Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-03
A LAY SERMON TO BAD BOYS
And a Word to Good Ones.

- t''' y ~ btNtI 'lii Oii u pat ! NOulu
OF the city became So frequent, bold an
'i'@0grrrahie, Tat IL was found necessary /
station policemen In the vest!buie OF til
churches thai the ladies and gentlemen VIII
assembled there to worship might do .
E without annoyance. We confess that "
l write these words with reluctance, As III
! disgrace which they entail upon our it'll
city Is thereby made public, when II Wouit
be more agreeable To our feelings 10 hav
such unseemly doings arrested without pub
licity but in order that We may do some
thii's towards convincing the youths grow
lug up about lis that IN such acts they ar
WrohSing, not only others but themselves
and az We art constantly urged 10 say some
thins on the subject, We VIII 10 so now. On,
gentleman tells us. young ---- cams
10 our church last Sunday night, and while
INC preacher was engaged in prayer. jumped
down the steps, two At Il time, alIghtlng OF
heard through the entire building. greatly
dlstractins the congregation and the minis.
ter. Iast boy is absolutely bad; he Is in.
corrisl"le." Another tells us,..young-
- comes 10 our churrh regularly. and
he has about as Durh idea Of worshipping
God as has IA HotentOt. He only comes there 10
ronp AMI talk. and annoy the congregation.
he is s very bad boy anu will certainly come
to a bad end and 50 on al inhaitum. We
have heard at least u dozen such tales AZ these
and they always wind up with an assertion
that the particular boy is all bad, and ire
cIaimable. Now, young Inen of Lexington ,
we want to speak "a few pl,in wor Il to YOU.
We love you boys. even though you do
wrong, and 1t 10 for lhi. reason that we
speak TO you instead of the officers Of the
law. Can you blame these gentlemen when,
fresh from witnessinG some outrage on de-
ceucy and good manners on your part, thew
come To the conclusion that Won are hone
i,s>ly hardened youn: sinners: Can You
blsme them when they seq YOU, evidently
under the Influence OF liquor. maxim: night
hldeou> with loud noises, intcrspcrsed with
vulgar oaths-cam you blame them tor Keen
ing their sons At home that they NAV avoid
contamination by associatlns with YOU,
Can you blame them If, WHEN they are told
thtt obScenitY, such AS would shock your
mothers and sisters. is the staple of YOUR
conversation, they tremble at the thought
that their children must grow up with YOU:
Can you blame them. hOy>. if, when they
hear that you carry pistols buckled around
you, like common DULLES, they dread that
some great crime may in a Reckless. moment
be committed. which years of weeping and
wailing and remnrsr Will not suffice to atone
for: Boys. boys. these things Will never do.
Now listen. In the city OF Lexington there
are two hundred and fifty young men. Out
Of that number two hundred and twenty
nv" are decent and orderly in their be-
has!or, respect their parents. respect
themselves and consequently ave polite
ana grntlemanIS I" all persons with
whom They come III contact. DO YOU want
II to he said of YOU, as 1t used 10 be said In
the army. that 4 half dozen royues cU;;;.
'lanin the reputation OF regiment: No. no.
We are not OF those who think you all bad.
We do not believe, a. has been frequently
reiharhed to IL vi late, that LEXINGTON has
the worst lot 0! bOysof any civ of Its Size IN
the site. On the contrary. W. think thai
no city OF lis siZ' has 80 many good boys.
That We have plenty of bad one. we freely
admit, bat even these We do Mt conslIrr Mi
"Ad' We want To have good, plain talk
VITA Nvu tti ''oys iir-'. WHAT do YOU ex-
poet /" gam by yOuF evil Was: lou ure. |
say, i youth OF seventeen summers Won
nave fora year or two set parental adyIrp
at defiance you have either given up .rhool
or you pay no attention 20 sour studies In
stead OF learning algebra. YOU have learned
~ smoke; inst AL of trying to master Latin.
YOU have been trying TO mister YOUR own
stoiu icn, which becomes uuu,eatrd when
'"u Try ~ chez" Instead OF reading history.
you ftsd dime novels and gaze on Iewd pic
lures surrrpliiIously obtained instead OF
drinking AT the fountain OF knowledge. Won
drinking from a black bottle conn
ulon whisky, bought for you Dy some adult
more sen>c!e'S than yourself. Again, we
Ash what 40 you promise Yourself bv such
= course: You can not expect always To ga,
bread of ihl-ne.s. Soon it will he all
sotuteIy Necessary that you sh all gain YOUR
pwn livelihood. Do Won think that viii ,h-
you are forming. any one will ba
|" employ you: Do You ii.tcr your
scii thit your habits are not known: If Won
TO- you arc mlstahcn. Do YOU think III Al
you can form habits OF ~liieness in youth spd
them oil III lnrnmood: II you do, you ar.
"AS the wiz. is bsnt the tree in
lines; and 'siothiu!ne-> ~ca,tetll into "A deem
'Ietp; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger"
Know that You are not all bad. Many
IF YOU who swear a mite. chew H,,Ia
'moAe u little, deal in obscene language ana
impure stories, have generous hearts and
Would divide your last crust with a needy
brother. Many of you are brave and cDiy-
'irOu, and would fly to the relief Of u broth
II III distress. or As soldiers might do gallant
leeds. But Will these qualities win you
DAT OF bread in these piping days of peace:
" Ill tney- at any TIM. win Won the respcct
your fellow men, unbackrd by other rec
mmrudltions Boys, "be men instead of
Put away your evil habits. Respect
our elders. Observe the amenities of civil
zed lie. Lave drinking and carun.inc 10
nose whose mental organization fits them .
MY Tor brutal pleasures. As you honor and
aspect your mother and sisters, Danish Irwd !
AK from yon AS a pestilentiai viper that l
VII bIacken aud Disgrace your soul, and in |
Hing your confidence in the virtue Of wo- :
len w'il fnnihiIate your belief in Deity. =
'n' II from you As You would the embrace :
| "A lepeI; as you wonld the kiss of lips. no '
natter how attractive, whose breath yuu I
new to contain u deadly poison to YOUR 4
oily and your soul. Look around YOU at l
he battlefield OF ilfe. Who are toe men
hat succeed: Are they those who boast of
ow much whisky they Gun drink: Are
1ey those who spend their DAYS lingering r
ro"ni bar-r"nm>: Are they those who
lay \ ih'r game OF billiards. L passub.e game
cards, or talk OF women with II tiIrpant
hsu.: No, young friend, the men who
are the men who mD.k. They are .
nc men who perfect themselves in some -,
i'nS' lou ny have studied pretty We'll "
n a while. You may know i smsl,eriup q
! Latin, OF Greek. of German. of mltnc- h
iatlrs. Of chemistry, OF What not, and YOUR n
rents may think you i sort OF 4. veuIus +
tn" boy who cannot read one letter. even y
. his own language. but can make n u-rIer, "
orso shoe. u worth Il dozen OF Won, So far
5 making a living /, concerned. FIRST m,,- =
n yo'r-eif-ihat VIII is your Creates, I'M =,
rrtahing; then. master some useful trade +
r profession. ana lay down as vour lirsI !
Niom Wat Whatever IL worth doing. no "
after how triillng MI affair It may seem at a
ie time, u worth dong well. Life js so II
Iort You do not think 50 now, with IN. "
blood c"ur>ins through your veins, >,