The Irish standard., 1905-02-25
in THE WORKSHOP
The Serious Danger So Often
Faced by Young Fellows
In Their Places Of Employment
Called Attention to.

Called Attention to.
The boy who has to go to work at
an early age is not so unfortunate as
some people would have us believe,
says the Sacred Heart Review. Work,
steady. persistent, day in and day out
work, is a great Strengthened and de-
velopcr of character. OF course a great
deal depends upon the kind of work.
If it is hard beyond boys endur-
ance, or if it is of such a nature as
to be hopelessly repugnant to him, lit
tie good will flow from it. Wherever
possible boys tastes should be con-
suited. If boy wants to be a gar
dcner or farmer, if he loves out-of-door
life, it is cruel to send him to some
trade or occupation which will shut
him up from the free air he loves; and
if boy wants to be blacksmith or
| carpenter, it is wrong to compel him
to be tailor or shoemaker. There
are some boys, of course, to whom
work of any and every kind is dis
tasteful. Such lads should be re-
minded of the scriptural saying that
he who does not work neither shall
he eat.
But though work in itself is no mis-.
fortune, but rather blessing, there is
/ in many workshops very grave and
serious danger to young fellows enter
ing them; and this is, the low, filthy,
immoral conversations, the disgusting
stories, the vile Jokes" the sly re-
marks of double meaning and evil sug-
gestion, which flow from the corrupt
minds of older men. 1t is impossible
to find words strong enough to con-
denim the wretches who pour into the
ears of innocent youth such detestable
language, and who infiame young
hearts with the fire of hell itself.
Stores, factories, shops, offices-few
are free from men who seem to be
; emissaries of the devil in this regard.
Purity in man or woman is to them I'M
known. The most sacred relations are
only subjects for scott and jest. Each
one has stock of filthy stories which
he retails to every new acquaintance.
The young souls that come in contact
with such foul and unclean beings
have need Of great grace from God to
keep them from pollution How many,
alas, have had their first lesson in evil
in the place where they are compelled
to be in order that they may earn q
living!
But surely, it will be thought, no
Catholic man would defile his own soul
and destroy the innocence of young
fellow-Catholic in this way. Would
that it were SO! But we know that it
is not. There are many so-called Cath
Ole men-men, too, Of mature years
so lost to all sense of decency, so deaf
to the teachings of the Church, so I'm.
mindful of their obligation as men and
Christians, that they are as deeply
bamcworthy on this point as any inf
del that walks the earth.
But what is to be done about it?
Well, to a Catholic workman we should
say that the proper thing to do would
be to resolve to keep your own lips
free from such abominable language,
and to discountenance it's use in 9TH
ers. At least refuse to laugh when
some devil in human shape comes and
tells an unclean story in your hearing.
After while this encouragement will
have it's effect For the sake of your
own souls, and Of the souls of the
young boys who may be in the shop,
you ought at least do this. If you are
in position Of authority, exert " to
put stop to such language.
AS for the boys, we should say that
when they so to work is the time
when they need most of all the grace
of God in their hearts. Surrounded
by temptations, that is the time they
need Divine help. Let them be cour-
ageous in refusing to listen to (when-
ever possible) or to take part in I'M
clean conversations. Let them keep
out thefoul imaginings by filling their
minds with thoughts that are whole
some and pure. Let them find their
greatest help in the frequent confess
sion and communion.