The Van Buren press., 1869-06-08
HOW OUR YOUNG PEOPLE GO TO
DESTRUCTION.


the strongest affections OF parental heart:
are lavished upon chem, the highest hope,
are built upon them, and the best inter
ests of the Church and State are bound W
in them. Now, they are comparatiyal;
innocent, their characters are yet in 9
formative state, the contending features
not fully developed. From this vas'
multitude will come forth thousands to
be the inildels or the next generation, and
thousands more to fill drunkards' graves
and occupy the jails and penitentiaries Of
the land, and be the felons and murdercrs
and prostitutes, who will throng the
broad road and go down to the destruc
ton 10 which it leads 1t is terrible e
contemplate the effects of their ruin oJ
themselves and others, thcblasted hopce
the wreck of.character. the grey hairs o.
parents brought down with sorrow to the
grave and the intoicrable hell to which II
lifo OF sin leads.
1t may not be out OF place to inquire
how people get upon that inclined plane
that lestIs to perdition We.iay it down
as proposition which needs but little
argument that they commence early The
causes OF their ruin viii be found to have
their incipiency in the morning Of life
We must premise here that human ma
ture is terribly depravcd. The very first
manifestations OF moral character are to
wards evil. Children do not become wick
ed after they grow up; they are born in
sin and go astray from the womb.
Another remark which must not he
omitted is, that all that is really good in
human character is brought about by tue
grace OF God.
Yet it does not conflict with the great
truths that what people are in this world,
or what they will be in the next world,
depends greatly upon the influences to
which they are subjected, the training
they receive, the principles they are
taught, the examples set before them in
the early stages Of their career.
Now, how do children get out Of the
way in which they should co. and how
do they wander off in these 10y paths that
lea,l to ruinf This is the precise ques-
ton before us. Much depends upon q
right answer.
The causes of ruin are various; bad
teaching and bad example, and bad com
pany, and many other bad things have
much influence in this direction ; but there
is laying back of these 4 more operative
cause than any Of them Let me state it.
Honorable mention is made by the
wisest Of men ofan instrument that has
done most effective service in all well
regulated households, 1t is a wonderful
rs4 }atftttatDv " ,.l,os sso sl;.r'aa'a nower
yative. 1t has the singular virtue OF
stimulating the growth Of character No
fertilizer can equal it, The kinkey places
are Strengthened out and ugly ofsloots
Topped off, and perfect beauty and sym
metry attained under it's generous appil.
ance. There is many a useful member of
society who knows that he owes all he
is worth to the proper use OF tins instrd-
mcnt. Indeed, there are few people ol
any account who have not .teitits power
It has turned back many wanderer who
had already entered upon forbidden
paths, and has kept many others III the
line Of duty
People may talk about moral suasion,
but there is a physical suason thou
sand fold more effective. And they may
sing pGaus to "appeals to sense OF
honor" but tell you there is an appeal
to something more tangible and sensible
and which never fails TO bring about the
desire result You may recommend soft
talk and tonder treatment for a pcryerse
child. and of course it will please him it
is lust the sort Of thing he world like TO
have. and under it oil his pcryersity will
grow most lnxuriantly. Eli tired this,and
let others take warning from the terrible
failure
| am an advocate, then, for the ROD.
Solomon never showed more wisdom
than in what he said abont IT, Lot all
who have anything TO do with training
children, whether parcnts or teachers,
have one, long one, and strong one
and let them use it frequently and liberal
llv. Whenever it is needed, let them not
spare, but pour it in thick and fast IL
the youngstcr yells aloud like a young
Indian, no matter, givs It to him, lay on
| it will do him good it is for mis- life. II
he promises not to do so again, and dc
better next time, don't believe wofl ol
| il. Ply the rod with vigorous hand, and
that will help to keep him straight next
| time.
| don't believe in too much whipping
but do believe in enough oft And
am sure. in most cases, it will take pret
ty sizeable doses to be enough. We WI
never have well regulated society unit
there is Lictur with his handful OF rod
to go through every community aud inIsi
up all urchins who have only been par
tiaiiy attended to- This would curts'
the work Of our courts, and save every
ncighborhood from many walking pest
| can 90 into almost any village o.
community and find. boys by the dozeI
who are ripcning for destruction, from Nc
other cause than the want OF that grea
moral restraint furnished 10y the rod
Blessings on the rod Blessings on th'
memory or the man, whoever he was,tha
invented this purifier OF society--thl'
grand corrective Of human dcpravity !
The failure to use the rod, or to use
Alright, is the chief cause why SO many
young people 90 to Observation-Disclosures
byterida and Iades.
-" When my mother says no, there
no YES in it," Here is n sermon IN mn.
she'll. Mutitudes OF parents say mo,