The Washington times., 1914-03-31

II is a picture OF the experience OF
many in taking the first step from
the path Of right. After describing
a trip which he took with a party OF
friends, he continues:
''One Of them got mad because 1
said / would not do what they want
ed. I then left with my so-called
friend, when we met some other So
called friends. He told them how I
had acted and they made fun Of
me: and he said / was a coward for
refusing to break q promise to one
ought to love. But Il was no use.
Il got to thinking about going up
there with him. and what people
said. Then ! said to myself. would
il be a sin to, go and do as people
said. Thinking such thoughts SO
soon after 1 had committed the sin
| fought against doing, All because
Of a laugh, Since then / have wish
ed that I could undo what has been
done. But it is no use. It has al
most driven me crazy. Thank God
the Kenyon bill has been passed and
has put a stop to it in public. IL
il had been passed sooner. ii would
have saved me As it is. 1t will save
others Il it only be enforced"
1 have quoted only a part of the
letter verbatim. The remainder of
il reads like the Confessions. OF
Rousseau
1t is a human document that
should make us stop and consider
the influences which are used to
overcome the natural disinclinations
of young men to sacrifice the best in
life That this desire to preserve
their virtue is inherent in men as
We'll is in women, is shown by the
fact that. in spite Of all that society
has done to lower the moral stand
ard Of men and to make them feel
drag the white flower of their
manhood through the gutter, their
heart rebels. and cries aloud for a
realization Of a God-given ideal. as
does the writer Of this letter.
prefer to belong to the sex
that must hang its head in shame
when it commits . crime against it
self, rather than to the other half
Of the human family who feel it
is justified in doing anything that
its inchnations dictates because
society has given it freedom from
moral laws.
But such letters as these make US
realize more and more that, in spite
of the conspiracy against men, they
have risen superior to the low stand
ards which have been set for them.
They can never lose that innate
seEse of self-respect and personal
responsibility which is God-siven and
which must ever be the most power
ful deterrent Of evil.
The picture of this young man. in
the hands Of his so-caIled. friends ar
q period of his life when he is most
susceptible TO temptation and when
without n dominant ideal i'm life 10
which bis ambition and his training
point, is pathetic That he should
almost invariably be carried out OF
the safe course and caught in some
cross-current or eddy is inevitable.
The adolescent period is specially
sensitive TO outside influences. Love.
hrp" and ambition are in the ascend
ency: the mystery of the future
weayes its romance around every
object, tine emotional and spiritual
natures are ready to respond to any
influence, for good or evil The sub
conscious self is more active than at
any other time of life
On the other hand, mental balance
~ often lost. Youth is sensitive and
breeding. with keen fear of ridicule
ana susceptible TO every passing
influence. Cnconsciously. the boy
takes as an ideal some man whom
he eomires and, even IL he possesses
traits which are naturally distaste-
fui TO him. he often makes them
ris own. We have frequently watch
ID sucf. q one. like a chryssiis, try
ing to free itself from its entanglinG
&C. .ering- You realize if YOU inter
fere. you will do more harm than
good, for. If the butterfly is ever
able to use its wings. il will be be-
cause of this time of struggle in
order that the wings may De
strengthened for their future use.
Most of the sins of the world
are the sins Of youth, and most of
the sins of youth are because of
lack of ideals.
Hidicule is one OF the most power
ful weapons in overcoming conscien-
tipus 'iGpieS- IL Is caster 10 lace
. cannon than q sneer. Boys are
specially susceptible to ridicule
Their desire to be manlT ard to
show their independence is Lne of
the most potent factors in making
them guilty Of crimes against self.
Ridicule has slain its thousands
Of souls, and the elevation OF an
eyebrow and the curl of lip have
succeeded where tremendous forces
have failed.
II is only in recent years That the
period of adolescence has received
the attention that il deserves. Youth
has not had the care and protection
IL needed at that period But more
and more is scientific researc ch teach
ing US vital truths which throw the
light Of intelligent study upon this
period. so vital 20 the failure wei
fare of the individual.
DIR. Stanley Hall describes the ad-
descent period as a time when old
landmarks are swept away: he is
losing hold on all that he cared for
'snd for which ne now finds that he
cares but little. He now needs
above all tie advice and help of a
good father and the comradeship of
good man"
While marriage. the completion
nf life through the completed fam
lily circle. is the highest and mos;
normal end of human life. IT is
not the only goal to be aimed at
With many there are natural OBJ
stacles that prevent this ideal from
being reached.
Some of the most valuable con-
tributions that have beer made 10
the progress OF civilizat ton have
teen made from voluntary celibary
and have been the children OF the