The San Francisco call., 1896-02-10
DANGERS OF YOUTH.
Rev. C. III. Hobart's Discourse on Causes
of Wrong-DoinE.

Rev. C. III. Hobart's Discourse on Causes
of Wrong Doing.
OAKLAND, CAL, Feb. 9.-Rev. c. 81.
Hobart, pastor of the First Baptist Church,
took for the subject of his discourse
youthful Criminals" His text was Q
Sam, 1929, "Is the young man Absalom
safe?' During his sermon he said:
Our community has been shocked during the
past week by the discovery that series of
crimes almost unparalleled for audacity were
committed by couple OF beardless youths not
yet out OF their teens. The utter lack of pru-
dence on the part of these burglars indicated
even before their arrest either immense stu =
pidity or supreme recklessness. Their assaults
upon the strong boxes where men are supposed
TO keep. valuables at first suggested expert
criminals.
The frequency of their attempts involving as
it did the almost certainty OF arrest at very
early day, indicated both ignorance and mex
perience. That they were boys who had grown
up in our community amid fairly healthy sur
roundings made the discovery OF their crimi-
nality at once a surprise and shock. MANY
parents are now asking themselves the cues
tion with more than ordinary seriousness and
] believe with real pertinency, els my boy
safe?"
David, whose heart was full of love for
Absalom, seems not to have asked the question
till the boy was utterly ruined. It stands the
parents of Oakland in hand evidently to ask
the question even before their boys begin to
tread the pathway in their teens. 1t is a fact,
huences at work at the present day which tend
to make criminals of youth even in very tender
years, as well as help into criminal ways many
OF maturer wears who, under other circum-
stances, would never become law-breakers
Some of these causes briefly stated are: Pub
ication in our daily papers of details of crime
One of the young men now incarcerated testi-
fies to this. Unwholesome companionship is an
other prolific source of crime TO the young 1t
stands parents in hand to know who their chill
dren associate with. Vicious literature is an
other serious cause of crime. Like leaves of
ValombroSa fall the crime-breeding sheets in
the form of weekiies and paper-covered novels
full of moral distemper.
The same can be said of much that appears
on the boards OF some of our theaters, for most
of these present plays in which immorality is
presented in pleasing rather than in revolving
colors. Improper home influence is the source
of much crime-that is, q lack of influences
positively good
In the case of Willmore most of his time at
home was in bed. He was the bread-winner
and compelled to work Sunday the same as
other days. Much youthful crime may be laid
to heredity.
Wealth unjustly acquired under the sanction
of the law leads others to say, eff it is lawful
for Gould to appropriate railroad il cannot
be wrong for me TO appropriate the contents of
one railroad ticket-offiee."
Gambling is another certain precursor of
other crimes. Materialistic teachings of to-
day, false teaching respecting future punish
ment, and the lack of employment. These all
carry their remedy with them, and if they were
abolished then that much would be done
toward effecting cure.