The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-09-22
THE SAFEGUARD OF
MANHOOD.
PRINCIPLES AND HABITS OF
YOUTH THE KEY TO AFTER
LIFE.
BY REV. JAMES G. X. MCCLURE. d. D.. IN
SATURDAY EVENING POST.

SA1URDA1 EVENING POST.
I.
In her gymnasium Yale has tro
phy-room. Many graduate feels hi,
blood stirred as he enters it. The en-
blems OF contest, flag and cup, oar anc
all, arouse the memory. Scenes of the
past become vivld-the surging crowd
the excited faces, the shouts of victory
Other days are lived over again, and
there Is JOY and inspiration in recalling
them.
The setting up OF trophies Is custom
as old as history all ancient peoples
did it. The Greeks put shields and
helmets on tree of the battle-ground
it it were land victory, and beaks ol
conquered vessels on the nearest coast
1t it were sea victory. The Romans
did differently. They carried their
trophies to some prominent spot in
Rome itself. Still differently did the
Egyptians and the Israellties, who de-
posted their trophies in their temples.
Youth-time trophies! It is Southey
who says: olive as long as you may,
the first twenty years form the greater
part of your life. They appear so when
they are passing they. seem to have
been so when we look back to them
and they take up more room in our
memory than all the years which sue
ceed them." Victories won then mean
more than victories won later. Never
is man so conscious Ut the sweets of
triumph and SO elated by the joys of
success as in his earlier years. The
shout that greeted David when he con-
quered Goliath sank deeper into his
heart and memory than any shout he
ever heard afterward. To succeed in
the contests Of youth, whatever their
sphere, social, literary, political, ath-
letic, is to have an experience of pleas
ure that is scarcely surpassed in all
ones life.
Besides. youth is like the Niles
spring time, when the fullness of the
river gives opportunity to store away
for the coming drought. In youth
virtues and experiences can be laid up
for the crises of life. Only as hope
and courage are accumulated then are
hey in reserve force Tor sudden dill
fculty and trail. The soldier who in
camp does not learn to handle his rifle
will be helpless in the confusion of
battle. Insurance cannot be obtained
when flames are bursting out of the
house. He who does not strive for
victories in youth stands small show
If victories in manhood. For time IS
! current bearing the yesterdays into
;o-days and the to-days into to-morrows.
The present is the future, carrying 1t
n itself as the seed carries the flower.
tomorrow unconnected with to-day
s unthinkable. The flower that is to
oe must have somewhere seed that
low is. Youth Is the seed of man.
hood, and what We lay up, or fail to
ay up, in youth determines what we
;hall have, or shall fail to haye, when
We reach the period of manhood,
What, then, are these trophies to be
Won in youth for manhood's s safeguard ?
Physical strength is one. Without it
10 mature man can do his best work.
Youth, with its warm blood, vigorous
strong appetite, restful sleep,
nay be a very magazine OF power. The
wear and tear of physical strain have
not come yet While they tarry,
young man may fortify himself for
hem by accumulations OF health
which later will be storehouse of re-
source.
Such being the case, it is no slight
matter to hurt ones physical yigor,
,ither by neglect Or abuse. Many men
have broken down within five years OF
eaving college, and become impaired,
Il not useless, because they did not
treasure their health while there.
Scores have fallen by the wayslde later
because of the recklessness with which
they spent their buoyant energy. Sick
ness and death are indeed inevitable
10 every one, but there is no necessity
for soliciting their approach. Death
walks as near the young mans back as
the old mans face, but why urge him
To oyertake us? That law of God that
makes physical decay the penalty OF
physical wrong is unbreakable. Dis
sipation Of vital energy inevitably ends
in physical deterioration. A young
man cannot let any bodily passion run
awav with him and expect to be safe,
anv more than child, letting spirit