The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-06-14
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Young Mems Responsibility For
Their Influence.

The moral duty of the community to
care for its young men is conceded on
all hands, but sometimes what is every
/ body's business is no body's and yet the
duty will never be rightly performed
until the individual consciousness of
obligation to the young is reused into
action. Let me mention employers.
With many young men they take the
place of parents and must finish the
process OF moulding which is begun at
home. They have more to do with
them than to get all they, can out of
them, for as little as possible. They
are not like the task masters of Egypt
to riot in the gains of clerks and oper-
ators. They can do much for their moral
and intellectual being and they ought to.
They can if they will, WELD the scepter
of justice and religion and make Gu
pidity yield to conscience. He owes it
to posteritv and to God to exact of his
employees just what duty requires; to
restrain them from dissipation, revelrY
and immortality and with instruction in
business, to give also with reproof,
kindly admonition and Encouragement.
A kind word, suggestion, or a man
Hesitation of interest in them will be as
seed sown which will produce good
fruit. Their example of opinions have
great weight upon the young. Instead
of teaching them to cheat sIllfully or
misrepresent scientifically, as'many do.
they should teach them honesty and by
precept and example impress their
minds with the necessity of order, punct-
uality and attention to the claims of
religion and benevolence. "No man
liveth unto himself" and by the very
circumstances in which they are placed
as we'll as by the necessity of their eX-
istence. Employers are set for the
rising or falling of many.
The press owes an important duty to
young men. 1t can stimulate them to
good or infiame their passion for evil.
1t may ruin scores with ease. Books
and papers add largely IN forming the
moral and religious habits of the Young.
The imp essions received from the
press in one hour, NAV last through
life and transmit Its influence to future
ages. The work of the press is for
eternity and it should use its efforts to
guide the Young into the highway of
purity, morality and religion. | may
not speak of that trashy literature,
known as yellow backed which is
damning in its influence and only de-
moralizing in its tendencies and wholly
unfit for mental application and the
toll of daily life Away with all liter
airy trash and rubbish, but give US good
books. Down with all mean third rate
gossiping papers which exc out pre-
carious existence by pampering to the
lowest propensities of human nature,
that are base and puerile, but give US
well edited, spicy papers. that are ele-
waiting in their tone, purifying in their
influence and which we need not be
ashamed to put in the hands of women
and children. What is the duty of the
pulpit to young men. The pulpit is
Gods teaching institute. To neglect the
youth is a criminal disregard of the
Saviour 5 command. This class has
| claims on the ministrations of the pull
pit. The church owes 1t to young men
away from home to help them take
care Of the Sabbaths. When he ceases
to regard the Sabbath he is afoat
in a stream from which it will be
difficult to rescue himself. She must
reclaim the backslider, raise the fallen
and cooperate with them in everything
that tends to their profit, or the use
| fulness of society. They desire the
appreciation of the wise and good. Thew
are the hope of the world, but if ignor-
ance, vice, ungoverned passion and
irreligion are found among them, they
will be the mildew of our country s
beauty, the dry rot on the pillars that
support the state; the secret poison
contamlnatIng the fountain of purity
and truth and instead of advancing the
kingdom of Christ they are helping on
j.! the kingdom of darkness. The church
recognizes the power of the young men
| and so she strives to interest them in
her work and the labors of the Y. NJ.
c. A. of the land show what conse-
Grated and earnest effort can do. Young
men can be-they have been the means
of winning many for Christ, and these
shall shine as stars in their crown of
rejoicing. The church must give them
work to do and then they must not be
afraid to take hold of It. Every min
lister needs young men, the church
needs them, and society needs their
cooperation. Young men may change
the moral tODn nf INV nOprprp,4,, W,