rate. is with good associations; they help mightily in the struggle toward righteousness, but not in the same way or degree that evil associations drag down and destroy that which is good and true and pure. A lady bought a parrot from a sailor, and was shocked to find that it swore like piWhat was to be done? A neighbor had a parrot that used good language always. The story goes on to say that the woman in trouble went and borrowed the good bird and placed the two parrots near each other, in the hope of seeing a speedy reformation in her pet. I do not need to tell you the result the result as shown in the rapidly acquired vocabulary of the second bird. I have often thought of this when I have heard of young women who have married men to reform them. By the way-did you ever know of a young man who married a bad woman to reform her? Possibly you have. A devout, spiritual, church working woman once went to her pastor with a choking in her throat and with tears in her eyes, and told him of an effort she had been making to have a certain group of young people attend a meeting of the church, and of her disappointment at finding that they had gone to the theater, at the invita tion of another young woman of much less strength of character. She closed her statement with something like this, "To think that after all that I have done for them that they would break faith with me and go with her." The pastor urged the discouraged woman not to give up her efforts, not to yield one inch of the battleline; but to remember that almost anyone could influence people to be selfish, and pleasure-seeking and all that, but that it takes more wisdom and patience and power to persuade men and women to be unselfish and true to God. Sometimes we wonder at the influence for evil that a young man has over others. The secret is largely in the fact that the lines of the least resistance are in that direction. Remember this, young people, that it takes a strong character and a mighty effort in these days to go against the current of indifference and carry with you a group of your companions. Let us try to be leaders rather than followers; but if we must needs follow, then let us follow the true and good. Shame on a man or woman who will blindly follow the lead of any! Twice shame on one who will, with eyes wide open, weakly follow the lead of evil. "Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners; awake to righteousness and sin not." Do not misunderstand me. I am not condemning necessary evil associations, nor benevolent evil associations. I am but recalling the warning of the apostle-to be not deceived-the natural and almost necessary result of evil associations is the corrupting of good morals. Jesus associated with sinners, and defended himself on the ground that they were lost sheep, and lost coins, and lost sons. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. If we have the Christ spirit in full measure we are in no danger, and cannot be in bad company too much; but our motives are mixed motives, and our knowledge is partial knowledge, and all our judgments are judgments of prejudice. All our associations with evil have in them the possibilities of great good and the possibilities of great loss. Our Saviour did not pray that his disciples should be removed from a world of temptation and trial and sin, but that they should be kept from the evil. In building a house, a man does not hope to place it beyond the reach of rain and wind and cold, it would be of little value in such a place. |