The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-06-06
Advice to Young Men.

A word to young men on the cultivation Of
moral principles is never out of place. All
Young men need line upon line and precept
upon precept They do not sufficiently value
the golden excellencies of moral principles.
Young farmers mechanics, professional men,
all feel that thorough acquaintance with their
calling is the one thing needful to their sue
cess. They think if they know enough, know
all about their business and its relation to the
world little else is needed to carry them brave
ly onward How mistaken ! This is we'll
this is necessary. They must have knowledge,
must know all about what they propose to do.
They cannot be too we'll informed on all i'm
portant subjects cannot be too eager in the
pursuit of all useful knowledge. But they
must. above all this, have real love for moral
principle-must love honesty, generosity, pu-
rity. recttude; must feel that nothing can be
weighed in the balance against a good charac-
ter, nothing can pay for q moral blemish,
nothing can compensate for feeble perception
of right. They must have hearty dread of
everything wrong, must eschew evil as poison,
a serpent with deadly stings They must feel
that integrity is as essential in a man of b1si-
ness as in minister of the gospel. They
ought to know that moral excellence is the
best stock in trade that young man can In
vest. 1t pays the best per cent, brings the
largest dividends; is the best insurance against
failure outlives misfortune and makes man
friends, staunch and firm when banks fail,
stocks run down and common credit is far be-
low par. To be mean, trickish, deceittul, un-
principled, untrustworthy, is to lack the best
essential of success in business, in social posi-
tion. in personal worth, in all respects. The
man who will violate any moral principle, is
scarcely to be trusted in anything without
considerable discount. The young man who
wavers, truckles, preyaricates, deceives, gives
way to temptation, falters in duty, will always
be regarded with jealousy. The way is to live
square up to the mark of right, to stand on
moral principle as the only platform. In my
youth, 1 knew few staunch young men, whom
nothing could seducc, who loved virtue for Its
own sake. In all respects they were patterns
of moral excellence. They have all met with
the best of success in life. Wherever they
have settled they have become centres OF large
circles of influence and action. The world mas
riyen them honor, position, and some OF them
fame. knew many who were unprlnclpled,
base. corrupt Some little-some very much
So They have all failed. Not one has risen
to stayup They have houpdered and fiuttered,
and some for little while have seemed to be
successful, but in the end they have all come
down. Some have got rich, but the world de-
snises them. Some have name, but it Is tar
nished with the blood of innocence. An odor
follows them. So it is the world over. 1nvio-
liable moral principle is the best stock In trade
Let every man cultivate moral power. Ley
him struggle to resist every temptation, and
grow to be brave and strong in the possession
and practice of every virtue.-Cotron' fsures
WrM,