St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-04-28
The Literature of He'll.

The New York society for the sup
preston of vice, has published its
second annual report. The chief object
OF this association is the destruction of
llcentious publications. The extent of
the evil with which it contends is ap-
palling. More than twenty thousand
pounds, or perhaps one hundred thou
sand volumes of books. and more than
slNtN-tlree thouSand implements for
immoral uses have been seized and de
stloyed by due process of law. Of
pictures. songs. and books which no
language can describe. four hundred
Thousand have been seized and burned
The centre of this awful traffic is the
city of New York : but the society has
names of about SIN thousand dealers.
representing all parts of our countrv.
VIII" have aided to spread the poison.
The report describes the method bv
which those engaged in the unholy
traffic succeed in introducing their pur-
pose to the Young:
"A publisher sends out Il circular to
all the postmaSters of the country. He
proteSses to be preparing IL directory of
schools and school children of the United
States. He will give five cents il name
postmaster falls into the trap and sends
on the list. The wary postmaster pos
Sihly suspects. but shuts his ewes. and
pockets his fee. The list is sent. Then
circulars are seut 10y the bundled thou
sand to these children boys and girIs
-worded with Il devils skill to piuue
the curiosity. stimulate the imagination.
ntiame the passions. You think your
boy safe. No boy is safe How do vnu
know that his last pocket money did
not go ont III answer to Just such Il bait
us this ?"
If ANY feature of this satanic business
could afford satisfaction. il would he
the fact that 50 few native-born Amer
leans are engaged in il. The managers
of the society say:
"Of the forty eight persons found in
this traffic during the year. but seven
teen were Americans. OF the one hun
dIed and ninety three arrested during
the entire work of the society. but fifty
were our own countIymen. 1t is some
comfort To hope that our nativr-born
citizens will more aud more eschcw the
vile traffic"
But Il society located in the city of
New York is not able to protect eIr
homes from the inSitliOuS enemies of
virtue; 1T may point out the evil, but
1t cannot destroy wholly that against
which ii wars. God has made the
parents the guardians of the family
and II they are untaithful. there is no
power on earth which can take their
place. How shall they protect their
offspring against this insitlous peril /?
They should study to win the con-
iidence of their children, and the child
should he trained from infancy to have
no secrets which they may not share.
They should listen to its stories of dali, |
experience. and draw it out by pleasant
questions and genial answers. They |
should converse with it, and make il a |
companion, So that the habit of its life.
shall he yearnimg for their sympathy |
in all its thoughts and pursuits. And
If these sacred condolences should en-
brace matters of the greatest delcacy,
they should not be checked. Then the |
father and mother, knowing infinitely
the lmaglnatIons, the emotions. the
deeds OF the child, are able to guide il
wisely.
They should permit it to visit only
tlose whose Influence Is salutary, and
they should invite to the home SO MANY
OF the innocent in heart, that the child
shall not be tempted to seek the COM
pany ef Others in order to enjoy the
sports natural to its period of life. Bv
providing it with good playmates. they
VIII wean II etfrctually from the evil:
and by pointing out to it the difference
between the two classes. they will in
Splre 1t with IA horror of all that is low
and vicious.
But, chiefly, they should know what
the child reads, and shonld provide it
with such books as are helpful to its
moral growth. We believe there are
lew parents who concern themselves
greatly with this matter; most men and