The union Democrat., 1870-08-20
The crlne OF p.r.... r.w.ra CA.lsrea.

=
Don't tell ycurebiljren anything Of certain
subjects which to :hem if they lire are of ,hs
greatest importance. Don't do il. Keep
them IN Ignorance. Leave them to en:er in
to such kno~leige through the ss-ret back
door of vulgar association.
In looking hack we End far lnng time
that grs n mistake has been perrrtrated.
ignorance has been taken for innocence.
Sweet Sixteen has long served Ms an emblem
af purity. Why Because she i supposed 10
know little or nothing of evil. What is this
species nf evil? Whatever remotely or in
timately pertains to the perpe,ua'ion of the
race. Is the perpeiuation Of the race evil ?
Society practically says Yes. For it makes
il all matter Of The deepest mystery il is
a forbidden subject; il is scarcely ever az
preached directly il is in almost every case
approached sideways in crab fashion hy
smiTk and hint by llush and words Of donbt-
ful and double meaning; in monks and cor
ners ir special assambla.es always composed
entirely ef one or the uther sex.
But the child Is bot so wholly ignorant nf
what is said or meant. II catches n word
here and hin, .here. Just rs ours. its
brain invountarily works. reflects, ponders
and arrives ~ some vague conclusion reearding
this deep an. sinful mystery. We seldom re-
aecs that the chili of TX or seven is in keen
ness and comprehension. not decreasing, rot
stationary but rapidly increasing. I.et us go
back 10 our own child DAYS. We're wo not
mere knowing than credited hy our parents ?
The youthful generation Of to-day has not at
all retrncraled.
There ia certain Gioral ctwardice or false de-
licacy in this often wholesale reticence toward
the young. We have hy custom aud edacn-
tion become ashamed of powers and functians
~ legitimate and necessary as eating or
bres,hing.
II Is we that have degraded them. not they
which are naturally degraded. Even Scrip
iIre prnnounces our bodies "tabernac'es Of
the Living God" II excludes no part nor
function from such sacred use. The soien,i.
flo eye surveys all and sees The order. use and
beauty in all. 1t ascends above the plane Of
false de,icacy and vulsnr;ty. Sa should We
NIL. Sulv. refinement aud cultivation ele-
vate er6Jything.
Betwixt the cohccnlment and mystery OH
served ut home and the vulgarity nf the street
nr Of external association, a vulgarity handed
down from one youthful generation to ano,h.
er, il is clinched and ingrained in the child
10 regard all these matters in the worst posi-
ble light to connect them exclusively with
f"ulress' 10 corrupt more and more decen,
words with indecency and lastly practicing
what has been to it suggested hy tie parental
ccpccalmcnt it seeks in dangerous paths to
fathom the mystery.
We do not suggest that il imparting wha,
we deem knowledge mos. necessary that all
delicaey he thrown aside; we think that in
such communication is involved the largest
amount Of consideration ns TO the man and
the time. II may by reason of our education
and prejudices be neither an easy or pleasant
task
Bu. here il the roo. and kernel Of tho mat
ter. Will you leave yonr boys AMI girls in
this sinful and hurtful ignorance. leave them
to gather in the street or elsewhere shreds
and patches Of this knowledge wrapped in n
poisonous envelope Of vulgnr association I?
Leave them to grew M deeming matter
which in reality is high and natural to be all
a mystery Of sin ard corruption?
We saw again that ignorance j. not inno-
cence; We contend that true rnri,v may
knew all and look on al and sperk Of all that
is without blush.