OUR BOYS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4735, 9 October 1886, Page 6 (Supplement)

OUR BOYS.

Tho subject of ' our boys' in this colony is ono of which interest cannot lessen, and which crops up in very various forms from time to time in our new country. It has lately excited most painful interest in the city of Ballarat from the frequent complaints of the alarming increase of profanity and obscene language in the streets, on tho ono hand, and of gambling, both in public and private houses. As tho result of these complaints, and of several startling statements in more than one pulpit, the mayor of the city was requested by a large deputation of ministers and others to call a meeting to consider the matter, and the result has been, after very sufficient evidence had bsen adduced, that the extent of those evils had not been in the least exaggerated, that a social purity movement has been set on foot, in which the bishop of the diocese and ministers of all denominations are pledged to take an active part. What the practical measures adopted will bo it is at present too soon to say ; but as wo know that the evils mentioned are vot peculiar to one city, or indoed confined to large towns, but are general tlu-oughout the colony, it seems that the ohuroh at largo should take a lively interest in thair reformation, but at all points undertake some practical work to remove this blot from our fair land. That it is impossib'e in most townships for any female to pass down the streets alone in the evening without the probability of hearing foul words, and the possibility of personal insult, is a fact well known, and if calmly acquiesced in by the rest of the cummunity, most certainly disgraceful. On the other hand, it is vain to deny that gambling is not both on the increase among tho young, and practised in what should bo tho loading circles of society. And what surely makes the oxtont of these ovils more alarming is that so many refining and educating , iiiflnncoH have boon brought to bear upon tho youths of our colony during tho last ten years, and yet these evils are far more universal than before. Every township has its • Mechanics Institute, , library, and debating socioty; ovory large town somo society of tho nature of a Young Men's Christian Association. Music is one of the necessaries of life in every house ; and in all the largo towns facilities almost gratis are afforded fpr instruction in tho sciences and arts, mostly in the evening. All these varied opportunities for culture and for spending tho ovenings profitably soem eagerly made uso of; yet the evils of loitering about the streots in knots, indulging from time to time in foul language, and of gambling, both in tho house and in the tavern, ai'o unmistakably on the increase in most places. Tho prospect certainly oalls for all the energies of tho truo philanthropist, tho living Christian. There will, of course, be wide differences of opinion as to tho causo of these evils being so prevalent. Some will unhesitatingly attribute thorn to tho exclusion of Biblical teaching from the daily curriculum ; others will bo equal to laying all the blame upon tho church, which they expect to sweep all tho Augean stables whilo they stand with folded arms. Not much profit is perhaps to bo derived from debating tho cause of the evils ; but all must acknowledge from pa.st experiences, that the three points to be aimed at are : 1. The elevation of public opinion—the opinion of nil classes on these subjects. 2. Personal contact of the good with tho evil ones. 3. Home influence.

These are the throe means which have to so great an extent abated the drinking habits of our , community. Of the first and last we need say little. Homes \vhero impurity of word and deed are impossible, homes where gambling and betting iir any form aro utterly discountenanced, will not send forth into the streets youths ablo even to endure tho .company of those who delight in foul language or to fool an evening away in gambling. .The homos must bo responsible for what comes out of them,

But the second aim, personal contact of the good with the evil ones, seems to be tho one most likely to bo fruitful in good results, and we would press its claims upon all members of the church, especially the young men. The work will not be done by the pulpit or the Press, however powerful they may be in calling attention to its necessity and encouraging the workers. Are there not already a sufficiently numerous band of Christian young men to take this duty upon themselves? In all our Young Men's Christian Associations, our societies for mutual improvement, our staffs of Sundayschool teachers, there must surely be many able to go out, and with patience and brotherly care win those evil-doers to better things. " Is there not, perhaps, some danger of all those various associations becoming too comfortably respectable, forgetting the missionary spirit, which was the life of their organisation-! at first, and is the veiy salt of ] every living institution for morality, culture or religion ? It is possiblo to be too well contented, because we ourselves pass to our place of evening recreation quietly and respectably, enjoy ourselves there rationally, and return in peace to our homes. All institutions for good after a time run the riskof dying of respectability, and positively hinderinsr tho weak and fallen from partaking of their privileges. How great is the influence for good when tho Sunday-school teacher knows and visits every boy in his home. How poor a kind of teaching it is when it is ended with the class, and scholar and teacher are strangers for the remaining six days. Personal contact at much self-sacrifice is, wo are persuaded, the one influence at all likely to arrest these evils. Not vigilance committees, but good Samaritans. —not clergy principally, but principally laymen. We commend the subject in this light to the church in the diocese, and subjoin an extract from Canon Kingsley's stirring letter to his son on the subject of gambling : —

' Gambling is unchivalrous and unchristian. (1.) It gains money by the lowest and most unjust means, for it takes money out of your neighbor's pocket without giving him anything in return. (2.) It tempts you to use what you fancy your superior knowledge of a horse's merits or anything else to your neighbor's harm. Have strength enough to say : ' Whatever else I may or may not do, "but gamble I will not.' ' —Church of England Messenger.