Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-09-08
TO YOUNG mEN-LIvE HONESTLY.


Every young man, as he enters upon life.
should keep an account with himself, and
decide in his own mind upon the course
which he will pursue. lie should ask him
self, "Will enter upon course in which l
can render fair equivalent for everything
that obtain? or, will | enter upon q course
in which, for the things that receive shall
render an equivalent where | must and palm
of empty appearances where CAM" 1t is
a glorious ambition-a manly purpose--with
which person begins life, when he goes
forth saying, 81 mean to make my fortune,
to be sure, and to pluck honor from the
highest boughs Of the tree Of lite, but i am
determined not to go one step IN honor or
wealth or power that is not real step. Wha
have ! will pay for. l will not take any
thing without giving fair equivalent for it.
Aud what contrast there is between this
and the ambition and purpose Of those who
set out in life with adeterminaton TO make
heir fortune and to gain honor at all haz-
yards, by whatever means ii may be neces-
sary TO employ, and without regard TO wheth-
or they render an equivalent for that which
they receive or uoil
A young man, delicately reared, is sent
into life, and he goes into shop where he
finds many companions, and where, unlor-
tunately, the strongest-minded men are not
tue HMteltbl-utNFkths Auu uiA utOuhN
about him the conversation is low; the allu-
sions are course, the expressions are vulgar.
The things that in home life he never dared
to shape into words, or hints even, are free
ly handled for the purpose OF exciting laugh
ter. Now, ind such circumstlnces, man
may loose sensibiity TO these things, At
first he is shocked and sick. l have known
persons Of an organization so delicate that
that this violence done to their moral and
social feelings amounted to absolute sickness
VI body But tnat cannot continue. In the
course OF u month young man will get used
TO obscenity in one Of two ways. II he sets
his heart against it, if lie calls the memory
Of all that he loves 10 his help, if his whole
conscience bears witness, if he makes q cou-
vonant with his lips, aud sets his heart TO
watch over its issues-then little by little be
will come to state in which he will hear
obscene talk as though he did not hear it,
Aud he comes out better than he went in,
although he suffers less by the outward con-
tact Of corruption than in the beginning -
lie has carried hmse If in such way with
reference to it that it has worked out in
moral purity.
was called once to a consultation in re-
ference to young man belonging to large
establishment who was detected in some
criminal act; and in a confidential interview
that had with him he told me that it was
not because he was in need that he yielded
to the temptation, but because he wanted
property Ills dishonesty was simply the
result Of ayarice. Aud ifa young man abuses
his trust and is dishonest, there is not word
70 be said in his justification.
There are temptations to dishonesty then,
that spring from extravigauce. Our society
isyery vicious in its whole structure in this
regard. We make no provisions for the re-
spectabilty Of people who are in humble cir
cumsiances. We hold out nduceme nts 10
them TO live beyond their means.
Young people want to begin further along
than they are able to. They want to keeT
house as twenty years Of successful and fruit
iul industry have enabled other men to dc
it. They measure everything on the patterr
Of somebody else,
There are many young men who have
enough to support them; but that is not al
they want. They have bad companions Will
whom they associate. These companions
ale not very temperate. They smoke anC
so, Of course, they drink. / do not NEAR
that among all men who smoke, drinking il
handmaid vice;but ! say that smoking lead
or tends TO lead, to the other vice. An'
smoking and drinking arc very expensive.
Young men are very apt to reason thi
question Of dishonesty with themselves anl
10 Justify themselves by the examples whicl
they sec around about them Of men VIII
stand eminent, trusted, and Of good reputa.
tiun, and who yet do dishonest thing.
young man is apt to say; "Itis no worse 70
me 10 follow such and such courses, than
is for Others; and many that do follow then
stand high and are prospered and respect
cd"
l will admit that there are many men VIII
stand high, and for certain time have
certain kind Of respectabiity aud prosper
ity, though they do dishonest things; but
say this; You carnot afford to be like them
There is nothing else in this world that
Of so much consequence TO you as that 20
should keep peace with your own self, Bless
ed be the msn that can say, as the Apostl
did; i trust that have good conscience
Blessed be the man that has lived till he
thirty years Of age, and can say; Il have
good conscience; that is; 81 never willing
ly do anything that violate my conscienc,
God knows lhatit is my purpose to live
peace with my conscience"
A man cannot afford to throw away Ii
blessing OF a good conscience. And it max,
no difference that your neighbor is prosper
ing by dishonestyand people have not foun
him out. If you are dishonest, you know
yourself, and that is enough And thel
ought to be principal Of hunor with ever
young man that should lead him TO say;
Even it God could not see me when
wrong should see myself, and sell-respe'
and manhood require that l should {
right