Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-02-27

change Of solace, strength and
cheer, with those about us; not
waste weakness, and weariness, in
thew effort to keep up an artifi
ciali interest, a show Of gaiety and
of social standing, which has no
substantial support in either head
or heart l once said TO an earnest
Christian friend that / did not see
how the religious world, which de-
nounced dancing parties, could
countenance these large assemblies
at night, with refreshments at 10
o'clock and a grand supper at II.
That there was bad dressing, bad
eating, late hours, etc, apdno prof
itable conversation-nothing but
smsn talk, and that to my mind they
had not a redeeming feature, and |
could not see that shaking heel and
toe,p to the sound Of music would
make them materially better or
worse To which she replied -
"Many women in these days have
too much conscience to Gance, not
sense enough to talk, and so they
cat and dress" Whetherthis criti-
cism of an intelligent Baptist sister
a dozen years ago applies to this
age will not say The question is
often asked, whether the children Of
Christian parents should be allowed
to 90 to parties, theatres, or other
gatherings, where late hours and
sundry other sins tend to detenorate
their spiritual, mental and physical
qualities.
There is strong element Of COM
mon sense, of religious sense, in
! that old Jewish law which held pa
rents responsible for the keeping of
the statutes and ordinances of the
Most High by their children, till
the children had attained q certain
age, and then, with public ceremo-
ny, the responsibility was transfer
red from parent to child, after which
the latter must give account of him
self to Jehovah. Prior to this the
parent was answerable for all sins Of
omission or commission.
There are years chow many can
not say,) when parents can hold
their children to habits healthful
for body and spirit, and make them
happy in them. But, sooner or la
ter, manhood and womanhood, or
rather boyhood and girIhood, clam
ors forits own individual sovereign
ty.sfSomeHmes, such has been the
4 success of home training, and such
the Elasticity of the youthful ma
ture, that there is no real change OF
government, so perfectly is the
child and parent one. But there
are plenty Of perverse spirits, who
prove for a time prodigal sons and
prodigal daughters. If the home
training has been aharpy one, such
will return in penitence before they
have lived long on husls. Better
than this, many will not wander
far enough to waste much i'll riot
ous living-only to taste little OF
this and that gilded pleasure, to
find that it falls so far shortof the
higher joys home has given that
they have no wish to wander fur
ther.
Let us try to implant carly a
cheerful religious faith, so that chill
Edren shall feel that the Father in
heaven would dehar them no real
Ihealthful pleasure; that he invites
them, all along life journey, to de
Inv themselves this that he may give
them something better. Here and
there are paths which allure, but
lido not satisfy. Do not blame and
denounce them, when they want to
know by experience what go"
learned in the same way, and thus
make them feel repelled and es-
tranged, and so rush on into deeper
dissipation to drown disappoint'
ment, orin the vain nope of realiz-
ING some ideal pleasure. No, rath-
er help them everywhere to sec
your hand-yea, more, the heav-
emily Hand, reckoning them back
to paths Of simplicity, purity and
peace.
A story to illustrate: A young
miss Of simple habits and early
hours is going out to her first large
party, which is to gather when peo.
pie ought to go to bed, have a
grand dinner at the noon Of night,
Tand break up in the small hours
Her dress is white, with tiny dot OF
blue, and trimmings to match-well
| suited to her brown hair, which
curls so naturally in its rich abund-
I ancc.
Her mother has her own delight
that her once baby daughter has
, grown to be such a fine looking
f Young lady, and is half glad that
she is to be gratifed in seeing the
cav world, and half sad that she is
now TO take her first sail on that So
, cisl sea where so many shipwreck
Iall healthful habits of body and spir-
lit. When she has finished dressing,
she says "Mother, let us read our
evening chapter before ! go,' and
she turned 40 the fifty-ffth chapter
{ Of Isaiah, which was neHtin course,
and read with tender tremulous.
ness "Ho! every one that thirst
eth, come ye to the waters. Where
t fore do ye spend money for hat
which is not bread ? and your labor
r. for thot which satisfeth not ?o-