The Brookhaven leader., 1890-10-23
MORAL TRAINING.
Something for Alliance People
to Think About,

tNNA ~ NY ""tf US VIZ 49,
welfare of the youag people at heart,
and as member of that grand order,
the Farmers Alliance, to call the at
tention Of the people to this import
ant subject. That is one of the great
objects for which we arc allied to-
gethef, but there is hardly any part
of our obligation more neglected
than this. When we look around and
critically view the morals of oar
young men, and | might almost say
young ladies, our cheeks are made to
glow with shame, while we sigh for u
higher and puipr grade of society
How do our young people spend their
leisure hours in the week day, their
Saturday nights and SundaysP Do
they spend them i'll some quiet place
intently reading some useful book, OF
irving to solve some difficult problem
! in mathematics, or carefully examin-
ing some manuscript, preparing it to
place before the public in manner
that will reflect credit upon them !
Or do they abandon the thought of
worldly honors and seek to clay up
for themselves treasures IN heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth cor
rupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal" by devOutly study
ing Gods Word, striving to become
better acquainted with the way and
plan of salvation, looking ever to Je-
sus the blessed Son of God who died
that sinners might be saved?
answer these questions almost en-
phatically-no, they do not. When
there is no work to be done in the
fields you will almost invariably find
them strolling over the woods with
guns and dogs, shooting and yelling,
having what they call IA good time"
And great many of those who have
taken upon themselves the solemn re-
sponsibilities of raising families are
found in the midst of these worse
than useless sports.
The majority of our young men
spend their Saturdays in town, ON
what business no one knows. But
there in the streets and backyards
where swearing, horse-trading and
cheating, which naturally follows, is
carried on, you will find the youth of
our country well represented in num-
Der.
| was in town on n Saturday re-
Gently on business, and when l went
in the backyard to make preparations
to start home, there found five horse
jockeys all very busy and surrounded
by all classes of people from the pill
fering African to the common country
young man. Two negroes were go
ing to run horse-race that evening,
and nearly every one in that yard
was going to attend. | heard one
man whose head is blossoming for the
grave, say to young man, 81 will
bet you five dollars my little gray
pony can beat yours around that track
this evening" In reply the young
man took five dollars from his pocket
and shook them in the old mans face,
and after talking awhile they left the
yard and started to the racetrack.
While engaged in looking and listen
ing could not help thinking, go, Mis-
sissippi what will become of thee
when thine affairs shall fall upon the
people represented here'" And,
young ladies, what will be made of
you when you have given your hand
and heart in marriage to such as
these?
Most of our young men spend their
Saturday nights in "'possum hunt
ing" tiddling and dancing, or telling
filthy anecdotes, chewing and smok-
ing tobacco, and all the time using
the most profane language their illit-
crate minds can devise. On Sunday,
instead of going to church and tax
ing part in a Sunday school, prayer
meeting or any other public worship,
they do everything in their power, by
their ungentlemanly conduct, to de-
bar others from religious pleasures.
They make it convenient to go in and
ont of the house about twice during
services, not taking any precaution
with regard to the noise, or the disre-
spect shown those engaged in worship.
1t is a noted fact, too, that for the past
twelve months the church ground is
the place for personal difficulties.
There has not been prOtracted meet
ing any where within my knowledge
this summer without some kind of
disturbance in the line of quarreling
or attempting to fight. The young
man of the present day also have
habit of running their horses past
crowds of people on their way home
from church, then stopping until they
pass them, and then performing the
same degrading feat again. We fire.
quently find two or three young men
seated and smoking in the midst of
ladies, sometimes in the church house
and sometimes in the house of some
friend or relative where they are Wis
iting, either of which shows lack of
good breeding and gentlemanly in
stincts. | have heard the question