The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-09-01

enler upon an cntlrely new llnn o
life you must change your habits
you must cultivate taste for viriu,
and goodness. You must bring your
self to that state that ydl bath,
vice"
4" SO hard So much to do :"
"SureIy. All this and more mus
be done. You must live huwu th,
prcjudiccs that your misconduct ha.
created against vou. You must :,
demcan yourself that people will for
get that you were once addicted to drunk
cnncss aud lirentiousHess."
would do all this, and yet You
refuse to assist me in the len pos,
bic degree. You refuse TO throw
those safeguards around ny pathway
that might prevent me from sttaying
from the pathway Of virtue
Bat you " rly refd,c to do it .
You mistake You are now stra,
ing from the path of vlrturc we can,
not prevent you. 1t il possible TO re-
Al, you from wondering"
l. that the laugu OF a man
+ the once proud man. strong in hi.
wu power TO be as hc would ?"
Alas. | have learned that | AN
owcrlcsS to resist the approaches oI
vice.
And you ask me to be iustrumcn-
tal in introducing YOU to an order
where purity of life and rcctitudc OF
conduct are prerequisites 2"
That | might be pure and upright,
led by SO good examples
And. sholld you lall, think of the
disgrace TO the body OF which you
would then be an unworthy mem
Der"
at would be shamcru.' -
And to save you from that shame
| will not be Instrumental in placing
you in II position where you will be Ii.
able to endure it. But this | will do
and it depends entirely upon you,cli
whether can assist you in your re.
formation. You desire to become Il
Mason
"Sdch is my earnest desire"
Masonry is not strictly rcforma
tory institution. 1t does not 20 to the
moral lHzIrcttos and bring forth the
inmates to heal them of their mahdies.
1t rather takes the sound and perfect
man and prevents him from falling Il
victim TO the contagion.'
Aud | am already in the pest
house
But YOU may get into Gods pure
air, and with recovered health yor
may associate at length with those
who have never been ailcctcl'
What would you have me d1?'
lod are not just entering upon an
other convivll season. The holiday,
are approaching when usually the tenn
tatious II vice aud excess are the
strongest. Forsake yonr old habit,
from this moment. b, temperate
and c'rcum,pect in your actions
through the season oftcmptation that
is coming be man through the com
ing year, and if you can show II clever
record on the Christmas eve OF the
next, | will then grant your request,
and so far as my inf fiencc is'concerned
it shall not stand iu the way Of Y, l.
entrance within the veil which hope
is to be safeguard for you through
long years Of lifc."
The youth suddenly left the position
Of leaning on the back OF the chair,
knclt at the feet OF the aged man, and
raisiag his haud exclaimed
"As God lets mo live. SO will be
all you ask Of me for the coming year,
and forever
God assist you to keep your SOL
emn oath" was the reply
Edward Lincoln was the son Of n
man who was much 10 public life nod
paid little attention 10 his family
His wife died when his son was jus,
entering his teens, aud for seve,al
years the boy was exposed 10 the dam
gers and alluremenis Of college liie,
with few home recollrct'ons to s'cady
nis principles or to repress his Thoughts.
ratura'y Of a .jovial md social di-po-
Lion, he naturally contracted habits
Icl dissipation, and when he came u
de with his uncle, William Leslie
"A Judge OF considerable en'ucncc in
western state--at the age OF twenty,
il W. soon found that the vicious hab-
: were SO settled ia bis nature
that they were not easily ocercOm'.
The uncle demonstrated against his
practices, and the nephew promised
amendment uriil oil comic cnre in
promise and oath was lost, md matters,
so far as the..vonng mans habits were
conce swiftly went from bad ia
worse. Sometimes, 10 paroxysm o!
dependency, he wo d acknowledge
his vices and so!cmoly agree thu he
would reform. and for few days oil
weeks the promise WIS kept; but soon
he would be owe ',keN, and tho I
s le would be worse t tho first.
The father of the young man had
been \ on. aud his devotion to thai
order had made strong impression on
mind Of his son. ald this led him
to desire himself to become a member.
He seemed to belive that Their; rain,
which the ge would throw q, d
him would crialy aid in his retor
alton. This may have been po o'e
but the uncle believing that Repentance
md reformation should preesde rather
Ian follow initiation, refused to pre-