Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-11-30
Sunday Branding,
EDITED BY REV. F. L. LEEPER.

ed in the G. p. Church at the close OF
the week of prayer for the youth of
our country, and is published at the
request Of the congregation.
Prove all things; hold fast to that which
is good,-1 Thes, 8; 81.
Every good man must have a ten
der and strong sympathy for the
young. Standing as they do upon
the threshold Of life, without any of
that wisdom that comes from eX-
perience to guide them, they must
nevertheless boldly step in, and solve
its dark problems for themselves.
Truly there are grave dangers that
cluster around youth. Mistakes
made at life's beginning, plant prin-
ciples that exert their influences all
through life. Many esteem the in
tense love of pleasure, peculiar to
youth, its greatest danger. Frankly
confess, that to me, it seems the
smallest of all the dangers to zhich
youth is exposed. Its greatest dan
ger, it seems to me, is in embracing
false principles of thought and action,
which in their operation may serious
" mar the character in its fullest de-
velopment, and life in its highest
achievements. Youth is q peculiar
season of life. Consciousness begins
to feel the thrObbings of free an in
dependent life, and youth becomes
exceedingly wrestless under the re-
straints of mere authority. Its glory
is to be free. 1t becomes impatient
to break away from. restraint, and to
measure itself with life's forces.
Youth believes itself strong, because
it feels strong. 1t must break away
from the old habit, of thought and
the old forms of belief; it must try
the new, just in order that it may
realize its freeness. So youth breaks
away from the old staid forms of be-
lief, and the 50 called puritanical
ideas of wright and wrong of father
and mother, just in order to prove
that it is not held in bondage to these
by mere authority. It's proud boast
is that it Must now think and act fol
itself. This is true. And if the
young would only do what they
claim to do, all would be well. Il
they would only think, think sober
~ and earnestly, and construct theil
faith so as to be able to give to every
one that asketh, a reason for the faitt
that is in them, then there would bt
little danger to be feared for them
But this they do not do. They
throw off old, only to take on new
masters. They throw off the ole
faith, without giving to it patien
examination to see if it be true; anC
they take on the new without care
fully eXaming it. So they can Civ
you no calm, clear reason either 70
rejecting the one, or for adopting tn
other. Herein lies their greatestdan
ger. If the young could only b
reused to realize that life is a rea
battle; if they could be made to thinl
Soberly and intensely; if they Woul'
only "Prove all things, and hold fas
to that which is good;" if they woul
believe nothing for which they coul
not give good reason, then woul
the young truly become the strong
able to quit themselves as men i
life's hard battle.
Now, let us settle it, and settle
forever that there is such a thing i
this world as truth-a good that ma
be found, and when found is wort
holding fast. Truth is fair and beau
tiful to the eye; her voice is swet
and musical to the ear, her posses
sion is refreshing to the heart, an
enriching to the life. Seek her wit
all the enthusiasm of your fres
young life, and never rest until 20
have woed her to your heart.
know that it has become quiz
the fashion in our day to out Pilat
PLATE, in asking "What is truth?
and then scornfully turning away ;
ifno answer could be given. Thel
is an arrogant philosophy, that wit
much pOmpOus show of learnin!
and specious reasoning, sweeps ava
all distinctions of true and false
right and wrong. Every question "
are told has two sides. Not two sid
in the sense that one Is true and Il
other false; one is right and the 9th,
wrong; but two sides, both Of whiC
are equally true, or equally RICH
The true and the false are mere que
tons of opinion; the right and Il
wrong of education. 1t all resOlv
itself into honesty of opinion and 81