University of Virginia Library

12. A Chapter for Boys.

BOYS, this chapter is for you. It is written and printed expressly for you. The author does not care very much if a single page is not read by grown men, but is very solicitous that every boy shall read each line thoughtfully and carefully, weighing well the facts presented, and the words of warning offered. You may find nothing to laugh at, nothing pleasing; but you will find something to think about, something worth pondering and remembering.

Genuine Boys. — Real boys are scarce now-a-days. In the days of Methuselah, male human beings were still boys when nearly a century old; twenty-five years ago, boys were still such until well out of their "teens," now, the interval between infancy and the age at which the boy becomes a young man is so brief that boyhood is almost a thing of the past. The happy period of carefree, joyous innocence which formerly intervened between childhood and early manhood is now almost unobservable. Boys grow old too fast. They learn to imitate the vices and the manners of their seniors before they reach their teens, and are impatient to be counted as men, no matter how great may be their deficiencies, their unfitness for the important duties and responsibilities of life. The consequence of this inordinate haste and impatience to be old, is premature decay. Unfortu-

nately, the general tendency of the boys of the rising generation is to copy the vices of their elders, rather than the virtues of true manliness. A strong evidence of this fact, if there were no other, is the unnaturally old-looking faces which so many of our boys present. At the present time the average boy of twelve knows more of vice and sin than the youth of twenty of the past generation.

Human Mushrooms. — It is not so much for these human mushrooms, which may be not inaptly compared to toadstools which grow up in a single night and almost as speedily decay, that we write, but for the old-fashioned boys, the few such there may be; those who have not yet learned to love sin; those whose minds are still pure and uncontaminated; those who are not ashamed to be counted as boys, who are an ornament to boyhood, and a delight to their parents. Those who have already begun a course of vice and wickedness, we have little hope of reforming; but we are anxious to offer a few words of counsel and warning which may possibly help to save as brands plucked from a blazing fire, those whose moral sense is yet alive, who have quick and tender consciences, who aspire to be truly noble and good. We trust, however, that a few who may have already entered upon a course of sin, will heed the warnings given, and reform before they have been wholly ruined by the terrible consequences of vice.

"What are Boys for?" — This question was answered with exact truthfulness by a little boy, who, when contemptuously accosted by a man with the remark, "What are you good for?" replied, "Men are made of such as we." Boys are the beginnings of men. They sustain

the same relation to men that a small shrub does to a full-grown tree. They are still more like the small green apples which first appear when the blossoms drop from the branches, compared with the ripe, luscious fruit which in autumn bends the heavy-laden boughs almost to breaking. Often, like the young apples, boys are green; but this is only natural, and should be considered no disgrace to them. If they grow up naturally, they will ripen with age, like the fruit, developing at each successive stage of life additional attractions and estimable qualities.

Boys the Hope of the World. — The worlds most valuable property is its boys. A nation which has poor, weakly, vicious boys, will have still weaker, more vicious and untrustworthy men. A country with noble, virtuous, vigorous boys, is equally sure of having noble, pious, brave, and energetic men. Whatever debases, contaminates, or in any way injures the boys of a country, saps and undermines the very foundation of the nation's strength and greatness. Save the boys from vice and crime, give them good training, physically, mentally, and morally, and the prosperity of the nation is assured.

Man, the Masterpiece. — When a skillful artist perfects a work of art, a painting, a drawing, a statue, or some other work requiring great talent and exceeding all his other efforts, it is called his masterpiece. So man is the noblest work of God, the masterpiece of the Almighty. Numerous anecdotes are told of the sagacity of dogs, horses, elephants, and other animals, of their intelligence as shown in their ingenious devices for overcoming obstacles, avoiding difficulties, etc. Our admiration and wonder are often excited by the scarcely less

than human wisdom shown by these lowly brothers of the human race. We call them noble animals; but they are only noble brutes, at best. Compared with man, even in his most humble form, as seen in the wild savage that hunts and devours his prey like a wild beast, a lion or a tiger, they are immeasurably inferior. And in his highest development, man-civilized, cultivated, Christianized, learned, generous, pious-certainly stands at the head of all created things.

Boys, do you love what is noble, what is pure, what is grand, what is good? You may each, if you will, be come such yourselves. Let us consider for a moment —

How a Noble Character is Formed. — Every human being forms his own character. Various traits and characteristics may be inherited from parents; but character is built up by one's own efforts, and is good or bad as we ourselves make it. As a modern philosopher has said, "Our thoughts and our conduct are our own." A noble character is formed by the development of good qualities, and the suppression of bad ones. Real improvement is from within outward, and comes from an individual's own efforts. A boy can form a noble, elevated, lovable character by cultivating good and pure thoughts, which will certainly actuate to only good and pure actions. By constant effort, evil tendencies, which have been inherited, may be overcome; good traits may be so developed as to overshadow the evil of an unfortunate nature. Thus all may form noble characters, no matter how adverse the circumstances under which they live, or the natural disadvantages with which they have to contend.

How a Noble Character is Ruined. — A bad character

is formed by the development of bad traits or evil propensities. In other words, sin is the cause of the demoralization of character, the debasing of the mind, the loss of nobility, of which we see so much around us in the world. When one yields to temptations to wrong doing, either such as come from one's own evil nature, or from evil associates or surroundings, he makes a blemish upon his character which years may not remove. An ugly scar will ever remain to mar his character.

Sin is the violation of some law. There are two kinds of sin: that which is a transgression of the moral law, and that which is a transgression of physical law. In one sense, all sin is transgression of moral law; for it is the moral duty of every one to obey every law which relates to his well-being. Both classes of sin are followed by penalties. If a person violates the laws of health, he is just as certain to suffer as though he tells a falsehood, steals, murders, or commits any other crime. Perfect obedience to all of nature's laws, including, of course, all moral laws, is necessary to perfect health and perfect nobility of character. The nature of these laws and the result of transgression will be understood after we have taken a hasty glance at —

A Wonderful Machine. — All the inventions and devices ever constructed by the human hand or conceived by the human mind, no matter how delicate, how intricate and complicated, are simple, childish toys compared with that most marvelously wrought mechanism, the human body. Its parts are far more delicate, and their mutual adjustments infinitely more accurate, than are those of the most perfect chronometer ever made.

In order to understand the structure of this wonder-

ful machine, let us go back to the earliest period of its existence. At this time, we find it to be but a mere speck of matter, a single cell, a delicate little mass of jelly-like protoplasm so small that a hundred or two would not measure more than an inch if arranged in a row. Under proper circumstances, this little cell grows, expands, and finally subdivides into two, through the operations of the protoplasm, or living matter, which chiefly composes it. The same activity occasions another subdivision, making four cells of the two. Still another division produces eight cells.

Thus the processes of growth and division continue until the one original cell has developed into hundreds, even thousands and millions, under the active working of the protoplasm, which is the chief component of the cells, and the potent agent in their activities. Development and division still continue while a new process of folding is set up, layers of cells being formed, groups and subgroups being set off, which develop into special systems and organs, until by and by the whole complex organism which we call man is developed.

What the Microscope Reveals. — To enable us to comprehend more fully how "fearfully and wonderfully made" is the "human form divine," let us examine with minute care, by the aid of a powerful microscope, one single part of the body, the blood. A prick of the finger secures a tiny drop of red blood, which we place upon a small slip of glass, and adjust under the microscope. The magical instrument presents to view a scene of such rare beauty as seldom meets the human eye. The red blood has faded out to a faint amber color, and the whole field is swarming with tiny creatures of the

most delicate and symmetrical structure, which float about singly, or cling together in little groups. Here and there may be seen some a little larger than the others, though still so small that three thousand of them arranged in a row would extend but one inch, curious little round masses, so transparent as to be almost invisible. They are not very numerous, but scattered here and there about the field.

Presently we perceive that some are changing their form. A moment ago, the first one we inspected was as round as a watch crystal; now it has become elliptical in form. A few minutes later, we look again, and it has stretched itself out into a long filament like an angle-worm. Presently it begins to draw itself up into a round mass again; and in less time than is required to describe the action, it has assumed its original shape, but has changed its position. That is the way the little creature moves about. It makes itself into the shape of a worm, and crawls just as a worm does, by making one end fast, and drawing the rest of the body up.

But what does it move about for? Why may it not remain stationary? Shortly we shall see, if we watch carefully. Even now the reason is evident. Reader, just peep over our shoulder a moment. Put your eye down to the eye-piece of our microscope. Do you see the little fellow? Look sharp, and you will. A few seconds ago it was round as a full moon. Now there is a little pocket in one side. The pocket is growing deeper and deeper. What is the object of such a curious procedure? Let us put on another eye-piece. Now we have magnified the object a million times. See

how much larger it looks. Now look at the pocket. The mystery is solved. There is a little speck of food which the little creature wishes to get, and so he has made a pocket to put it in.

The queerest part is yet to come, so we must watch patiently a moment more. Now the mouth of the pocket is closing up. Evidently, the little fellow is afraid he may lose the precious morsel, and so he is going to shut the pocket to prevent its escape. Now the opening is closed, and before we are aware of it, the pocket has itself disappeared, and there is the little particle inside.

This seems a marvelous process, but it is a peculiar way these little fellows have of taking their food. When they wish to eat, they make a mouth or a stomach on purpose for the occasion. If we wait a few moments, we shall see that the little particle so curiously swallowed has disappeared; it is now digested.

Thus we see, by studying the habits of these wonderful little creatures which live in the blood, that although having no legs, wings, or other organs of locomotion, they move from place to place at will; having no hands, they feel; having no mouths, they eat; though possessed of no stomach, they digest. They are born, develop, grow old and infirm, and die, just as larger creatures. Each has its own separate life, and its special duties to perform, just as have horses, oxen, dogs, and the human beings of whom they form a part.

Thus we learn that the blood is a stream, coursing through the various channels of the body, known as arteries and veins, carrying in each drop millions of creatures which live and grow in the limpid fluid like the fishes in our rivers, or like the birds in the air.

These little creatures are known to science as blood corpuscles. Every part of the body is likewise composed of living creatures, which has each his special work to do. Those of the same class, or which have the same kind of labor to perform, are grouped together, just as glass-blowers, printers, and other persons of the same trade, are associated together in their work. All these groups of living beings, working together, make up that wonderful machine, the human body, the most important parts of which we will now proceed to study.

In order that an individual human being may live and develop, it is necessary that he should eat, drink, digest, and assimilate, and that he should be able to move about, to perceive; that is, to hear, see, feel, smell, taste, determine weight, and distinguish temperature, to think, and to express ideas in language. In order to keep his vital machinery in order, it is necessary that the body should also be able to repair injuries which may occur in consequence of wear or accident, and to remove worn-out material which would otherwise obstruct the working of the delicate machinery of which his body is constructed. Each of these functions requires special organs and apparatuses to carry on the work; and these we will now briefly consider: —

The Nutritive Apparatus. — This consists of organs for the purpose of taking in food or nourishment, digesting it, and distributing it throughout the body wherever it is needed. These are chiefly the mouth and teeth for receiving and chewing the food, the stomach and intestines for digesting and absorbing it, and the heart and blood-vessels for distributing it to the body.

The Moving Apparatus. — For the purpose of pro-

ducing motion, we have the muscles and the bones, by which the food is received, masticated, and swallowed, the blood circulated, the body moved about from place to place, and speech, expression, respiration, and many other important functions performed.

The Thinking and Feeling Apparatus. — The brain and nerves afford the means of thinking and feeling, also giving rise to all the activities of the body by the production of nerve force. To aid the brain and nerves, we have special organs provided, termed the organs of special sense; as the eye for sight, the ear for hearing, the nose for the detection of odors, the tongue for tasting, the skin and the mucous membrane for the sense of touch.

The Purifying Apparatus. — Waste matter accumulates in the body so rapidly that it is necessary to have abundant and efficient means to remove the same, and prevent death by obstruction. This work is performed by the lungs, liver, kidneys, skin, and mucous membrane.

Each organ and tissue possesses the power to repair itself. Animal heat, which is also necessary to life, is not produced by any special set of organs, but results incidentally from the various other processes named.

The Reproductive Apparatus. — As there is a stomach to digest, a brain to think, a pair of lungs to breathe, etc., so there are special organs for reproducing the species or producing new individuals. Unlike all the other organs of the body, they are intended for use only after full development of manhood has been attained; consequently, they are only partially developed in childhood, becoming perfected as the person becomes older, espe-

cially after about the age of fourteen to eighteen, when puberty occurs. The lungs, the stomach, the muscles, and other organs must be used constantly from the earliest period of infancy, and hence are developed sufficiently for efficient use at birth. The fact that the sexual or reproductive organs are only fully developed later on in life, is sufficient evidence that they are intended for use only when the body has become fully matured and well developed.

The Down-Hill Road. — In every large city, and in small ones too, even in little villages, we can scarcely step upon the street without being pained at meeting little boys who have perhaps scarcely learned to speak distinctly, but whose faces show very plainly that they have already taken several steps down the steep hillside of vice. All degrees of wickedness are pictured on the faces of a large proportion of the boys we meet upon the streets, loitering about the corners, loafing in hotels, groceries, and about bar-room doors. Everywhere we meet small faces upon which sin and vice are as clearly written as though the words were actually spelled out. Lying, swearing, smoking, petty stealing, and brazen impudence are among the vices which contaminate thousands and thousands of the boys who are by and by to become the men of this country, to constitute its legislators, its educators, its supporters, and its protectors. Is it possible that such boys can become good, useful, noble, trustworthy men? If the seeds of noxious weeds can be made to produce useful plants or beautiful flowers, or if a barren, worthless shrub can be made to bear luscious fruit, then may we expect to see these vicious boys grow up into virtuous, useful men.

But the vices mentioned are not the worst, whose traces we see stamped upon the faces of hundreds of boys, some of whom, too, would scorn to commit any one of the sins named. There is another vice, still more terrible, more blighting in its effects, a vice which defiles, diseases, and destroys the body, enervates, degrades, and finally dethrones the mind, debases and ruins the soul. It is to this vice that we wish especially to call attention. It is known as —

Self-Abuse. — Secret vice, masturbation, and self-pollution are other names applied to the same awful sin against nature and against God. We shall not explain here the exact nature of the sin, as very few boys are so ignorant or so innocent as to be unacquainted with it. To this sin and its awful consequences we now wish to call the attention of all who may read these lines.

A Dreadful Sin. — The sin of self-pollution is one of the vilest, the basest, and the most degrading that a human being can commit. It is worse than beastly. Those who commit it place themselves far below the meanest brute that breathes. The most loathsome reptile, rolling in the slush and slime of its stagnant pool, would not bemean itself thus. It is true that monkeys sometimes have the habit, but only when they have been taught it by vile men or boys. A boy who is thus guilty, ought to be ashamed to look into the eyes of an honest dog. Such a boy naturally shuns the company of those who are pure and innocent. He cannot look with assurance into his mother's face. It is difficult for any one to catch his eye, even for a few seconds. He feels his guilt, and acts it out, thus making it known to every one. Let such a boy think how he must appear

in the eyes of the Almighty. Let him only think of the angels, pure, innocent, and holy, who are eye-witnesses of his shameful practices. Is not the thought appalling? Would he dare commit such a sin in the presence of his father, his mother, or his sisters? How, then, will he dare to defile himself in the presence of Him from whose all-seeing eye nothing is hid?

The Bible utters the most solemn warnings against sexual sins. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone for such transgressions. Onan was struck dead in the act of committing a vileness of this sort. For similar vices the wicked inhabitants of Palestine were destroyed, and their lands given to the Hebrews. For a single violation of the seventh commandment, one of the most notable Bible characters, David, suffered to the day of his death. Those who imagine that this sin is not a transgression of the seventh commandment, may be assured that this most heinous, revolting, and unnatural vice is in every respect more pernicious, more debasing, and more immoral than what is generally considered as violation of the commandment which says, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," and is a most flagrant violation of the same same commandment.

Those who imagine that they "have a right to do as they please with themselves," so long as no one else is immediately affected, must learn that we are not our own masters; we belong to our Creator, and are accountable to God, not only for the manner in which we treat our fellow-men, but for how we treat ourselves, for the manner in which we use the bodies which he has given us. The man who commits suicide, who takes his

own life, is a murderer as much as he who kills a fellowman. So, also, he who pollutes himself in the manner we are considering, violates the seventh commandment, although the crime is in both cases committed against himself. Think of this, ye youth who defile yourselves in secret, and seek to escape the punishment of sin. In heaven a faithful record of your vile commandment-breaking is kept, and you must meet it by and by. You are fixing your fate for eternity; and each daily act in some degree determines what it shall be. Are you a victim of this debasing vice? Stop, repent, reform, before you are forever ruined, — a mental, moral, and physical wreck.

Self-Murderers. — Of all the vices to which human beings are addicted, no other so rapidly undermines the constitution and so certainly makes a complete wreck of an individual as this, especially when the habit is begun at an early age. It wastes the most precious part of the blood, uses up the vital forces, and finally leaves the poor victim a most utterly ruined and loathsone{sic} object. If a boy should be deprived of both hands and feet, and should lose his eyesight, he would still be infinitely better off than the boy who for years gives himself up to the gratification of lust in secret vice. For such a boy to become a strong, vigorous man is just as impossible as it would be to make a mammoth tree out of a currant bush. Such a man will necessarily be short-lived. He will always suffer from the effects of his folly, even though he shall marry. If he has children, — he may become incapable, — they will be quite certain to be puny, weak, scrofulous, consumptive, rickety, nervous, depraved in body and mind, or otherwise deprived

of the happiness which grows out of the possession of "a sound mind in a sound body."

Let us notice a little more closely the terrible effects resulting from this most unnatural and abominable vice.

What Makes Boys Dwarfs? — How many times have we seen boys who were born with good constitutions, with force and stamina sufficient to develop them into large, vigorous men, become puny dwarfs. At the time when they ought to begin to grow and develop more rapidly than ever before, their growth is checked, and they cease to develop. They are, in fact, stunted, dwarfed, like a plant which has a canker-worm eating away at its roots. Indeed, there is a veritable canker-worm sapping their vitality, undermining their constitutions, and destroying their prospects for time and for eternity. Anxious friends may attribute the unhappy change to overwork, overstudy, or some similar cause; but from a somewhat extended observation, we are thoroughly convinced that the very vice which we are considering is the viper which blights the prospects and poisons the existence of many of these promising boys.

A boy who gives himself up to the practice of secret vice at an early age, say as early as seven to ten years, is certain to make himself a wreck. Instead of having a healthy, vigorous body, with strong muscles and a hardy constitution, he will be weak, scrawny, sickly, always complaining, never well, and will never know anything about that joyous exuberance of life and animal spirits which the young antelope feels as he bounds over the plain, or the vigorous young colt as it frisks about its pasture and which every youth ought to feel.

Scrawny, Hollow-Eyed Boys. — Boys ought to be fresh and vigorous as little lambs. They ought to be plump, rosy, bright-eyed, and sprightly. A boy who is pale, scrawny, hollow-eyed, dull, listless, has something the matter with him. Self-abuse makes thousands of just such boys every year; and it is just such boys that make vicious, shiftless, haggard, unhappy men. This horrible vice steals away the health and vitality which are needed to develop body and mind; and the lad that ought to make his mark in the world, that ought to become a distinguished statesman, orator, clergyman, physician, or author, becomes little more than a living animal, a mere shadow of what he ought to have been

Old Boys. — Often have we felt sad when we have heard fond mothers speaking in glowing terms of the old ways of their sons, and rather glorying that they looked so much older than they were. In nine cases out of ten, these old-looking boys owe their appearance to this vile habit; for it is exceedingly common, and its dreadful effects in shriveling and dwarfing and destroying the human form are too plainly perceptible, when present, to be mistaken. Oh, this dreadful curse! Why will so many of our bright, innocent boys pollute themselves with it?

What Makes Idiots? — Reader, have you ever seen an idiot? If you have, the hideous picture will never be dissipated from your memory. The vacant stare, the drooping, drooling mouth, the unsteady gait, the sensual look, the emptiness of mind, — all these you well remember. Did you ever stop to think how idiots are made? It is by this very vice that the ranks of these poor daft mortals are being recruited every day. Every

visitor to an insane asylum sees scores of them; ruined in mind and body, only the semblance of a human being, bereft of sense, lower than a beast in many respects, a human being hopelessly lost to himself and to the world, — oh, most terrible thought! — yet once pure, intelligent, active, perhaps the hope of a fond mother, the pride of a doting father, and possibly possessed of natural ability to become greatly distinguished in some of the many noble and useful walks of life; now sunk below the brute through the degrading, destroying influence of a lustful gratification.

Boys, are you guilty of this terrible sin? have you even once in this way yielded to the tempter's voice? Stop, consider, think of the awful results, repent, confess to God, reform. Another step in that direction, and you may be lost, soul and body. You cannot dally with the tempter. You must escape now or never. Do n't delay.

Young Dyspeptics. — If we leave out of the consideration the effects of bad food and worse cookery, there is in our estimation no other cause so active as this in occasioning the early breaking down of the digestive organs of our American boys. A boy ten or twelve years of age ought to have a stomach capable of digesting anything not absolutely indigestible; but there are to-day thousands and thousands of boys of that age whose stomachs are so impaired as to be incapable of digesting any but the most simple food. The digestion being ruined, decay of the teeth soon follows. Hardly one boy in a dozen has perfectly sound teeth. With a bad stomach and bad teeth, a foundation for disease is laid which is sure to result in early decay of the whole body.

A Cause of Consumption. — In this awful vice do we find a cause, too, for the thousands of cases of consumption in young men. At the very time when they ought to be in their prime, they break down in health, and become helpless invalids for life, or speedily sink into an early grave.

Upon their tombstones might justly be graven, "Here lies a self-murderer." Providence is not to blame; nor is climate, weather, overwork, overstudy, or any other even seemingly plausible cause to be blamed. Their own sins have sunk them in mental, moral, and physical perdition. Such a victim literally dies by his own hand, a veritable suicide. Appalling thought! It is a grand thing to die for one's principles, a martyr to right and truth. One may die blameless who is the victim of some dire contagious malady which he could not avoid; even the poor, downcast misanthrope, whose hopes are blighted and whose sorrows multiplied, may possibly be in some degree excused for wishing to end his misery with his life; but the wretched being who sheds his life-blood by the disgusting maneuvers of self-pollution,-what can be said to extenuate his guilt? His is a double crime. He will perish, overwhelmed with his own vileness. Let him die, and return to the dust from which he sprang. Let him pass from the memory of his fellow-men.

The Race Ruined by Boys. — The human race is growing weaker year by year. The boys of to-day would be no match in physical strength for the hale, sturdy youths of a century ago, their great-grandparents. An immense amount of skillful training enables now and then one to accomplish some wonderful feat of

walking, rowing, or swimming; but we hear very little of remarkable feats of labor accomplished by our modern boys. Even the country boys of to-day cannot endure the hard work which their fathers did at the same age; and we doubt not that this growing physical weakness is one of the reasons why so large a share of the boys whose fathers are farmers, and who have been reared on farms, are unwilling to follow the occupation of their fathers for a livelihood. They are too weakly to do the work required by an agricultural life, even by the aid of the numerous labor-saving inventions of the age.

What is it that is undermining the health of the race, and sapping the constitutions of our American men? No doubt much may be attributed to the unnatural refinements of civilization in several directions; but there can be no doubt that vice is the most active cause of all. Secret sin and its kindred vices ruin more constitutions every year than hard work, severe study, hunger, cold, privation, and disease combined.

Boys, the destiny of the race is in your hands. You can do more than all the doctors, all the scientists and most eminent political men in the world, to secure the prosperity and future greatness of the nation, by taking care of yourselves, by being pure, noble, true to yourselves and to the demands of high moral principle.

Cases Illustrating the Effects of Self-Abuse. — The land is full of poor human wrecks who have dashed in pieces their hopes for this world, and too often for the next also, against this hideous rock which lies hidden in the pathway of every young man who starts out upon life's stormy voyage. Gladly would we cover them and all their dreadful deformities, with the mantle of

charity from the gaze of their fellow-beings; but their number is so great that this could scarcely be done, and the lesson to be learned from their sad fate is such a grave one, and so needful for the good of the generation of young men who are just encountering the same dangers, that we cannot resist the promptings of duty to present a few examples of the effects of vice in men and boys that have fallen under our own observation. We have seen hundreds of cases of this sort; have treated many scores of persons for the effects of the terrible crime which we are seeking to sound a warning against, and the number of cases we might describe would fill a volume; but we will select only a very few.

Two Young Wrecks. — Charles and Oscar B — — were the sons of a farmer in a Western State, aged respectively ten and twelve years. They possessed well-formed heads, and once had beautiful faces, and were as bright and sprightly as any little boys of their age to be found anywhere. Their father was proud of them, and their fond mother took great pleasure in building bright hopes for her darling sons when they should attain maturity, and become competent to fill useful and honorable positions in the world. Living in a rapidly-growing Western community, they had every prospect of growing up to honorable usefulness, a comfort to their parents, a blessing to the world, and capable of enjoying life in the highest degree.

But suddenly certain manifestations appeared which gave rise to grave apprehensions on the part of the parents. It was observed that the elder of the little boys no longer played about with that nimbleness which he

had formerly shown, but seemed slow and stiff in his movements. Sometimes, indeed, he would stagger a little when he walked. Soon, also, his speech became affected in some degree; he mumbled his words, and could not speak distinctly. In spite of all that could be done, the disease continued, increasing slowly in all its symptoms from week to week. Soon the hands, also, became affected, so that the little boy could not feed himself. The mind now began to fail. The bright eyes became vacant and expressionless. Instead of the merry light which used to shine in them, there was a blank, idiotic stare.

Imagine the grief and anguish of the poor mother! No one but a mother who has been called to pass through a similar trial could know how to sympathize with such an one. Her darling son she saw daily becoming a prey to a strange, incurable malady, with no power even to stay the progress of the terrible disease.

But there was still greater grief in store for her. Within a year or two the younger son began to show symptoms of the same character, and in spite of all that was done, rapidly sank into the same helpless state as his brother. As a last resort, the mother took her boys, and came a long journey to place them under our care. At that time they were both nearly helpless. Neither could walk but a few steps. They reeled and staggered about like drunken men, falling down upon each other, and going through the most agonizing contortions in their attempts to work their way from one chair to another and thus about the room. Their heads were no longer erect, but drooped like wilted flowers. On their faces was a blank, imbecile expression, with

few traces of their former intelligence left. The mouth was open, from the drooping of the lower jaw, and the saliva constantly dribbled upon the clothing. Altogether, the sight of them was a most appalling spectacle.

We at once set to work to discover the cause of this dreadful condition, believing that such an awful punishment should certainly be the result of some gross violation of nature's laws somewhere. The most careful scrutiny of the history of the parents of the unfortunate lads gave us no clue to anything of an hereditary character, both parents having come of good families, and having been always of sober, temperate habits. The father had used neither liquor nor tobacco in any form. The mother could give no light on the matter, and we were obliged to rest for the time being upon the conviction which fastened itself upon us that the cases before us were most marked illustrations of the results of self-abuse begun at a very early age. The mother thought it impossible that our suspicions could be correct, saying that she had watched her sons with jealous care from earliest infancy, and had seen no indications of any error of the sort. But we had not long to wait for confirmation of our view of the case, as they were soon caught in the act, to which it was found that they were greatly addicted, and the mystery was wholly solved.

Every possible remedy was used to check the terrible disease which was preying upon the unfortunate boys, but in vain. At times the symptoms would be somewhat mitigated, and the most sanguine hopes of the fond, watching mother would be excited, but in vain. The improvement was always but temporary, and the poor sufferers would speedily relapse into the same dreadful

condition again, and gradually grow worse. At last the poor mother was obliged to give up all hope, in utter despair watching the daily advances of the awful malady which inch by inch destroyed the life, the humanity, the very mind and soul of her once promising sons. Sadly she took them back to her Western home, there to see them suffer, perhaps for years before death should kindly release them, — the terrible penalty of sin committed almost before they had arrived at years of responsibility.

How these mere infants learned the vice, we were never able to determine. We have no doubt that opportunities sufficient were presented them, as the parents seemed to have very little appreciation of danger from this source. Had greater vigilance been exercised, we doubt not that the discovery of the vice at the beginning would have resulted in the salvation of these two beautiful boys, who were sacrificed upon the altar of concupiscence. Two or three years after we first saw the cases, we heard from them, and though still alive, their condition was almost too horrible for description. Three or four similar cases have come to our knowledge.

Boys, are you guilty? Think of the fearful fate of these boys, once as joyous and healthy as you. When you are tempted to sin, think of the fearful picture of the effects of sin which they present. Have you ever once dared to commit this awful Sin? Stop, never dare to do the thing again. Take a solemn vow before God to be pure. Your fate may be as sad, your punishment as terrible. No one can tell what the results may be. Absolute purity is the only safe course.

A Prodigal Youth. — A. M., son of a gentleman of wealth in Ohio, early acquired the evil practice which

has ruined so many bright lads. He was naturally an intelligent and prepossessing lad, and his father gave him as good an education as he could be induced to acquire, affording him most excellent opportunities for study and improvement. But the vile habit which had been acquired at an early age, speedily began its blighting influence. It destroyed his taste for study and culture. His mind dwelt upon low and vile subjects. He grew restless of home restraint and surroundings, and finally left the parental roof. Wandering from city to city, he grew rapidly worse, sinking into deeper depths of vice, until finally he became a base, besotted, wretched creature. Broken down in health by his sins, he could no longer enjoy even the most sensual pleasures; and with no taste for or capability of appreciating anything higher, he was most wretched indeed. The poor fellow then fell into the hands of quacks. His kind father sent him money in answer to his pitiful appeals for help, and he went anxiously from one to another of the wretched villains who promise relief to such sufferers, but only rob them of their money, and leave them worse than before.

At last, in total despair of everything else, the poor fellow came to us. He seemed quite broken-hearted and penitent for his sins, and really appeared to want to lead a better life if he could only be made well again. We faithfully pointed out to him the dreadful wickedness of his course, and the fact that a cure could only be effected by the most implicit obedience to all of nature's laws during his whole future life. Indeed, we were obliged to inform him of the sad fact that he could never be as well as before, that he must always suffer in con-

sequence of his dreadful course of transgression. We gave him a most earnest exhortation to begin the work of reform where alone it could be effectual, by reforming his heart; and the tears which coursed down his sin-scarred cheeks seemed to indicate true penitence and a real desire to return to the paths of purity and peace.

Earnestly we labored for this young man, for months employing every means in our power to lift him from the slough of sin and vice upon the solid pathway of virtue and purity again. Gradually the hard lines on his face seemed to lessen in intensity. The traces of vice and crime seemed to be fading out by degrees. We began to entertain hopes of his ultimate recovery. But alas! in an evil moment, through the influence of bad companions, he fell, and for some time we lost sight of him. A long time afterward we caught a glimpse of his bloated, sin-stained face, just as he was turning aside to avoid recognition. Where this poor human wreck is now leading his miserable existence we cannot say, but have no doubt he is haunting the dens of iniquity and sin in the cities, seeking to find a little momentary pleasure in the gratification of his appetites and passions. A hopeless wreck, with the lines of vice and crime drawn all over his tell-tale countenance, he dares not go home, for he fears to meet the reproachful glance of his doting mother, and the scornful looks of his brothers and sisters.

We never saw a more thoroughly unhappy creature. He is fully conscious of his condition. He sees himself to be a wreck, in mind, in body, and knows that he is doomed to suffer still more in consequence of his vices. He has no hope for this world or the next. His mother

gave him earnest, pious instructions, which he has never forgotten, though he has long tried to smother them. He now looks forward with terror to the fate which he well knows awaits all evil-doers, and shudders at the thought, but seems powerless to enter the only avenue which affords a chance of escape. He is so tormented with the pains and diseased conditions which he has brought upon himself by vice, that he often looks to self-destruction as a grateful means of escape; but then comes the awful foreboding of future punishment, and his hand is stayed. Ashamed to meet his friends, afraid to meet his Maker, he wanders about, an exile, an outcast, a hopeless wreck.

Young man, youth, have you taken the first step on this evil road? If so, take warning by the fate of this young man. At once "cease to do evil and learn to do well," before, like him, you lose the power to do right, before your will is paralyzed by sin so that when you desire to do right, to reform, your will and power to execute your good determinations fail to support your effort.

Barely Escaped. — L. R., of H — — , a young man about twenty-five years of age, presented himself for treatment, a few years ago, for the consequences of self-abuse. Having been taught the habit by evil companions when just merging into manhood, he had indulged his passions without restraint for several years, not knowing the evil consequences until he began to suffer the effects of sin. Then, being warned by his own experience, and by the fortunate thoughtfulness of an intelligent friend who surmised his condition and told him faithfully of the terrible results of the vile habit, he made a manly

effort to reform, and claimed to have wholly broken the habit. To his great grief he found, however, that the years in which he had devoted himself to sin had wrought sad havoc in his system. In many ways his health was greatly deranged, and his once powerful constitution was broken down. The sexual organs themselves were greatly diseased, so much so that a serious and painful surgical operation was necessary. With shame and mortification he looked upon his past life, and saw what a hideous work of evil he had wrought. His vileness stood out before him in a vivid light, and he felt ashamed to meet the gaze of his fellows.

After performing the necessary surgical operation upon this poor unfortunate, we dealt faithfully with him, pointing out to him the way by which he might with proper effort in some degree redeem himself by a life-long struggle against every form of impurity. He felt, and rightly, that the task was a most severe one. He well knew that the stamp of sin was on his countenance and in his mind. Thoughts long allowed to run upon vile subjects, forming filthy pictures in the imagination, are not easily brought back to the channel of purity and virtue. The mind that has learned to love to riot in impure dreams, does not readily acquire a love for the opposite. But he determined to make a brave and earnest effort, and we have every reason to believe that he has, in a measure at least, succeeded. But, if so, he has made a narrow escape. A few more years of sin, and his rescue would have been impossible; both mind and body would have been sunk so deep in the mire of concupiscence that nothing but Almighty power could have saved him from utter destruction.

Thousands of boys and young men are to-day standing on the slippery brink of that awful precipice from which but very few are snatched away. Soon they will plunge headlong over into the abyss of debasement and corruption, from whence they will never escape. Oh that we had the power to reach each one of these unfortunate youths before it is too late, and to utter in their ears such warnings, to portray before them such pictures of the sure results of a course of sin, that they might be turned back to the paths of chastity and virtue before they have become such mental, moral, and physical wrecks as we every day encounter in the walks of life. But not one in a thousand can be reached when they have gone so far in sin. When they have ventured once, they can rarely be checked in their downward course until great harm has been wrought which it will require the work of years to undo. The young man we have referred to made indeed a narrow escape, but no one can safely run such a risk. Even he must suffer all his life the consequences of a few years of sin.

A Lost Soul. — M. M., of — — , was the son of a mechanic in humble circumstances. He was an only child, and his parents spared no pains to do all in their power to insure his becoming a good and useful man. Good school advantages were given him, and at a proper age he was put to learn a trade. He succeeded fairly, and their hopes of his becoming all that they could desire were great, when he suddenly began to manifest peculiar symptoms. He had attended a religious revival, and seemed much affected, professing religion and becoming a member of the church. To the exercises of his mind on the subject of religion his friends attributed his

peculiar actions, which soon became so strange as to excite grave fears that his mind was seriously affected. At times he was wild, showing such unmistakable evidences of insanity that even his poor mother, who was loth to believe the sad truth, was forced to admit that he was deranged.

After a few months a change came over him, which encouraged his friends to think that he was recovering. He became quiet and tractable, never manifesting the furious symptoms before observed. But the deception was only temporary; for it was soon evident that the change was simply the result of the progress of the disease, and denoted a failure of the mental powers and the approach of imbecility. In this condition was the young man when he came under our care. We felt strongly impressed from our first examination of the case that it was one of sexual abuse; but we were assured by his friends in the most emphatic manner that such was an impossibility. It was claimed that the most scrupulous care had been bestowed upon him, and that he had been so closely watched that it was impossible that he should have been guilty of so gross a vice. His friends were disposed to attribute his sad condition to excessive exercise of mind upon religious subjects.

Not satisfied with this view of the case, we set a close watch upon him, and within a week his nurse reported that he had detected him in the act of self-pollution, when he confessed the truth, not being yet so utterly devoid of sense as to have lost his appreciation of the sinfulness of the act. When discovered, he exclaimed "I know I have made myself a fool," which was the exact truth.

At this time the once bright and intelligent youth had become so obtuse and stupid that he appeared almost senseless. His face wore an idiotic expression, and was rarely lighted up by a look of intelligence. It was only by the greatest exertion that he could be made to understand or to respond when spoken to. In whatever position he was placed, whether lying, sitting, or standing, no matter how constrained or painful, he would remain for hours, staring vacantly, as fixed and immovable as a statue. His countenance was blank and expressionless, except at rare intervals. His lips were always parted, and the saliva ran from the corners of his mouth down upon his clothing. The calls of nature were responded to involuntarily, constantly soiling his clothing and bedding in a most disgusting manner, and requiring the constant attention of a nurse to keep him in anything like a wholesome condition.

We did what we could to relieve this poor victim of unhallowed lust, but soon became convinced that no human arm could save from utter ruin this self-destroyed soul. At our suggestion the young man was removed, to be placed in an institution devoted to the care of imbeciles and lunatics. The last we heard of the poor fellow he was still sinking into lower depths of physical and mental degradation, — a soul utterly lost and ruined. How many thousands of young men who might have been useful members of society, lawyers, clergymen, statesmen, scientists, have thus sunk into the foul depths of the quagmire of vice, to rise no more forever! Oh, awful fate! The human eye never rests upon a sadder sight than a ruined soul, a mind shattered and debased by vice.

The Results of One Transgression. — The following case is a good illustration of the fact that a long course of transgression is not necessary to occasion the most serious results. A young man from an Eastern State, who visited us for treatment, was suffering with the usual consequences of self-abuse; but he asserted in the most emphatic manner that he had never committed the act of self-pollution but once in his life. He had, however, after that one vile act, allowed his mind to run upon vile thoughts, giving loose rein to his imagination, and in consequence he found himself as bad off, suffering with the very same disorders, as those who had practiced the vice for some time.

Not the slightest dallying with sin is safe. The maintenance of perfect purity and chastity of body and mind is the only right and safe course. By a few months' treatment the young man recovered his health in a great measure, and, marrying an estimable young lady, settled down happily in life. Many tears of remorse and repentance did he shed over that one sinful act, and bitterly did he reproach the evil companion who taught him to sin; but he was fortunate enough to escape without suffering the worst effects of the sin, and is now living a reformed and happy life.

A Hospital Case. — One of the most wretched creatures we ever saw among the many sufferers from sexual excesses we have met, was a man about thirty years of age whom we found in the large Charity Hospital on Blackwell's Island, New York City. In consequence of long indulgence in the soul-and-body-destroying habit, he had brought upon himself, not only the most serious and painful disease of the sexual organs themselves, but

disease of the bladder and other adjacent organs. He was under severe and painful treatment for a long time without benefit, and finally a surgical operation was performed, but with the result of affording only partial relief.

An Old Offender. — Never were we more astonished than at the depth of depravity revealed to us by the confessions of a patient from a distant country who upwards of sixty years of age, and was yet a victim of the vile habit to which he had become addicted when a youth. The stamp of vice was on his face, and was not hidden by the lines made by advancing age. The sufferings which this ancient sinner endured daily in consequence of his long course of sin were sometimes fearful to behold; and yet he continued the habit in spite of all warnings, advice, and every influence which could be brought to bear upon him. So long had he transgressed, he had lost his sense of shame, and his appreciation of the vileness of sin, and it was impossible to reform him by any means which could be brought to bear upon him. He left us still a sufferer, though somewhat relieved, and we have every reason to believe, as vile a sinner as ever. Undoubtedly, before this time his worthless life is ended, and he has gone down into a sinner's grave, hoary with vice, — a terrible end.

The Sad End of a Young Victim. — C. L., a young man residing in a large Southern city, was the youngest son of parents who, though in moderate circumstances, appreciated the value of education, and were anxious to give their children every advantage possible for them to receive. With this end in view, the young man was sent to college, where he did well for a time, being

naturally studious and intelligent; but after a brief period he began to drop behind his classes. He seemed moody and obtuse. He could not complete his tasks, even by the most severe application. It seemed impossible for him to apply himself. The power of concentration appeared to be lost. Soon he was seized with fits of gloominess from which he did not seem to have power to free himself. His strength began to fail to such a degree that he could hardly drag himself to his meals, and at last he was almost confined to his room. He became greatly emaciated. The failure of his mental powers seemed to keep pace with the wasting of his body, so that it was soon evident that he must abandon all hope of pursuing his studies, for some time at least.

His case being brought to our notice, we gave him every attention possible, and spared no effort to rescue him from his condition. We readily perceived the cause of his troubles, but for a long time he did not acknowledge the truth. At last he confessed that he had sinned for years in the manner suspected, and was suffering the consequences. A knowledge of his guilt weighed upon him, and haunted him day and night. He promised to reform; but if he did, it was too late, for the wasting disease which had fastened upon him continued. At his mother's request he returned to his home, and a few weeks later we received the awful intelligence that he had ended his miserable life by blowing out his brains with a pistol. Thus tragically ended the career of this young man, who might, with the advantages afforded him, have become a useful member of society. In total despair for this life or the next, he rashly ended his probation, and with his own hand finished the work of de-

struction which he had himself begun. No words can tell the grief of his stricken mother; but fortunately, she was spared the knowledge of the whole truth else would her sorrow have been too great to bear.

From Bad to Worse. — C. E., a young man from the West, was sent to us by his father with the request that we would do what we could to save him. His father's letter intimated that the son had been a source of grief to him, but he hoped that he had repented of his prodigal course, and was really determined to reform. Though scarcely more than twenty years of age, the young man's face wore an aspect of hardness, from familiarity with vice, that we have rarely seen. He was reduced to a mere skeleton by the vice which he made no secret of, and was so weak that he could scarcely walk a rod. It seemed as if every organ in his body was diseased, and that he had so squandered his vital resources that he had no power to rally from his wretched condition, even should he carry out the determination to reform which he announced. However, we gave him the best counsel and advice within our power, and placed him under treatment. After a few weeks it was evident that nature was still willing to respond to his endeavors to reform, by vigorous efforts to restore him to a condition of comparative health. Thus he was snatched, as it appeared, from the very jaws of death. Under these circumstances it would seem that the most hardened criminal would reform, at least for a season, and lead a life of rectitude; but so utterly depraved was this poor wretch that no sooner did he find that he was not liable to die immediately than he at once began again his career of sin. By long indulgence his moral

sense had become apparently obliterated. He seemed to be utterly without the restraint imposed by conscience. In less than a month he was detected in the crime of theft, having stolen a watch from a fellow-patient. Upon his arrest, stimulated by the hope of in some degree mitigating his punishment, he confessed to having been carrying on a series of petty thieving for weeks before he was finally detected, having scores of stolen articles in possession. The last time we saw the wretched fellow he was being led away in irons to prison. We have since heard that he continues in his downward career, having served out his time in prison, and will undoubtedly end his life in a felon's cell, unless he is shrewd enough to escape his just deserts. Having lost all desire to do right, to be noble, pure, and good, all efforts to reform and restore him to the path of rectitude were fruitless. It was only the fear of impending death that caused him to pause for a few days in his criminal course.

Young man, take warning by this sad case; enter not the pathway of vice. A course of vice once entered upon is not easily left. A youth who once gives himself up to sin, rarely escapes from going headlong to destruction.

An Indignant Father. — A case came to our knowledge through a gentleman who brought his daughter to us for treatment for the effects of self-abuse, of a father who adopted a summary method of curing his son of the evil practice. Having discovered that the lad was a victim of the vile habit, and having done all in his power by punishment, threats, and representations of its terrible effects, but without inducing him to reform, the

father, in a fit of desperation, seized the sinful boy, and with his own hand performed upon him the operation of castration as he would have done upon a colt. The boy recovered from the operation, and was of course effectually cured of his vile habit. The remedy was efficient, though not justifiable. Even a father has no right thus to mutilate his own son, though we must confess that the lad's chances for becoming a useful man are fully as good as they would have been had he continued his course of sin.

Disgusted with Life. — T. A. was a young man of promise, the son of ambitious parents, proud-spirited, and without respect for religion. While still quite young, he enlisted in the service of the Government, and after a time rose to the position of an officer in the U. S. army. Having in boyhood acquired the habit of self-abuse, he had stimulated his passions without restraint, and was readily led still farther astray by the evil companions by whom he was surrounded. He indulged his passions in every way and on every occasion when he found opportunity, and speedily began to feel the effects of his vices. Before he was fully aware of his condition, he found himself being literally devoured by one of the vilest of all diseases.

The malady made rapid advances, and speedily reduced him to a condition of almost absolute helplessness. He was obliged to obtain a furlough; but his vital forces were so nearly exhausted that he did not rally, even under skillful treatment; and when his furlough expired, he was still in the same pitiable condition. Getting it extended for a time, he by accident came under our care, and by the aid of very thorough treat-

ment he was in a measure improved, though the progress of the disease was simply stayed. When apprised of his real condition, he exhibited much agitation, walking nervously about his room, and finally exclaimed that he was utterly disgusted with life anyway, and after a few weeks or months more of suffering he should blow his brains out, and end his misery. He had no fears of death, he said; and we presume that he could not imagine it possible that there was any greater suffering in store for him than he already endured.

We pitied the poor fellow from the bottom of our heart. He had natural qualities which ought to have made him distinguished. He might have risen high in the world of usefulness. Now he was compelled to look back upon a short life of squandered opportunities, a pathway stained with vice, memories of vile debaucheries which had wasted his youth and broken his constitution. Wretched was he, indeed. Notwithstanding his vileness, he was not lost to shame; for his greatest fear was that his friends might ascertain the real cause of his sufferings, to conceal which he was obliged to resort to all sorts of subterfuges. As soon as he was able to travel, he left us, with little hope for this world and none for the next; and we have heard nothing of him since.

Scores of similar cases we might recount in detail, but we have not the space in this volume. These will suffice to give the young reader an idea of the terrible results of this awful vice which are suffered by its victims. We have not dared to portray in these pages one-half the misery and wretchedness which we have seen as the results of self-abuse and the vices to which

it leads. The picture is too terrible for young eyes to behold. We most sincerely hope that none of our readers will ever have to suffer as we have seen boys and young men do, languishing in misery as the result of their own transgressions of the laws of chastity. We will now devote the remaining pages of this chapter to the consideration of some of the causes of the vice, the avenues that lead to the awful sin which we are considering, to the terrible consequences which attend it.

Bad Company. — The influence of evil companionship is one of the most powerful agents for evil against which those who love purity, and are seeking to elevate and benefit their fellow-men, have to contend. A bad boy can do more harm in a community than can be counteracted by all the clergymen, Sabbath-school teachers, tract-distributers, and other Christian workers combined. An evil boy is a pest compared with which the cholera, small-pox, and even the plague, are nothing. The damage which would be done by a terrific hurricane sweeping with destructive force through a thickly settled district is insignificant compared with the evil work which may be accomplished by one vicious lad.

No community is free from these vipers, these agents of the arch-fiend. Every school, no matter how select it may be, contains a greater or less number of these young moral lepers. Often they pursue their work unsuspected by the good and pure, who do not dream of the vileness pent up in the young brains which have not yet learned the multiplication table and scarcely learned to read. We have known instances in which a boy seven or eight years of age has implanted the venom of vice in the hearts and minds of half a score of pure-

minded lads within a few days of his first association with them. This vice spreads like wild-fire. It is more "catching" than the most contagious disease, and more tenacious, when once implanted, than the leprosy.

Boys are easily influenced either for right or wrong, but especially for the wrong; hence it is the duty of parents to select good companions for their children, and it is the duty of children to avoid bad company as they would avoid carrion or the most loathsome object. A boy with a match box in a powder magazine would be in no greater danger than in the company of most of the lads who attend our public schools and play upon the streets. It is astonishing how early children, especially boys, will sometimes learn the hideous, shameless tricks of vice which yearly lead thousands down to everlasting death. Often, children begin their course of sin while yet cradled in their mother's arms, thus early taught by some vile nurse. Boys that fight and swear, that play upon the streets and disobey their parents, may be wisely shunned as unfit for associates. In many instances, however, boys whose conduct is in other respects wholly faultless, sometimes indulge in vice, ignorant of its real nature and consequences.

At the first intimation of evil on the part of a companion, a boy who is yet pure should flee away as from a deadly serpent or a voracious beast. Do not let the desire to gratify a morbid curiosity deter you from fleeing at once from the source of contamination. Under such circumstances, do not hesitate a moment to escape from danger. If an evil word is spoken, or an indecent act of any sort indulged in by a companion, cut the acquaintance of such a boy at once. Never allow yourself

to be alone with him for a moment. On no account be induced to associate with him. He will as surely soil and besmear with sin your moral garments as would contact with the most filthy object imaginable your outer garments.

It were better for a boy never to see or associate with a lad of his own age than to run any risk of being corrupted before he is old enough to appreciate the terrible enormity of sin, and the awful consequences of transgression. It should be recollected, also, that not only young boys, but vicious youths and young men are frequently the instructors in vice. It is unsafe to trust any but those who are known to be pure.

Bad Language. — We have often been astonished at the facility with which children acquire the language of vice. Often we have been amazed to hear little boys scarcely out of their cradles, lisping the most horrible oaths and the vilest epithets. The streets and alleys in our large cities, and in smaller ones also, in a less degree, are nurseries of vice, in which are reared the criminals that fill our jails, prisons, work-houses, school-ships, and houses of correction. Many a lad begins his criminal education by learning the language of vice and sin. At first he simply imitates the evil utterances of others; but soon he learns the full significance of the obscene and filthy language which he hears and repeats, and then he rapidly progresses in the downward road.

A boy that indulges in the use of foul language, will not long be chaste in acts. It is a safe rule to be followed by those who wish to grow up pure and unsullied by sin, untainted by vice, that those who use bad lan-

guage are persons to avoid, to keep away from. Even those who are well fortified against vice, who have been faithfully warned of its consequences and fully appreciate its dangers, cannot be safely trusted to associate with vile talkers. The use of bad language by old and young is an evil which is of the very greatest, moment. It is too often ignored; too little is said about it; far too often it is regarded as of little consequence; and persons who are really not bad at heart, thoughtlessly encourage the evil by listening to and laughing at obscene and ribald jokes, and impure language which ought to make a virtuous man blush with shame to hear.

Boys, if you want to be pure, if you wish to be loved by a pure mother, an innocent sister, and when you are grown to manhood to be worthy of the confidence of a pure, virtuous wife, keep your lips pure; never let a vile word or an indecent allusion pass them. Never, under any circumstances, give utterance to language that you would blush to have your mother over-hear. If you find yourself in the company of persons whose language will not bear this test, escape as soon as possible, for you are in danger; your sense of what is right and proper in speech is being vitiated; you are being damaged in many ways.

Bad Books. — A bad book is as bad as an evil companion. In some respects it is even worse than a living teacher of vice, since it may cling to an individual at all times. It may follow him to the secrecy of his bed-chamber, and there poison his mind with the venom of evil. The influence of bad books in making bad boys and men is little appreciated. Few are aware how much

evil seed in being sown among the young everywhere through the medium of vile books. It is not only the wretched volumes of obscenity, of which so many thousands have been seized and destroyed by Mr. Comstock, that are included under the head of bad books, and which corrupt the morals of the young, and lead them to enter the road to infamy; but the evil literature which is sold in "dime and nickel novels," and which constitutes the principal part of the contents of such papers as the Police Gazette, the Police News, and a large proportion of the sensational story books which flood the land, and too many of which find their way into town and circulating libraries, and even Sunday-school libraries, which are rarely selected with the care that should be exercised in the selection of reading matter for the young.

Bad books often find their way even where evil companions would not intrude, and undoubtedly effect a work of evil almost as great as is wrought by bad associations.

Look out, boys, for the tempter in this guise. If a companion offers you a book of a suspicious character, take it home to your father, your mother, or some reliable older friend, for examination. If it is handed you with an air of secrecy, or if a promise to keep it hidden from others is required, have nothing to do with it. You might better place a coal of fire or a live viper in your bosom, than to allow yourself to read such a book. The thoughts that are implanted in the mind in youth will stick there through life, in spite of all efforts to dislodge them. Hundreds of men who have been thus injured when young, but have by some providence es-

caped a life of vice and shame, look back with most intense regret to the early days of childhood, and earnestly wish that the pictures then made in the mind by bad books might be effaced. Evil impressions thus formed, often torture the mind during a whole lifetime. In the most inopportune moments they will intrude themselves. When the individual desires to place his mind undividedly upon sacred and elevated themes, even at the most solemn moments of life, these lewd pictures will sometimes intrude themselves in spite of his efforts to avoid them. It is an awful thing to allow the mind to be thus contaminated; and many a man would give the world, if he possessed it, to be free from the horrible incubus of a defiled imagination.

Vile Pictures. — Obscene and lascivious pictures are influences leading boys astray which are too important to be unnoticed. Evil men, agents of the arch-fiend, have adopted all sorts of devices for putting into the hands of the boys and youth of the rising generation pictures calculated to excite the passions, to lead to vice. Thousands of these vile pictures are in circulation throughout the country, in spite of the worthy efforts of such philanthropists as Mr. Anthony Comstock and his co-laborers. In almost every large school there are boys who have a supply of these infamous designs, and act as agents in scattering the evil contagion among all who come under their influence.

Under the guise of art, the genius of some of our finest artists is turned to pandering to this base desire for sensuous gratification. The pictures which hang in many of our art galleries, that are visited by old and young of both sexes, often number in the list views

which to those whose thoughts are not well trained to rigid chastity can be only means of evil. A plea may be made for these paintings in the name of art; but we see no necessity for the development of art is this particular direction, when nature presents so many and such varied scenes of loveliness in landscapes, flowers, beautiful birds, and graceful animals, to say nothing of the human form protected by sufficient covering to satisfy the demands of modesty.

Many of the papers and magazines sold at our newsstands, and eagerly sought after by young men and boys, are better suited for the parlors of a house of ill-repute than for the eyes of pure-minded youth. A news-dealer who will distribute such vile sheets, ought to be dealt with as an educator in vice and crime, an agent of evil, and a recruiting officer for hell and perdition.

Evil Thoughts. — No one can succeed long in keeping himself from vicious acts whose thoughts dwell upon unchaste subjects. Only those who are pure in heart will be pure and chaste in action. The mind must be educated to love and dwell upon pure subjects in early life, as by this means only can the foundation be laid for that purity of character which alone will insure purity of life. When the mind once becomes contaminated with evil thoughts, it requires the work of years of earnest effort to purge it from uncleanness. Vile thoughts leave scars which even time will not always efface. They soil and deprave the soul, as vile acts do the body. God knows them, if no human being does; and if harbored and cherished, they will tell against the character in the day of Judgment as surely as will evil words and deeds.

Influence of Other Bad Habits. — Evil practices of any sort which lower the moral tone of an individual, which lessen his appreciation of and love for right and purity and true nobility of soul, encourage the development of vice. A boy who loves purity, who has a keen sense of what is true and right, can never become a vicious man. Profanity, falsehood, and deception of every sort, have a tendency in the direction of vice.

The use of highly seasoned food, of rich sauces, spices and condiments, sweetmeats, and in fact all kinds of stimulating foods, has an undoubted influence upon the sexual nature of boys, stimulating those organs into too early activity, and occasioning temptations to sin which otherwise would not occur. The use of mustard, pepper, pepper-sauce, spices, rich gravies, and all similar kinds of food, should be carefully avoided by young persons. They are not wholesome for either old or young; but for the young they are absolutely dangerous.

The use of beer, wine, hard cider, and tobacco, is especially damaging to boys on this account. These stimulants excite the passions, and produce a clamoring for sensual gratification which few boys or young men have the will-power or moral courage to resist. Tobacco is an especially detrimental agent. The early age at which boys now begin the use of tobacco may be one reason why the practice of secret vice is becoming so terribly common among boys and young men. We consider a boy or young man who uses tobacco liable to the commission of some vile act.

The use of tea and coffee by boys is also a practice which should be interdicted. All wise physicians for-

bid the use of these narcotic drinks, together with that of tobacco, and always with benefit to those who abstain. In France, the government has made a law forbidding the use of tobacco by students in the public schools. In Germany, a still more stringent law has been made, which forbids the use of tobacco by boys and young men. These laws have been made on account of the serious injury which was evidently resulting from the use of the filthy weed to both the health and the morals of the young men of those countries. There is certainly an equal need for such a law in this country.

Closing Advice to Boys and Young Men. — One word more, and we must close this chapter, which we hope has been read with care by those for whom it is especially written. Let every boy who peruses these pages, remember that the facts here stated are true. Every word we have verified, and we have not written one-half that might be said upon this subject. Let the boy who is still pure, who has never defiled himself with vice, firmly resolve that with the help of God he will maintain a pure and virtuous character. It is much easier to preserve purity than to get free from the taint of sin after having been once defiled. Let the boy who has already fallen into evil ways, who has been taught the vile practice the consequences of which we have endeavored to describe, and who is already in the downward road, — let him resolve now to break the chain of sin, to reform at once, and to renounce his evil practice forever. The least hesitancy, the slightest dalliance with the demon vice, and the poor victim will be lost{.} Now, this moment, is the time to reform. Seek purity of mind and heart. Banish evil thoughts and shun evil

companions; then with earnest prayer to God, wage a determined battle for purity and chastity until the victory is wholly won.

One of the greatest safeguards for a boy is implicit trust and confidence in his parents. Let him go to them with all his queries, instead of to some older boyish friend. If all boys would do this, an immense amount of evil would be prevented. When tempted to sin, boys, think first of the vileness and wickedness of the act; think that God and pure angels behold every act, and even know every thought. Nothing is hid from their eyes. Think, then, of the awful results of this terrible sin, and fly from temptation as from a burning house. Send up a prayer to God to deliver you from temptation, and you will not fall. Every battle manfully and successfully fought, will add new strength to your resolution and force to your character. Gaining such victories from day to day, you will grow up to be a pure, noble, useful man, the grandest work of God, and will live a happy, virtuous life yourself, and add to the happiness of those around you.