Missouri Valley times., 1899-02-16
SOCIAL AND MORAL
NO. 2.

incorrigible children are generally such
because they have been neglected; and
that what is needed to prevent any
menace to the general welfare, is, that
they should learn better methods of
enjoying life (?
The history of mankind shows that
most of the trouble in the world is the
result Of errors in choosing the meth
DDS of enjoyment. What is needed,
is, that they be taught from the exper-
fence of others, so they may avoid re-
peating those experiments which mo.
mentarily seem right, but eventually
prove wrong. Every person of mature
years has found in his or her life many
cases of such mistakes.
How to learn to refuse the evil and
choose the good is often very difficult.
Nothing can supply the place of good
Judgment. 1t will not do to follow
blindly every word of advice. 1t will
not do to blindly reject every word of
instruction
Is it not true that what every person
knows, aud what every person believes
is the result of what that person has
learned, either by their own observa.
tion and experience, or by the observa-
tion and experience of others?
Why do neglected children cause any
menace to the general welfare. only al
they have learned to believe an error
in the method of enjoying lifep II
they can be taught that such telief Ii
an error, and to believe in a better
method of enjoyment, and that suct
better method is In their reach, does II
not follow that the instructive desir,
of every sentient being for enjoyment
will prompt them to leave the error
and to choose the better method
Is it not true, that in order to secur,
the general welfare from any menace
is that such persons, whether children
or adults, shall learn q method of pur
suing happiness which will not tres
pass on the equal rights of others ii
the pursuit of happiness, nor injur'
and degrade themselves; and also tha
such method is better for their owl
happiness, and that such better metho'
is In their reachp
There are some things which injur
ones self, and which children lear
very readily, such as putting their fin
gers in the flame of q lamp; yet
young child sometimes tries to do sc
There are errors where the consequen
suffering comes slow: such as one 0
Spain's statesmen recently told his na
tion-the attempt to rule colonies b
Oppression.
The most deceptive of these error
are those which bring q momentsr
sensation of pleasure, the i'll effect
being manifested only after q consid
cradle lapse of time. and then in q hir
drance to growth rather than in pos
tive pain, and in the gradual wastin
of the life forces, terminating in slo,
decay and death to the Individual, COZ
taminatlng others, and extending
other generations in weakness and ter
dency to disease. 1t is evident ths
such results cannot be learned by th
experience of the individual in time
prevent the injury, and often not ii
destructive habits have been firml
fixed.
The observation of this fact le
pagans to say: "The mills of the god
grind slow, but they grind exceeding
flne;" and another writer to say, "B,
.ause the Lord doth not execute judi
ment speedily" they err. Also the
"the heart (Which was believed to b
the seat Of the desires) is the most d
ceitful of all things and desperate!
wicked
Is 1t not true today that this latts
class of errors deceives large number
of our adults? Is it not also true th,
the examples Of such adults, and the
studied enticements of the young, a
the most potent agencies in the in
moral COMMUNICATIONS mentioned
the preceding article?
INQUIRER.
/ Mo. VALLEY, Ia. Feb. lS. 1899.