Smyrna times., 1868-07-29
.MiSceI/UWeOuS
YOUNG MEN.

exercise influence upon it, we should have said,
Let us be young men in the United States of
America, in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and sixty-eight" Never has there
been time when a wider sphere of influence
opened before young men. Never was there
time when so much Difference was paid to
young men. Never was there time when so
much Difference was due. Never was there
time when it was so important Tor them to un
| derstand what their position involves. With
them life is new. The vigOr of the body is
fresh, unexhausted even by successful toll, for
though we attain all our hopes we learn that
prosperity has its burdens, and pleasure itself
its WEAKNESS. But youth in its vigor and early
attainment of manly strength bears toll as
pastime, and leaps along, even rocky path,
with untailng limb and unspent breath. At
this period of life the mind is possessed of pc
cuHar sprightlinesS and activity, an ungratifed
curiosity gives highest zeSt to all its pursuits,
a curiosity fresh as that which belongs to boy
hood, but more elevated and now directed by
the reason with greater precision and success
a curiosity unalloyed by the dull sameneSs of
repetition which it must afterwards inevitably
observe, and still undisgusted by discoveries at
war with taste, reason and religion. To the
young man, robust in body, vigorous and ven
turesOme IN thought, this present world pre-
sGnts all It's facinatiOns. Every prospect is
bathed in the golden hues of his own hopes,
and enriched by all the variegated colOrs of his
own quick pulsed feelings, and fervid imagin-
lngS. Every object receives from his own heart
the fair and rounded outlines of beauty the
charming glow of health, and the mystic pow
er to speak in fuller promise of its own future
and the future of him in whose eyes and smiles
1t lives. As he emerges from bOyhOOd the
world rises before him with the mystery and
, power of vision. The months walking in
velvet sandals, bring him to opening manhood
as to some emlnence commanding a wide
stretch of country round. Winding rivers,
verdant fields, dark outlined hills lakes of sill
very brightness, cottage and hamlet, the dis
tant town, the mountains bearing up the re-
mote sky, and the sea, along whose indistinct
= boundary earth and sky seem blended into one
all serve in their place aud harmOniZe with
each other to form picture of beauty and
{ wonder in his sight. All this lies like Canaan
. to the eye of Moses from Pisgah, or as alas !
il too often proves, like the vision of glory and
: false tacnation when the devil placed our bleS-
e sed Lord on the mount and showed Him all
II the kingdoms of the world in moment of
i time. And when the young man turns to
t more partial views all these fields seem grown
IF with t1OweIs these forests redocnt with re-
y treshing odOrs, those silvcry lakes aud gleam-
a !" ing streams inviting to pleasure and stocked
is with choicest dainties, all emulous of his ia
y vors and ready to afford assistance to his. en-
"A
,e invite his entrance. The lucrative occupations
s OF labor and trade, the honorable tolls Of office
!" the practice of the healing art, the diversified
ii and delightful fields of letters stands before
a, him, to afford the choice OF pleasant and speedy
Il advances to wealth, eminence and honor
Of His country has claims on him. Much of the
n enterprise and business activity of the country
:, depend to-day on the energy and steadiness
te on the perseverance and good judgment, o
CIa in 2 hn If m,
a OF the largest mercantile houses Of our citie
M and some OF the most important mOneyed cor
he pOratlOnS OF our land are young men, or thOS
IN In the earlier stages of manhood. The sam
10y remarks may be illustrated in every village
by The largest share of business, especially in a.
Oh the active occupations of life is at this mOmen
sustained by those whose heads do not show
single white hair, and who would smile at tn
= thought of one. Young men are merchants
e. mechanics, bankers, inventors, editors, au
ii. thOrS publishers. explorers, pioneers llO'
tn much of the important labor of teaching fall
on them in every line Of instruction secular an
0n sacred! If there is enterprise needed, we see
Use to interest young men. If labor is to be done
we call on young men. 1t benevOencc Is
: unite the hearts and strength of the good
3 some worthy undertaking, enlist young me
i@s and it is pushed forward with spirit and su,
ia "a cess. The most daring and successful adveT
ted turer into the Northern seas was the yOuthil
re- hane. The most enterprlslng and SucceSSfl
80 explorer of our Western border, with its inte
minable plains and its vast and rugged mOuI
tains, was the youthful Fremont. One demon
strated the existence of an open sea whose ic
and less waves reflect throughout the year. as the
have during by-gOne centuries the steady ligl
hat OF the lonely North STAR and from whose III
be drawn depths future enterprise and daring al
tes to receive large additions to human wealth al
nrt tTf comfort The other marked out the paths al
ap surveyed the sites for the homes and cities
ms future nations. When Mexico was to be co
,ap quered, young men carried the musket al
half pointed the cannon which opened way +
eYi s,Hi our veteran Scott to the capital When Ca
hall fornia was to be possessed by Christian al
nti self-gOverning people, and its more than fab
anne lOus wealth Of gold appropriated to the use
be civilized and dominant nations, young men u
I to dertOOk with aacrity the attractive enterprls
y io OF They felled its giant pines among whose to
did, the clouds lOitcred playfuly as the sea-bree
be, bel, waited them toward the mountains Th
any any planted their shanties upon soil luxurlant
that Eden, and impregnated with gold, beside tho
d to streams of golden sands, and upon those mou
aim tains whose rocky treasures opened, at t.
tRe touch of hard steel, their shining deposits
lain lain The church has claims upon young men.
lony This is an age of wonderful activity and pI
tSe gress in all the arts OF social lte all the natl
ness al sciences, the enlargement OF literature a
and the increasing influence of sentiments utter
,aa ,sn = in public addresses or issued from teeml
hfty- press. In our own country there is also We
the derful accession to population from forei
tor t;,n countries, consisting of a mixed multtuC
mat; diverse in nationality, language, private ma
1,if Hif6 ners mental habits and religious faith. III
news our population is far from settled conditio
four our not turbulent, indeed, but swaying to and
who IA no,y oh nnnlS ond SnrnadinO M
rney unoccupied tracks like the inbreakng ocean,
ay nsr" al No man anknow the full characteristics
u1Tlth the nation that is yet to spring out of tn
'1o' diverse elements when they shall have bC
g Q th9 hIl commngcd into one uniform blood and tn
aims various tongues become assimilated into {
sacS a truly American language. The grand resi-
.aim | ont nafional life muSt differ from ANYTHING
p"'' world has yet seen.- Good Ncl0s.