Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-02-08
AS Young People Our Moral
Obligation to Our Community.
Paper Read by Miss weinona Strom at
the B. Y. P. q. Meeting.

If God be the author of our spir-
itual life-then the best evidence we
can give is an unreserved dedication
of ourselves to the actual promo
ton of His glory. No one ought to
hatter himself that he is in the IA
vor of God, whose life is not con-
secrated to his cause.
Life is grand-God made itglo-
rious-its banks he fringed with
flowers. He overarched it with
stars. Around it he overspread the
glory of the universe. How much
then our life means-words refuse
to tell-they cannot. The mystery
of our being-the necessity OF &C
ton, the relative cause to effect, the
dependence of one thing upon an
other, assures us that our life is for
a purpose.
The moral obligation of young
men and young women to their COM
munity differin some respects. The
field for doing good in every com
munity is white unto harvest.
We are told there is no moral
law so beautiful as the conscientious
christian young man. He resists
temptations he bears the sarcasm OF
the prolifgate. He sees the hand
ofa creating God and rejoices in 1T.
To- be a woman in the truest
sense of the word is to be the best
thing beneath the skies. To be a
woman is something more than ls
or 90 years. Something more than
to be a belle. A young ladies' worth
is estimated by the real goodness of
her heart, the greatness Of her soul
and the purity and sweetness OF her
character. Young women should
hold steady moral sway oyer the
young men in their community, so
strong as to prevent them from be-
coming lawless rowdies. They
wouldn't have drunkard for hus-
band. But they would drink
glass of wine with young man.
They would not use profane Ian
guage, but they are not shocked by
it's incipients language and associate
with young men whom they know
to he "a profane as 'Lucifer." They
would not be dishonest, out they
countenance the society of young
men whom they know to be de-
ceivers. They would not be ire
ligous, but they smile upon the most
irreligous men. This is the moral
standard of too many of our young
women. A young lady by her con-
stant, consistent, christian example,
may be an untold power in raising
the moral standard of the communl-
ty in which she lives.
Young women we must beware OF
the influence that we are constantly
exerting. An invitation to take a
glass of wine or play a game of
cards may kindle the fires of inteln-
perance or gambling which will
,burn.forever., A. jest given at the
expense of religion in a light tri-
fling manner in the house of God or
the numerous ways in which may
be shown disregard for the souls of
others may be the means of ruin
ing many for time and eternity.
Young people, let us remember
we are not designed by our crea-
tors to live for ourselves alone. Eut
there is a nobler, higher destiny,
that of doing good to others, of
making others happy.
AS the quiet streamlet which runs
along the valley nourishes luxu-
rant vegetation, causing flowers to
bloom, birds to sing along its banks,
so do kind and loving deeds spread
Joy and peace around. Truly bless
ed are those who walk the way of
life as the Savior of mankind did as
he walked on our earth, filling all
the air about them with the aroma
which is distilled from kindly deeds,
helpful words and useful lives.
1t is great thing to proclaim our
love for God. If you show your
self young man or woman in the
truest, nobler sense of the word, ,go
to the widow and relieve her woe,
60 to the orphan and speak words
of comfort, go to the lost and save
him, go to the fallen and raise him
up, go to the sinner and whisper in
his ears words of eternal life. Our
truest wealth, hereafter is the good
that we do in this world TO our fell
bowman. The best of the human
race is poor and needy and all have
a mutual dependence on one an
other.
None of us are too small, too fee
BILE, too poor to be of service. Eve
rybody can set good example be
it to many or few. Everybody can
in some degree encourage truth and
religion and discountenance vice
and folly. Everybody has some
one whom he can advise and in
struct or in same way help to guide
thro life. May we insist that the life
of our Savior be our ideal in exalt-