The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-18

Again and again it is proved that
Discretion is the better part OF
valor. How often we hear remarks
like this: 81 can not understand why
Miss So-and-so is so fascinated by such
man or woman. She used to seem
like such a nice girl. = And the speak
ers can not understand, because they
do not understand the Inevitable law
OF attraction, the power of mind over
mind. / consider itjust as dangerous
to linger in bad company as in dram
shop.
A secondary.gbut still very impor-
tant, evil is that you will, by mixing
in bad company, lose your good repu-
tation. / have heard girls say: "Well
people will talk anyway; and as long
as know I don't mean any harm,
am going to do as I please. This is
most fallacious reasoning, girls, and
reasoning that is likely to lead to very
serious consequences.
In the first place, there is direct
command in the Book of books con.
corning such a course: abstain from
all appearance of evil. /" In the second
place, a girl can not enter the society
that will strengthen and stimulate her,
that will give her a prestige in the
world, if her name is tainted. Third
", she can not expect to obtain as
good position in her business if she
is not well spoken Of To get into
the best of things she must be like
Caesars wife, 1.aboye suspicion y
And finally, and this point is very
important, she has no right to be in
any place or company, however inno-
cent she may feel as to herself, where
another, perhaps weaker and sorely
tempted, might say of her: .sShe goes
to such a place, or with such a one,
and if she is not too good for such
places or people, neither am ].
0 girls, you are all too good for any
tainted place, rto be with any tainted
people! You can not afford, looking
at the matter either from a worldly
or spiritual point Of view, to be open
to suspicion. Seek society by all
means; 1 do not believe in nissan
thropy or solitude. The latter may
be sometimes necessary, but it can
not for any length of time be as well
for one as association with his fellows.
But seek the society of those who do
nothing Gin a corner of those who
do not stop to argue about wrong,
trying to see if possibly two and two
may not make something else than four
but just put it from them without
demur or question. Seek those of
true hearts and white lives, whose
laugh is hearty but wholly without
bitterness, whose words are true and
never have any meaning but good
one; who are strong because right is
might; who are merry because there
is no dark secret OR questionable deeds
to be sorry about; who stand by the
good through all the years, and get it
into their hearts and lives as a per-
manent possession. There are such
people. Make it a point to secure
such as your friends. It will reflect
honor upon you to do so. You will
here z"be known by the company you
keep and rated accordingly. Better
still you will be what you are rated.
Perhaps you have all heard of the
Dutchman who declared, with more
truth than clearness, that "Birds of
fodder go nit demselves' And when
you associate with the good and pure
and high-minded, you become psy chol-
ogized with good, just as you become
psychological with impurity when as
sociating with those who are less than
good. The inevitable law of exten-
sion of thought, of influence of mind
over mind, holds good. You can not
expect to learn wisdom from those who
have not learned to be wise them
selves, or goodness from those who
think goodness rather ssslow,'' and
who declare for short life and a
merry one, y meaning, usually, as long
a life as they can cling to, and one I'M.
worthy for a child Of God to live. Get
lots of enjoyment outof life. "a mer-
ry heart doeth good like a medicine
says the proverb, and wiser words
were never spoken. But let your en-
joyment be clean and above-board.
Let no suspicion of sin Turk around it.
I wonder that in a world SO wise
and philosophical it has not come to
be fully recognized that .'the way of
the transgressor is hard;;'' not the way
OF him who, being pure Of heart, can
'see God, and, clear in conscience,
can look confidently into the face of
all the world, and expect blessings be-
cause he is abiding in the good,
1 hope sincerely, girls, that among
your New Years resolutions there
was one that no doubtful company
should be chosen or tolerated by you;
that in regard to this matter it should
be "yea, yea, and nay, nay, with
you; that you would go only for the
gerry best of life. James Freeman
Clarke has declared: s.It may make
difference to all eternity whether we
do right or wrong to day.
I wish he had used the word ..must' 81