Morning journal and courier., 1888-12-17
Companions ana AssocIatIons., ,,

At the Church of the Messiah last evening Rev. L. H. Squires gave a lecture to young men and women on "The Influence of Asso- ciations," from Prov, 1920: "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but 8 companion of fools shall be destroyed. All people are affected by their associa. tions We cannot live independently of each other if we try. We enter room or walk down the aisle of a church and are more graceful because others are watching us. We walk the streets and the passing strangers make ,an impression upon upon us. Tele- graphic messages of good or i'll flash from eye to eye Some bright and beautiful face sends thrill of pleasure to our heart. Some sin-marked form throws a shadow across our thoughts. Ages ago bird left it's tiny foot prints in the mud, or a leaf hattened down to rest in the swanap, and now footprints and leaf reappear in rock or coal bed. So our characters are made up of the accumu~ lated impressions of our associations in the past We carry unconscious signs of our past lives with ns. Beecher says: He who comes from the kitchen smells of it's smoke; he who adheres to 8 sect has something of it's cant. The college air pursues the stu dent. One need not ask a merry face or sad one whether it hath come from house of joy or grief. Tears and laughter tell their own story"
 It Is very important that the young should have good companions and right associa- tion Many young woman's life has been blighted by keeping company with young men of loose habits. They fancy they will that are smiled upon in courting days are seldom reformed after marriage. Many women who might have been among the fairest and best are dragged down to obscur- ity and wretchedness by being associated with worthless husbands. Good associations are the best safeguard for young men and the best aid to reform for those who have fallen. The drunkard will never reform till he finds some better place to visit than the saloon. Courts and prisons will not reform the criminal, He needs new friends and nobler associations.
 Here is nesded work for the churches, to see that the men whom they would save are provided with better surroundings. Let so- cial gatherings multiply in place of the sa- Ioons Let wholesome amusements be pro- vided by Christians in homes and churches, to counteract the vicious rlaces of resort. Provide, read and discuss good literature to supplant the villainous story paper or dime novel. And let good men and women show friendly spirit to the poor unfortu- mates who are seeking better life, that the strength of new companionship and better associations may hold them securely. In 8 word, where evil abounds let good mucn more abound, and it's healing touch will restore the world.
 The speaker closed with the beautiful leg end of the old painter who was haunted with vision of perfect beauty. All through life he strove to reproduce the ideal, but at last died with the task unfinished. But on enter ing the spirit world he found himself trans- formed into the ideal which had been the companion of his thoughts and the aim ot his life. A large audience was present and fully enjoyed the lecture.