Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-06-24
GBy special request.[
AFATHER'S ADVICE TO HIS SON.
WORTHY EVERY YOUNG MANS ATTENTIo.

WORTHY EVERY YOUNG MANS ATTENTION
Although the following takes up conslo,
cradle space in the The Star, we douDI II
anything, in print or manuscript, that we
could select would be read with as mucn IN
terest by as many households:
To the Editor Of the Brooklyn Eagle :
Your issue of yesterday conveys the SAD IN,
telligence of the death by Roman fever OF
Mr.. Edward Pierrepont, recently secretary
of the American legation at Rome. MI ",
Pierrepont was young man OF rare gnCs
and accomplishments and Of great promise
He was brilliant scholar, close STUDENT
a thoroughly upright Christian gentleman
and manly fellow. His inherited tenden,
cies were favorable to the reception OF
good impressions, and he had ABSORBED a
mothers graces and wisdom and fatner
culture and strength.
Educated at Oxford University, England,
and thereafter law student at Colum Dla
College, he dies at the early age of twenty
five, shattering the brilliant hopes and rain
bow promises of parents who counted not
their life dear unto them in serving their
only son. Alas, what blighted hopes! what
brilliant, broken plans To day Mr.. and
Mrs. Pierrepont are Fastening to the bed
side of their boy, whose death is as yet un-
known to them. For a score of years l
have enjoyed the warm personal and much
valued friendship of the father, Mr.. Ed
ward Pierrepont, Mr.. LowelPs predeces-
sor as United States minister to England,
and know of his solicitude, hopes and plans
for his son.
On the sth of March, 1879, Mr.. Pierre
pont wrote private letter to his son for
his future guidance and help, intrusting
me with copy at that time: This
letter so impressed me by its wisdom and
discretion that now offer it, upon my own
responsibility, for publication. 1 do this
in the conviction that many young man
who reads it will be inspired and strength
ened by it's teachings and guided by its
counsels.
S. L. WooDHoUsE.
THE LETTER.
No. 103 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK,
March 8, 1879.
MY DEAR SoN-I would gladly save you
from much annoyance and from many sor-
rows by giving you the benefit of my own
experience. l have been through the pre-
paratory schools and the university, and
know all their trials and their temptations.
1 also know how prone boys are to think
that the times have changed since their
fathers were young, and that the true rules
for the conduct of life have ceased to be
the same. My son, as you grow older you
will find that from the time of Solomon to
this hour human nature has not changed
at all, and that the guide to prosperous
and happy life is precisely the same as it
was when that wise man wrote. The boy
who is fortunate enough to have father
whose experience is large and varied, and
who communicates it with no possible mo-
tive but the best good Of his child, has great
advantage if he will heed what is told him,
but will suffer all the more deeply in the
end if he comes to see that the care, and the
earnest warning, and the faithful counsel
have been disregarded.
Danish forever from your mind that folly
which young men so very stupidity cherish,
that ''the world and the ways of the world
are essentially different now from what they
were forty years ago" and settle forever in
your mind certain principles which you are
never to doubt, and never to swerve from in
your course of life.
First-That there is great first cause
which rules the world; something which
we can but dimly comprehend, because it is
too vast for our finite minds. 1t is the in
finite. 1t is God. 1t is fruitless to try ''to
find out God.'' He is sour Father in heav-
en- )" this is all that the simple child can
know it is all that the most learned man
can ever know. That this Great Creator
is Just and merciful, and rules by equal
laws, we have every reason to believe and
that it is one of the Creators laws that our
lives may be influenced by earnest prayer
for guidance in the right way, there is no
doubt.
1 do not mean that to pray for specific
things, such as riches and honors, will bring
riches and honors as matter of course, but
that honest and earnest prayer to our Faith
er in heaven for guidance in the way that is
for our best good is sure to bring strength
and thus to aid us in the affairs of life.
Every day ask your Heavenly Father to
guide you in all things in the way which is
right, and you will not go wrong.
Most of the scientific men of our time
devote themselves to the study of the laws
of matter, and they seem to forget that
man, even while on earth, has spirit
ual as well as material nature. They
find nothing but matter in the brain which
they dissect, and they jump to the conclu-
sion that there~is nothing but matter
Their discoveries in the laws of matter are
wonderful and invaluable, but they utterly
neglect the study of spiritual laws, which
are as real ana as Geftalnly a. part OF man
as the grosser substance. mat the soul
survives the pody' ana tnat 1t Is happy or
miserable, according to the DEEDS done in
me pooy, never ailoW yoursel1 10 doubt.
II skeptlcs wish to talk TO you about it,
don't argue; arguments on tnese subjects
never 90 any good; you might as we'll argue
that you love your mother. fractice what
Suggest ana you VIII know from conscl-
GUS experience tnat what ten you is true,
ana you VIII pe maze mucn napier and
serener Gay Dy day' aud 1ar more prosper
GUS IN thls worid; When IN G4e family OF
the hev. Henry seymour, at Holme flerre-
pont, you saw now cheer1ui and serenely
happY tney al were unoer tne lnnuence OF
religious life.
Second-That truth, unfalterlng lntegri-
ty, justice and honor are never to-be de-
parted from under any circumstances.
Lies come from meanness, low vanity,
cowardice and OF a depraved nature, and
they always fail OF their object and bring
the liar into contempt. Without strict in
tegrity, justice and honor, no one can have
continued success in anything, OF lasting