The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-03
Self-Relianoe.

Editor Standard when I tsspoke in
meeting" last night, did it for the pur-
pose of starting new idea, that its in-'
fiuence might counteTact the old one
which was reiterated by Brother York,
and has been reiterated ever since the
day when Adam, to screen himself from
blame, and avoid the responsibility of
| his own act, tried to throw the blame on
Eve and make that woman responsible
for the sins of man. Did Adam by this
mean subterfuge avoid the consequences
of his sin? No! Neither will you,
young man. 1t is time this false idea
was exploded. 1t is time men were
| taught to feel and know that they are
responsible for their own acts, just as
much so as women are for theirs. No
one teaches women that they can make
scapegoats for their sins. To teach men
that they cannot withstand the tempta-
ton to do evil unless they are upheld by
a woman, is pernicious in the extreme.
! We have sad examples of this every
where around US: men and boys going
down to destruction because they are not
taught to abstain from evil from prinei-
| pie. Look at men in the mines; thew
are away from the cares and influence
of women; how feaTfuily the baneful in
| fluences of this teaching manifests it.
self. Instead of living true and noble
lives, because they have been taught to
never stultify their manhood, nor lower
their self-respect, they allow their pas
sions and appetites to run riot, trying to
silence the inward monitor by saving,
81 can't stand alone! Ihave no woman,
with her gentle influences by my side,
to hold me up. / am not expected to
regulate my life by moral principle"
and so on they go to destructiOn-all the
time blaming woman for their fall, AID
| trying to excuse themselves by saying,
''If we had the society of women we
would live better lives" But do they?
Yes;, ostensibly they do; but not really.
| The evil of the teaching manifests itself
among the men of our most popuIous
cities, as we'll as in the sparsely settled
parts of our country. True, the restraint
of society prevents the same open indul-
gence as in the mines, where this re-
straint does not exist, but night after
night these mistaught men will sneak
into the saloons, gambling hells, broth
els, and other places ofs vice and de-
bauchery, thinking if they can only
keep it from mother, wife, sister, and
sweetheart, it is no matter how much
their manhood and self-respeetis is crushed
out. Young man, don't do anything
that will lower your own self-respeet
Let US look at the other needs of teach
ing: Instead of telling young men to
look for support to the young women;
and telling the young women, on you
rests the responsibility of the acts of
these young men, whether they be good
or evil; they are not expected to have
/ any moral principle of their own, no
selfhood, no manhood, no responsibility
for their own acts; their blood will be
required at your hands; if, instead of
this, you say, young man, you are free
and responsible being; you are endowed
with moral principle, and a conscious
ness of what is right and wrong; yon
have a selfbOod, a manhood, a seIf-re-
spect to cultivate and build up; with
you lies the choice whether you will
make yourself q noble, virtuous and
pure man, or the reverse; and if a man
says to himself will not drink; I will
not gamble; will not debauch my soul
and body with licentious indulgenees,
and does it from principle, all the per-
suasions of men, the menaces of devils,
and the Establishments of women, will
not cause him to sin. He will live q
true life, if all around him sin, because
he acts from moral principle. This is
the teaching men need-moral princi-
pie. They dare to do right from princi-
ple-selfhood, manhood and power
stand alOne.-Mdry o. BrOlOB IN Wash
iRgtOn Standard.