Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-11-20
ADVICE TO A YOUNG NAN .
Henry Ward Beecher's Instructions
20 His Son.

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TO His Son.
Letter from los Angeles.
The following letter from Henry Ward
] Beecher to his son is declared on good
authority never TO have been published.
IL Is reminiscent Of the worldly good
sense Of the advice given to Laertes by
P0lopius. but 1t Is also permeated by
the leaven Of Christian experience. The
precept 10 IL are those which, II fol-
lowed would produce q good man as
well as gentleman.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Oct. IS, 1878.
My Dear Herbert:
You are now for the first time really
launched into life for yourself. You go
from your fathers house, and from all
family connections, to make your own
way in the world. 1t Is q good time to
make new start, TO cast out faults Of
whose evil you have had an experience,
and TO take on habits the want of which
you have found to be so damaging.
~ You must not 90 into debt. Avoid
fundamental rule: No debt-cash or
nothing.
(2.) Make few promises. ReligiousIy
observe even the smallest promise. A
man who means to keep his promises
cannot afford to make many. D..
(S.) Be scrupulously careful in all
statements. Accuracy and perfect
frankness, no guesswork. Either moth
ing or accurate truth.
a. When working for Others sink
yourself out of sight, seek their inter-
est. Make yourself necessary to those
who employ you, by industry, fidelity
and scrupulous integrity. Sel6shness
Is fatal.
(5.) Hold yourself responsible for
higher standard than anybody else ex-
poets of you. Demand more of your
self than anybody else expects of you.
Keep your personal standard high. New
er excuse yourself to yourself. Never
pity yourself. Be a hard master to
yourself, but lenient to everybody else.
(6.) Concentrate your force on your
own proper business; do not turn off.
Be constant. steadfast, persevering.
az The art of making ones fortune
is to spend nothing; in this country any
intelligent and industrious young man
may become rich if he stops ali leaks
and is not in a hurry. Do not make
haste; be patient.
(S) Do not speculate or gamble. You
go to land where everybody is excited
and strives to make money, suddenly,
largely and without working for it.
They blow soap bubbles. Steady, pa
tient industry is both the surest and
the safest way. Greediness and haste
are two devils that destroy thousands
every year.
(9.) In regard to Mr.. B, he is a
Southern gentleman; he is receiving
you as favor to me; do not let him re-
gret it.
Q0.) beseech you to correct one
fault-severe speech of others; never
speak evil of any man, no matter what
the facts may be. Hasty fault-fnding,
and severe speech of absent people, Is
not honorable, is apt to be unjust and
cruel, makes enemies to yourself, and
is wicked.
11.) You must remember that you
go to Mr.. B. not to learn to manage
farm like his. Ore or two hundred
acres, not 10000, is to be your future
homestead; but you can learn the care
of cattle, sheep, the culture of wheat, the
climate, the country, manners and Gus
toms, and hundred things that will
be needful.
Q2.) If by integrity, industry and
well-earned success you deserve we'll of
your fellow citizens, they may in years
to come, ask you to accept honors. Do
not seek them, do not receive them
while you are young-wait; but when
you are established you may make
your fathers name known with honor
in halls of legislation. Lastly, do not
forget your fathers and your mothers
God. Because you will be largely de-
prived of church privileges, you need
all the nerve to keep your heart before
God. But do not dispise small churches
and humble preachers. "Mind not high
things, but condescend to men of low
estate.n
Read often the Proverbs, the precepts
and duties enjoined in the New Testa-
ment. May your fathers God go with
you and protect you.
HENRY WARD BEECHER.