The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-11-27
Evil Companions.

of our fellow prisoners: "Well. am inno-
cent of the crime with which l was
charged" and have come to the sad con-
clusiOn that whether we are guilty or inno-
cent it becomes us not to deny the charge
put upon us. Doubtless we have been
mOny; but, nevertheless had we always
been found in good society, and our daily
associates been of strictly moral character,
how many of us would be to-day filling a
prison cell. Therefore, whether we are
guilty or innocent of the crime of which we
were convicted, we must acknowledge that
our own choice has brought us to grief.
Doubtless we received the blessings of good
parents. and in return promised to avoid all
evil associations Had we kept this prom
ise we would have been saved this shame
and been free from this load of guilt that
hangs over us. but when we drifted out
into the world to face the battles of life for
ourselves we did not only leave our home
and loved ones hehind us. but we left the
kind advice and christian example which
our fathers and mothers had given us with
which to defend ourselves as we jOurneyed
on through the wilderness of temptations.
And now let us look back and see what
was our first downward step and we will
| find we never took that step alone. Hardly
any young man goes to q place of dis
SipatiOn alone. No man goes to ruin
alone; he always takes some one else
with him. He may be compelled to talk
and mingle with bad men, but he who de-
lberately chooses to associate himself with
evil companions is on the downward road to
! rnir nd n0Ur dot nd lofa
he Will arrive at his disgraceful destination.
Associate with the unclean and you will be-
come uncean: associate with the low and
degraded and you will become as they.
| Thousands of young men have lost their
character and reputation by not appreciat-
ing this fact.
A yOnng man may wake up some morn
ing in the heart of great city and know no
one save the one in whose employ he has
entered, but pretty soon some young man
will see him and learn that he is stranger
in the city and at once offer his services in
showing him the sights; and if he accepts
the services of this young man. doubtless he
is striking death blow to his character and
reputation. Before we admit a man into
our acquaintance we should ask him pO-
litely, what he does for living?" and if
he says. Nothing, " look out for him, avoid
him on every occasion; Shun his COM
panionship. for if you do not, society will
soon shun you, for the companions of idlers
must suffer. But the most OF us are too apt
to forget our best friend, and we must ac-
knowledge that to be our mother. for the
majority. and likely all of us, have been
blessed with guf mother. And who can
or who should evor forget mothers love!
1t matters not how many are our trials and
troubles or how deep we sink into sin and
disgrace. she is ever by our side willing to
share our trials and troubles. Therefore,
we should be more careful in regard to
bringing disgrace upon ourselves. not only
for the sake of our own welfare. but for the
! sake of her who has tOiled so hard to train
us up in the way of respect refinement and
honesty. We should bear in mind that the
disgrace is not all upon ourselves but we
are casting dark shadow over the charac-
tiers of our brothers and sisters, and bring
ing our aged father and mother down to a
grave of shame and disgrace. Doubtless if
we kept these things constantly in our
mind it would prove a great help to us in
the hour of temptation.
To night while we are confined in a |
prison cell the prayers of an aged mother
may be going up in our behalf.
We are constantly crying prison REFORM
but for any man who has any respect for
himself or for the dear ones left behind he
does not need the advice and persuasion of |
other people to encourage him 70 lead a bet
ter life hereafter We are now reaping the
harvest from the seed which evil com
panions have sown for us. and therefore
ought to be satisfied as to whether it is a |
profitable or an Improbable reward.
Many of us have home and friends to |
60 to, and when the prison doors are once
opened to us as free men. we should 60 to |
our homes and once more ask for that kind
advice which was so freely given us in our
bOyhood days that we may start on a new