The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-19

the SOCIAL enjoyment or our young
men; hence, there is large majority OF
them who have literally no place where
to spend an evening-save, in thel1
boarding -hOuses-th saloon of grog-
shop, or at the gambling table OF low
grocery. It is said that these resorts
are iberally patronized by young men,
and am sOrToy to say by old ones too
These young men are frequently
driven there for want of some place IN
which their leisure hours may be more
properly and pleasantly spent.
Now, lit seems to me to be the duty
of the merchant and man of business,
to feel deeper interest in the social
and intellectual enjoyment OF their
young men.
Facilities for their mental cultivation
should be afforded and literally sus-
tanned. ".s@
Libraries, Reading Rooms and lee
lures should be provided and made ac-
cessible to them. God love you, your
souls cannot feed on the almighty Dol
lar, it wants and must have something,
more noble and intellectual. Help to
procure at Books papers literary and
scientific, reviews and periodicals both
foreign, and domestic, and secure a
comfortable room, where they can thus
meet, without having to resort to the
doggery or gambling hell, then they
will feel that you take an interest in
their welfare. ~ a:.s.. -+~H
Let the family circle be kindly open
to- their visits, and every influence
which may be calculated to restrain
to elevate to enoble, to- purify the
young man be thrown around him, by
those for whom he is daily taxing his
strength and deVoting his best time. -,
I 1t is, too often the want of this in
their intellectual cultivation, that causes
SO many OF our young men to become
l0afers upon society, and leads them to
habits of dissipation. .-.r.. rs4,.
They have the warm, social feelings
of the human heart they need recrea-
tiOn and they will have it. Ii the bet
ter and purer fountains of social en-
:jOyment and of mental culture are not
jopen to them, they will seek it from
other sources and drink from muddier
streams.
They, will form associations whose
principal features are of a conviylal
order they will become addicted to
late hours, and iovial companions, and
frolics, and sprees; until they lose all
relish for refined society and intellec-
ttial enjoyment, and prefer to spend
their leisure hours amid scenes of
senseless Tevelry, and in the company
of the loafer, the rowdy, the profigate
and the drunkard. .-1,,
When a young man reaches this
point, he soon becomes worthless, and
ell-nigh-IOst. Beware! then my
young friends, of the temptations to
mtemperance which daily, surround yOu,
especially in this community. Parents,
sisters, friends and the world are look.
ing to you for all that can give comfort
and bless, and adorn and save. You
are the. strength, the hope, and the
glory of the land. ~. E..s-,,..
Give not yourselves away to this de-
You may say, with pride and conf
denee that, am in no danger the
drunkard's loathsonle character I alb
hor.p So said he, when, like you, he
stood forth in his youthful bloom, and
took the first glass of Intoxicating IL
qu0r-the first step in, the road to ruin.
So said many who were sednced by the
wiles of the tempter, and who forfeited
their lives to the outraged laws of the
land, or slept prematurely in a drunk
g Let him chat thinketh lie standeth
take heed lest he fall"
IN the taert place, I Observe; That
young men are az danger from te4tptG-
hons of this Kind, to the use of. prof fGlee
language. The sin Of profanity is one
to which young men, and / am sorry to
say q great many, middle aged, and old
men too, are everywhere peculiarly ad-
dicted. ~. +. 7. :.7..~..
It is the. use of language which i'm
plies an, utter want of reverence for
Ill sacred things. 1t is an universal
sln.g
All over our land ;--in the social cir
Gle, in the place of business in the
on the rail-car, wherever
you go your ears are shocked with the
accents of profanity, and your blood
chilled in your vains by its most BIAS |
DhemouS and revolving words. a.sHs "
We hear 1T from every age and class. |
The child who can scarcely lisp i'll, his |
native tongue, learns to use his organs
OF speech in the utterance of an oath, |
taught in the rudiments of the learn |
ing of hell by a parent, OF perhaps, by
an aged grandsire whose tremulOus |
lips can scarcely pronounce the impre-
satien, which is the horrid lesson, he |
teaeles to his unconscious, yet apt dis
ciple, ##
s9But it is more common to hear the |
language of profanity from young
men than from any other class.
lb seems to accord more with the im--
DetuOsity and ardent temperament of |
youth. d j Young men are apt to express |
themselves with energy and decision,
sven upOnnnimportant subjects thence |
he temptation to give that force which /
heir remarks would not possess in
by adding liberal season.
ng. of curses esthT0Wing in, as it were,
iOne of the devils small change to |
make up Whatnlay be wanting In the /
weight Of their conversation. Young
nen are not remarkable for cool blood.
they are easily excited always ready
10 take up or resent an ahr0nt. Their
iOriOr is of that kind which cannot be
Tnsted to take care of itself, and re-
Iuires continual looking after. s
In the excitement of temper, strong,
laSsi0Ilate and startling words are the
latural outlets of feeling. zt
{ There seems to be an utter inade-
Iuacy In common forms Of speech to
elieYe the excited mind and the lang
lages Of eursing and blasphenly appears
D. be a sort of safety valve by which
he accumulated passions are let of.
Young, men, too often form the habit
{ swearing from the idea that it gives
racy and piQnant tone to their. con-
,ersation. They often mistake it for
git and snartness; and there is no I,
IlaTacter, perhaps, which young men
ne more ambitious of sustaining than
hat of d wit or smart man.
Al joke which would be very fiat and
ointless seems to them to be a very
God thing when garnished with a
easOning of Oaths and curses.