testimony of the sacred writers; the facts of the Bible, especially miracles; fulfillment of prophecies; harmony of the sacred wri- ters; moral character and effects of the Bible; - Difficulties and ob- jections, to wit-inspiration contravenes the natural laws of mental operation - the writers sometimes uttered what they did not under- stand the Bible contains the words of wicked men, &c.—records wicked actions of good men is unchaste- contains irrelevant quo- tations-if a true religion, would have been ere this known and practiced in all the world; character and prospects of infidelity. 182 DANGERS OF YOUNG MEN. Capacities; evils they can do to themselves— their physical constitution — pecuniary interests and prospects-intellect― conscience — reputation moral character- chance of salvation; Evils to others- to their parents-family- community our civil and benevolent institutions to the souls of men; the expensiveness of sin; peculiar facilities and temptations of RETRIBUTION. A melancholy fact — instructions derived from it; parental errors in the treatment of their son; the successive steps of wrong conduct in the son, illustrating the progress of sin; influ- ence of infidelity; danger of impiety under the garb of mere secular MORAL POWER OF YOUNG MEN. Their power to do good — learned professions; benevolent institutions; the indigent and afflic- ted - Remarks upon civil and political duties; demagogues; office- VARIOUS TOPICS relating to COMPLETENESS of character. cleanliness; bathing; swimming; care of the teeth; food-animal and vegetable; drink-coffee, tea, chocolate, &c. ; wines, beers, cordials, cider, and all alcoholic drinks; incidental remark upon the nature of tobacco; medicine; mineral medicines; quackery; Business-apprenticeship; entering upon business; self-depend- ence; caution; perseverance; bad debts—how prevented ; —Re- finement and politeness—including purity of mind; kindness; at- tention; dignity; ease; neatness; manners; female society; cor- respondence; Games of all sorts; wherein exceptionable ;- Entertainments-parties; upon Christian principles-upon un- christian principles - &c. ;— Marriage - an ordinance of God; early marriages; bachelors; disparity of age; character requisite for a good wife; good disposition; domestic virtues; sound intel- lect; agreeable appearance; neatness; sympathy; religion; on marrying for money; coquetry; the matrimonial vow; duties of YOUNG MAN'S AID. CHAPTER I. PROSPECTS OF OUR COUNTRY. "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation." It ON looking at our country and its prospective influence upon the world, the first fact that strikes us is the unparalleled rapidity of its population. doubles once in twenty years. It has more than doubled twice since the Revolution. At this rate, in only one century from this time, our country will contain five hundred millions of inhabitants; which is half the present population of the whole globe. If no unforeseen disaster befall us, we see no reason for believing that this immense increase of population will not be actually realized. During the last half century it has not abated, but has steadily advanced; and the resources of our coun 2 try are amply sufficient for even twice the number contemplated. In the meantime, China, India, and most of the older and riper kingdoms of the eastern hemisphere, are nearly stationary; and there are physical as well as political and moral causes, which must hold the great empire of Russia, in respect to the increase of her population, far in the rear of America. These facts show us with what surprising rapidity we are gaining numerical ascendency over the other nations of the globe. Look now at the physical resources of this country. Presenting an eastern and southern coast to the Atlantic and the gulf of Mexico of more than two thousand miles, indented with numerous bays and harbors, and affording the outlets to more than a hundred navigable rivers, some of which are the noblest that ever flowed;-stretching thence to the west three thousand miles, across the great American continent, to receive the salutations of the Pacific ocean and present another coast for the commerce of the old world; -extending through all the most valuable varieties of clime, through thirty degrees of latitude, from the burning to the frigid zones, and containing nearly two millions of square miles;-having a bright and salubrious sky; affording soil surpassed by none for the variety and abundance of its productions; containing RESOURCES. ENTERPRISE. 15 numerous inland lakes of unequalled size and beauty, and coursed by innumerable rivers in every direction, thus conveying to its very centre all the privileges of free intercourse with the whole commercial world is it not clearly destined to become the richest, greatest, most powerful and influential nation upon the earth? Look next at the enterprising character of its inhabitants. Every desert is in the progress of being explored; every mountain is scaled; every forest is subdued; every river is laid under contribution to commerce or manufactories; by the force of unparalleled enterprise, the deepest and most desolate wilderness is beginning to bud and blossom as the rose; the interior lakes and streams are converted into high-ways, to bear off the superabundant productions of our own soil to foreign ports, and bring back, in return, the productions of other climes; where nature has failed to cast up a highway, invention and industry are constructing canals and railroads; the vallies are exalted, the mountains and hills are made low, the crooked is made straight, and the rough places plain; on every hand, as by enchantment, large villages and cities, once the work of a century, now spring up in less than half a score of years; states and territories are yearly added to the nation, and all the treasures of invention, art, industry, and wealth are borne |