthy of their imlta
ton, and they see their own parents honor
ing wealth and office above all things else
whatever their professions 10 the contrary,
and every picture that sits before them tC
make up their notions of the respectable in
life, is tainted with these corrupt principles
and practices-we may expect our youth al
SO to be loose and corrupt, and our younger
business men formed after the model of the
younger Ketchum. And his, though q
marked example, is by no means solitary
one, or the most fagrant In its character.
1t is only fair and average specimen OF
the apples of Sodom, whose seeds we have
been sowing for the last twenty years, and
the full terrible harvest of which, we are
yet 10 reap within the next few years, unless
We arouse 10 q sense of the awful chasm into
which we are about to plunge, and prevent
| VIZ WI ny ltllbNAuk tut thuhe-uhultly
false preaching false teaching, false notioni
of family government, of political principles
of social virtue and business integrity, falls
living false talking, and what is the root o
the whole matter. false thinking. For ''as /
man thinketh so is he. This is as true o
nations as individuals. Now, unless we turn
short about, and reform at once as communi.
ties and as nation, correcting the very foun.
tains and centers of influence, nothing can
avert the blow and save US from business, DO
litica and social ruin, unless indeed il bI
some signal, il may be crushing, inteipositior
of Divine Providence.
| We say then, in conclusion, that wher
we train up the young and mould society upOr
principles directly at war with revelation
reason, and the experience of mankind, W,
may expect TO reap the bitter fruits of ou
teachings. And though in our prosperit,
and pride we have been wont 10 think our
selves proof against all adverse or corruptinJ
influences, we are no more above and beyont
the reach of causes that have undermined
society aud ruined other communities, no
exempt from their dread and ofen destruc
tive consequences, than less highly favore,
nations.
No as nations and individuals SOW, q
shall they reap II they SOW to the wind
they will reap the whirlwind. 80