A HINT TO YOUTH

“OLD men for counsel, and young men for war.” Never was axiom juster, if the world’s history be taken for the test. The blood of youth may be fiery, its tongue quick, and its heart impulsive and passionate; but more than counterbalancing all these, are its hope, its faith, its energy, and endurance, which, when experience has ripened and tempered judgment and speech, still spur on to high heroic action. The pioneer men of the world—on the battle field, in the van of colonization, in the development of art and science, and in the prosecution of the mightiest and most perilous enterprises for the world’s weal—have stood on the eastern declivity of life; have begun the march, prosecuted the endeavor, and won their most fadeless laurels, ere the noon of three-score-and-ten was past. Be up, then, and a- doing!

There is no moral object so beautiful to me as a conscientious young man. I watch him as I do a star in the heavens ; clouds may he be fore him, but we know that his light is behind them, and will beam again ; the blaze of others’ popularity may outshine him, but we know that, though unseen, he illuminates his own true sphere. lie resists temptation, not without a struggle, for that is not virtue, but lie does resist and conquer; he bears the sarcasm of the profligate, and it stings him, for that is a trait of virtue, but heals the wound with his own pure touch. He heeds not the watchword of fashion if it leads to sin; the Atheist who says not only in his heart, but with his ups, “there is no God I “controls him not; he sees the hand of a creating God, and rejoices in it. Woman is sheltered by fond arms and loving counsel; old age is protected by its experience, and manhood by its strength; but the young man stands amid the temptations of the world like a self-balanced tower.  Happy lie who seeks and gains the prop and shelter of morality. Onward, then, conscientious youth— raise thy standard and nerve thyself for goodness. If God has given thee intellectual power, awaken in that cause; never let it be said of thee, he helped to swell the tide of sin by pouring his influence into its channels. If thou art feeble in mental strength, throw not that drop into a polluted current. Awake, arise, young man! Assume that beautiful garb of virtue! It is difficult to be pure and holy. Put on thy strength, then. Let truth be the lady of thy love—defend her.

The inducements for the formation of a good character are almost innumerable. Among these the respect of the world should not be forgotten. All people love to be respected. To obtain respect one must possess a good character. The world respects goodness, and does it honor. No matter where it is found, in the palace or hovel, it will be respected. Every man has an inward reverence for good ness. He meets it with a feeling of awe. He pays a willing tribute to virtue. Nothing on earth is more beloved, esteemed, and honored in the world’s great heart than a noble youth, one whose character is pure, whose aims are high, whose life is a moral essay. Men delight to do him good, to aid him, to give him place, preferment, office, or anything that he may desire at their hands. Bad men will respect him. Villains will “lie low” in his presence, and assume the outward garb of good men. And they, too, will vie with each other in doing him good. It is glorious to have the unlimited confidence and respect of all who know us, and to feel that such confidence is not misplaced. It is a thought that an angel may cherish in purity. To be conscious of being beloved for our real worth, respected and honored for the excellency of our characters, is a happiness rich and hallowing in its influence.

But let the youth fix it in his mind as a fact unalterably and ever lastingly true, that this respect can not be gained without a good character. He can not deceive the world with respect to his true character. It will out. And if he has deceived for awhile, he will be all the more despised when he is found out. A character stainless as truth, sweet as goodness, upright as the soul of honesty, is the only thing with which to secure and hold the world’s respect.

Again, let the youth fix it as a fact that he must make his own character. It is a work which God has wisely consigned to him alone. No other can do it for him. Not man, or angel, or God, can form a character for his soul. These may assist him, but the work he must do himself. Character is the unseen spirit-garment that one’s thoughts and feelings weave about his soul with the invisible finger of the Divine law of reward and retribution.

And glorious is the thought that our characters are of our own forming. Not with wealth were they bought; and not as an inherited heir-loom did they descend upon us, nor as the patrimony of paternal industry; not with other hands were they formed, nor with other’s exertions were they obtained. No; for they are ours. We formed them by industrious exertion in behalf of the good, the beautiful, and the true; formed them in the efforts of wisdom, virtue, and love, in trial, tears, and prayer, in struggle, discipline, and hope, in constancy, energy, and devotion; and formed them for the glory of our own souls, and the good of all with whom we are linked in love and duty. We formed them for earth, and formed them for the skies. We shall wear them through time, and wear them in eternity; but, God be thanked, we may brighten and strengthen them below, and adorn and enrich them more and more even forever in heaven.