Year: 1875

"Will You not uso your influence in
trying TO deter largo boys from con.
taminnting tho minds Of smaller boys
Things which should be told ID whole,
some manner and as solemn truths are
distorted Into vile shapes, and permanent
injury is done to chillrun's minds,
Would it not be better for tho body 10
be poisoned than the mind, that parents
might sec the harm done, aud thereby
DO enabled to use cures and antidOtes I
But | am sorry to sny that / think the
trouble lies deeper than with the big
boys. 1 have been looking around, and
am quite sure that ittloes. A Jury might
aoquit them with the verdict, more ginned
against than shining. II is the mon that
l am coming at, for Just SO long as they
meet in groceries, on street corners, aud
in shops, telling stories unfit for tho ears
OF their mothers, sisters, wives and
daughters, Just 80 long big boys will
listen and think II cunning TO emulate
tho filthy example. Is it not n terrible
thing to look into young mans face
and think Of the impurities his mind
must be loaded with unless ho has
had strength to cast Off tho unclCan
thing and bo n noblemanl"


No subject more vital in its bearing on
tho morals Of tho young could have
place in this column, says the New York
Tribune, in reply 10 tho above letter.
There are parents who recognize among
the duties they owe their children that
Of instructing them with respect to the
origin Of life. This is left sllrouded in
impenetrnblo mystery, and all manner
OF lies are told in reply to the questions
which ut very carly age children will
ask. The mother leaves this matter for
her daughter to DO told about by any
chance schoolmate, who, with tho few
grains OF truth she mny communicate, is
moro than likely to SOW tares that never
can be weeded out, The innocent
hearted boy learns from his rough com
panions what his own father or mother
should have told him with perfect
simplicity and righteousness, and learns
great deal that they would mover have
had him know. Truth is sacred, truth
is pure and never corrupts any one. 1t
is the vile admixture Of falsehood with
It that contaminates. Every fact in
human physiology eau be so communi-
Gated to q pure mind TINT its delicacy
shnll not be in the least offended. The
time TO make these facts known Is when
the desire to inquire into them mnpifests
itself, and tho best teacher is the parent.
AS between husband and wife, 80 between
parent and child thore is no place for
shame. Where virtue reigns shame can.
not como.


A child thus taken into sacrel intimacy
with It's parent will instinctiyely revolt
from Whatever Is vulgar and baso and OBJ.
sccne. At every period in tho develop
mont of tho young life the parent should
bo before everybody else in preparing
and fortifying his son or daughter against
the dangers which lie in his or her path.
There is nothing TINT 80 strongly binds
child to virtue and honor and chastity,
rs perfect and unrcstrained intimacy
between it and tho father and mother.
We aro careful about the sownge OF our
houses, about ventilating them, and SEQ
to 1t with diligence thnt every nook and
corner is kept neat and sweet. Let us
carry the same thing into character and
open all tho doors and windows OF the
soul by total frankness and transparent
simplicity, that the pure air and sun
shine OF heaven may have access to
them and keep them pure.


One word more. II homo is made so
attractive that boys and mon prefer it
to the corner groceries, an ounce of pre-.
vention will bo found better than many
pounds OF cure.