Year: 1859

Will they realize our expectations No
| unless they are properly trained. What may


we reasonably expect of them? That they
should be the strength and ornament of the age


in which they live, contribute largely to the
| happiness of the present and the glory of the
future. What sort of training do they need !


A partial answer may be found in the follow
ing specifications:


They must be trained to habits of industry


The idea should be very early implanted in the
| minds of children that they were sent into the


world to do something. Work is repugnant


to natural Incidence. In highly artificial
state of society work becomes questionable
and Is left for such as are unable to live with
out 1t. There is a state Of society in which in
dustry IS the prevailing habit few think Offset
ting down into barbarian, or rising up into ar
istocratic Incidence. This has been for two
| centuries the common state of society in New
England, and in good degree is so still. Yet
there are unquestionable symptoms of ten
dency toward fashionable Incidence scarcely
less prencious in its influence than the stupidi-
ty of barSarians. There is no occasion for
proof of the truth OF the common remark that
children are not brought up to work as they
used to be-" In is coming to be regarded as a
very fine thing to be young gentleman or a
young lady, though at the expense of toll and
treasure which the parental sinews and purse
can i'll afford to spare. And this tendency is
IN many cases fostered by the parents. The
fault is not at all the childrens. If the senti-
ment among the adults was right on this point
there would be little occasion to complain


III. Il
ry can be formed in those now coming up, as
well as in those of past generations When
would men have loved to work unless they had
been trained to it by the supervision of their
elders or by the providence of God! re- s1.55.
\ With the accumulation of wealth there arises
often feeling of independence, and then feel
ing OF superiority to. work. Labor is looked
upon as degrading for gentlemen and ladies.
although they cannot take single step in their
fashionable career without the results of much
pains=taking labor. When men are ashamed
to labor, they ought to be ashamed to cat the
fruit of toll, for it surely is more honorable to
produce than to consumes


1t those who rise from moderate circum-
stances to affluence, are not themselves lifted
above work. their children may be. This is
one of the evils commonly incident to wealth.
that it induces a style of living which makes
the young who are brought up in it, to feel
that they have enough already, or shall have
without labor on their part. It requires great
watchfulness on the part of the parents to pre-
vent this conclusion. Ard this conclusion once
reached. there is likely to be an end of all ear
nest endeavors TO do arork in life worthy of
man OF woman. The influence of this conclu-
sion will not be confined to those who entertain
it. Their feelings of superiority to labor will
be communicated to those who have not the
same occasion for them. The children Of the
poor will think it great hardship t]at they
should be compelled to earn their bread by the
sweat of the face, when they see others luxuriat-
ing in abundance without carefalness They
do not wish to submit to the i4dienity of Iator
when the fashionable sentiment Of the commu-
nifty has put that brand upon it. Hence they,
too, seek for an easier and more popular way
of living than by work, and not few arc be-
trayed into crime as the consequence, as the
penitentiary and the house of industry can tes-
tify.


There is currert at this day, strong dispo-
sition to turn life into a holiday. Pleasure,
pleasure, this is the cry Of multitudes. Invcn-
ton is tortured to suggest some new form of
amusement, or to give a new zest to old ones.
Many do nothing else, attempt nothing else,
but firt from pleasure to pleasure through the
livelong day. The first thing, the second thing,
the last. and the only thing with them is sport


They seek it now in one form and place, and
now in another. Preparation for it, and en-
gagement in it, engross the whole thought and
time. Now it is not questioned that young
persons should have amusements, and enter
heartily into them, but they should be the ex-
ception and not the rule in life: recreation
from business, and not business themselves
Amusement is in order to work, to Tighten its
| burden and enhance its reward, but must not


be allowed to displace it. When one has
worked well he is entitled to play, and. in fact
then only is he fitted to play. The industrious
only know how to enjoy their leisure. The idler
the pleasure seeker, is often burden to him
self, and always to others. To the young of
both sexes, l would say, have an honest bust
ness. either Of the head or the hand, all your
lives, be dilligent in it, and be not above any
work which God in his providence shall set to
your hand. Hear what the wise man saith:-
1.-The desire of the slothful killeth him, for his
hands refuse to labor He that 1oveth pleas
'ure shall be poor man, and he that loveth


wine and oil shall not be rich' What an ex-


act description in this passage of the sporting


gentleman of this day. Pleasure, wine and


cosmetics. These are his gods. The wise man


has word also for our daughters: "Who can
| find virtuous woman !, for her prise is far a
bove rubies She seeketh wool and fax, and


lcoTketh 1ciLlingty tcth her hands She looketh


well to the ways of her household, and eateth


not the bread of idleness." The 3lst chapter
! of Proverbs has much of the same style, pat


tern certainly very unlike that seen in the


bellies of modern fashionable society, but as


much superior as the delneator of the former
excels in wisdom the contrivers and exhibitors
| of the latter -Cong1cgatioaaiist.