Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-11
Written for the Herald.]
The Children In Society.
no. XXxy.

the family, to mingle in society, may
now be considered. And first | will
name corrupt associations.
In every city, in every village and in
every neighborhood, may be found the
dissipated, the profane and the vile.
They disturb the public peace by their
frantic reyels, consume the substance of
industry by their idleness and waste,
sap the foundations of virtue, and pol
lutte the very atmosphere they breathe.
In the cities and larger villages, they ara
organized for crime, and follow gamb-
ling, thieving, robbery and murder, as q
profession. They recruit their broken
ranks from the artless and unwaIy
youths by whom they are surrounded;
they watch for victims as they watch
for plumber, and ''sleep not unless they
cause some TO fail" In the rural dis
tricts, these corupters Of youth are
fewer in number, but there is scarcely
neighborhood in the nation, where their
representatives cannot be found. And
they are everywhere yigilant, active and
sCuuCllhcs anu sure " " III OfCA " thSAl
ranks, many of those who chance to
come under their influence.
These dangerous associates are first
met in tine devils school for
boys" in the street, in the
grocery, in loafer's hall. where they are
trained to every vicious habit, and by a
natural process, hardened for the crimes
of matured life. They may soon find
their way to the house of correction,
the reform school, or the prison or
they may escape these reforming infiu-
-ences and become desperate characters,
in the higher walks of criminal life.
1t is sad to remember that these cor
rupting influences are sometimes met by
children of tender age, in their own
homes. The example of dissipated,
profane and ungodly life is constantly
before them. They feel its power and
are drawn by it, thus early, into the
fearful current IF corruption, that nears
the whirlpool. and bears its unsuspect-
ing victims to the dashing falls of ruin.
The corrupt society of the school and
neighborhood increases the peril, in
such cases, and makes more sure the de-
struction that awaits these unfortunate
children. If home influence hes been
good, the perils which beset the path of
inexperienced youth, as they come out
to mingle in society, is still fearful.
Another source of special danger TO
the young as they come to mingle with
the world, is corrupt literature. AS
soon as our children learn to read, they
are exposed to the corrupting influences
of the vile trash, bearing the name of
literature, with which our country Is
flooded. 1t is found in the form of OBJ
scene books, periodicals and papers,
which, though strictly prohibited By
law from circulating through the mail,
find a ready market and an extensive
sale 1t is found in the illustrated Po-
lice Record, and other sensational pa
pers published in the cities, and success
fully used as textbooks in the school or
vice and crime. It is found in the story
telling monthlies and weeklies which
are sold. by thousands, in the streets, at
every railroad station. on every train OF
cars, on every line of steamboats,, and
everywhere that the vendor can find
purchaser. The larger proportion OF the
exciting stories of the present day are
strongly impregnated with moral poi
son, and are fearfully productive of evil
to the young. These several classes OF
literature, to which / have alluded, must
be regarded as of decidedly immoral
tendency. Our children who come IN
contact with it cannot shun pollution.
| And the whole class of light, cheap lit
| erature, as il is written and read by the
multitude, is destructive of the best in
| terests of our children.
Some works of fiction are approved,
and may be read with interest and profit,
| but prODiscLOus noyel-reading, even
! when there is no immoral tendency,
/ serves to weaken the intellect, peryert
the taste and destroy the power of close
application, which is indispensable to
! thorough mental discipline, and sound
scholarship.
g Life is real life is earnest, and
preparation for its stern duties can never
be made by those who waste their time
in idle dreaming over the senseless novel
of the hour.
And the young are also exposed TO the
prevalence in community, of PerUerted
Dieaos Of life, and false Citsos Of religious
truth.
And what are the chief aims of men
and women in the world, as viewed from
the standpoint of pure and artless child
hood? They are seen in the eager pur-
suit of wealth. And how tenacious and
INSCRIPTIONS as to the means by which
they aim to gain their object. How few
reach the fancied prize, and how unsat-
| .1f., ~ HOY xK-hp
Others seek position and power. And
how often do they sacrifice their peace,
their manhood, their all, for this bubble,
fame. Still others bow down and wor-
ship at the shrine of fashion and folly.
How numerous, how devout, and how
servile this class of worshipers. But Is
the grand aim of life, either the pursuit
of wealth, power or pleasure? Surely,
there must be higher and nobler pur-
pose to be attained. But how are our
children to view this subject, if taught
only by the example of the society in
which they mingle VIII they not be
likely TO adopt the same views of life.
and to seek the same selfish end What
shall hinder?
And their peril from false views OF
: religious truth is equally alarming. The
. chilling influence of infidelity, on the
one hand, and the whitening power OF
! fanaticism, on the other, will be felt
} upon them, as soon as they leave the
!, protection of the Christian home and
, school, and even while under parental
, guardianship. They cannot escape these
Influences, and the earnest inquiry o.
, every parent should be, how their chill
dren may be protected from the evils OF
society here contemplated
PARESs.
An engrayer in Springfield he's cu
the Lords prayer into a piece of cope
less than one-fourth the size of silye
, three-cent piece, and there is room
the circle for fifteen or twenty word
j more.