Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-05-17
TOung Mems Pcrlls.
DANGER To THE MAN AND THE ECITIZEN-LECTUIa
BY THE REV. JOHN HALL, BEFORE THE YOUNG
MEN s ASSOCIATION OF THE BRICK PREBSY-
TERRAIN CHURCH, NEW YORK.


"The Perils the Time" formed the sub
iect of a lecture given by the Rev. DR.. John
Hall, before the young mems society of the
Brick Presbyterian church Fifth avenue and
Thirty-seyenth streets, New York. The
lecturer treated of the four dangers that
threaten young men, as young men, and of
the four other perils which threaten the
community and citizens Individually at the
present time.
The first danger, said DR.. Hall, which
think threatens young men today is that OF
shallowness This arises from the hurry
and hustle and state of intense activity in
which we live. Men have no time to per
feet themselves in any one thing. Thus it
happens that our individual capacities are
never trained to their highest perfection.
One must observe how easily young men to-
day turn from one occupation to anothe-.
| would venture to say to young men that it
would be well for them to be master of
some one thing, that they may say with con-
fdencc, =" can take my place in connec-
tiOn with this
Tie second danger arises from a mistaken
conception of what success really is. We
| live in great market where nearly all the
| great and prominent transactions can only
be carried on through the agency of money,
and hence money comes to be considered
the ideal of success. Allied to this mistake
is the false notion connected with the idea
Of gentility. 1t has been said to me by those
who are acquainted with the facts that
| throughout New England at the present
time it is extremely difficult to persuade
young men to become mechanics, farmers or
laborers. They are all filled with the idea
that they are going to the big cities, and on
Wall street, or similar places, they are
somehow very soon to make large fortunes.
If this is so, it is an unhealthy condition.
When my church was being repaired, |
notice that all the workmen were foreigners
Germ lin, Irish or French. Yet many OF
them were getting three or four collars
day, while many well educated young mon,
as know, are very glad to get occupation
at SO week. II VIC start out with the
idea that wealth and gentlity are the chief
ends of our work, then there will be devel-
oped the disposition to adopt any means to
compase the desired end. All honest work
is honorable if done in right spirit.
The third peril to young men is caused by
a certain unsettledness in lile. In Eng
land the "custom of the trade keeps
father and son for many generations en-
gagged in the same occupation, with an hon
est pride to maintain the family reputation
for honesty and good work. | fear that,
even in England, this spirit is not as strong
as it used to be. But here in America there
is no trace Of it. 1t is extremely easy to |
pass from one line of life to another | |
leave men in some pursuit to meet them in |
a few years in an entirely different occupa
tion. The very thought in the minds of |
young men that they can easily pass to an
other line of work il they become dissatisfied |
with the present one, tempts them to be
easy going, when their whole energies
shonld be directed upon the work in hand.
My advice would be: choose slowly, delib-
crately, with the best advice, and perhaps
later than young lnen are ordinarily accus-
toned to do; aid then, when the occupa
tion has been decided upon, stick to it,
make it the business of your life, and the
channel of your success.
The fourth danger comes from the ener-
waiting dangers that surround men at your
time Of life. have not word to say
against true pleasures. The more We labor
the stronger becomes the desire for reaxa.
tion ; but speak Of those pleasures which
|
| do not recall single one of my college
classmates who was among what were called
'theatre-goers who attained success in
after liie have found the same rule ap-
plicable elsewhere. BOW you may say
that am drawing the reins very tightly.
But upon what ? Weaknesses that so rapidly
become temptations. Young man, if you
had stood beside so many dcath-beds as
have you would not think the reins could he
drawn too tight. am ready to conccde that
there may be plTced upon the stage those
plays which shall elevate and strengthen
But these are not the things that are put on
the stage. They don't pay; they are. not
what the public wants ; and to meet the
demand that which is presented is weak
ening and corruptng.
FERRIS THREATENING THE CITIZENS.
And now to speak of the perils of our own
time ; the dangers that face us as Americans
and as citizens of New York The first
danger, think, is defective public spirit.
Here let me make proyiso that, mall
have to say, | wish to draw no comparison
with the condition of other lands or peoples
but merely comparison with what yourselves
think to be right. Tested by this ideal of
what We should be, this first danger is a
great one. Our best citizens do not take
proper interest in great public concerns
How many men here have never cast vote !
How many have never seen ballot box
We are lacking in conscientiousness and
political fidelity. How many of you attend
caucuses and primaries? You don't 90
there, and men of a certain stripe do go and
settle the ticket when election day comes.
you are off for ride in the park or the count
~. What popular estimate do you form of
he men who do manage our politics Is not
the ordor of the very word politicians"
ike the ordors that are waited by the sum
ner breezes oyer Murry Hill from the busy
shores of Long Island, most unsayory one
Have we the kind of men we ought to have
with our law making? They
'hould be picked from our best citizens
Then the dignity and majesty of the law
would be felt and understood, and young
men wonld he restrained from the tempta-
lions that unwise legislation actually throws
before them. Who does not see that if
here is defective respect for the w-makers
here will also be a defective respect for the
avs which they have made? And hence
in all its forms is the outgrow:h
If bad laws
rrlo ooool 49,. Al ... - |
,;tv !. oaL L" nl,.ro;"i .ns ;nu eoiH"i1 ma
We feel, as men of business, as We ought to
eel on the whole scheme of commercial pros
perity? Let us come to be believed, by the
nations around Us, to be thieying, sharp and
tricky, the sooner or later We must pay the
penalty. Ii is because we have this defec-
~ .o".. ''''o' 'i"' We h"'' 'io PieSen'
T.
i"e '"'iu per'l II tne exaggerated iaea oi
pelsona, r.euoih' l nave 10 worn 10 say
'sa'nS' ileeuoih' but 'he corrnPtiohs Oi
-ne pes' '.'ngs are ."o "o'i' i.'oGry
nus "rNt i'' i'nniti''rn' ' vi ~ is no' LID
r I' 49, "i AS'ii' t'.U w .oin"'1n
f.'oi o' Nv ."'s II !. "n ao
,oiu'. ..t Po,9pss'o" ''i'' We may uo "s VIC IKE
n wv. Win ~ .L ,onset ~ snes 'S pleasure
.'dt !, We may 'nro" IL a~ay' "hat are