1. With a shy look, approaching his mother when she was alone, the boy
of fifteen said, "There are some things I want to ask you. I hear the
boys speak of them at school, and I don't understand, and a fellow
doesn't like to ask any one but his mother."
2. Drawing him down to her, in the darkness that was closing about
them, the mother spoke to her son and the son to his mother freely
of things which everybody must know sooner or later, and which no boy
should learn from "anyone but his mother" or father.
3. If you do not answer such a natural question your boy will turn
for answer to others, and learn things, perhaps, which your cheeks may
well blush to have him know.
4. Our boys and girls are growing faster than we think. The world
moves; we can no longer put off our children with the old nurses'
tales; even MacDonald's beautiful statement,
"Out of the everywhere into the there",
does not satisfy them when they reverse his question and ask, "Where
did I come from?"
5. They must be answered. If we put them off, they may be tempted to
go elsewhere for information, and hear half-truths, or whole truths
so distorted, so mingled with what is low and impure that, struggle
against it as they may in later years, their minds will always retain
these early impressions.
6. It is not so hard if you begin early. The very flowers are object
lessons. The wonderful mystery of life is wrapped in one flower, with
its stamens, pistils and ovaries. Every child knows how an egg came
in the nest, and takes it as a matter of course; why not go one step
farther with them and teach the wonder, the beauty, the holiness that
surrounds maternity anywhere? Why, centuries ago the Romans honored,
and taught their boys to honor, the women in whose safety was bound up
the future of their existence as a nation! Why should we do less?
7. Your sons and mine, your daughters and mine, need to be wisely
taught and guarded just along these lines, if your sons and mine, your
daughters and mine, are to grow up into a pure, healthy, Christian
manhood and womanhood.
[Illustration]
8.[_Footnote: This quotation is an appeal to mothers by Mrs. P.B.
Saur, M.D._] "How grand is the boy who has kept himself undefiled! His
complexion clear, his muscles firm, his movements vigorous, his manner
frank, his courage undaunted, his brain active, his will firm, his
self-control perfect, his body and mind unfolding day by day. His life
should be one song of praise and thanksgiving. If you want your boy to
be such a one, train him, my dear woman, _to-day_, and his _to-morrow_
will take care of itself.
9. "Think you that good seed sown will bring forth bitter fruit? A
thousand times, No! As we sow, so shall we reap. Train your boys in
morality, temperance and virtue. Teach them to embrace good and shun
evil. Teach them the true from the false; the light from the dark.
Teach them that when they take a thing that is not their own, they
commit a sin. Teach them that _sin means disobedience of God's laws of
every kind_.
10. "God made every organ of our body with the intention that it
should perform a certain work. If we wish to see, we use our eyes; if
we want to hear, our ears are called into use. In fact, nature teaches
us the proper use of _all our organs_. I say to you, mother, and oh,
so earnestly: 'Go teach your boy that which you may never be ashamed
to do, about these organs that make him _specially a boy_.'
11. "Teach him they are called _sexual organs_; that they are not
impure, but of special importance, and made by God for a definite
purpose. Teach him that there are impurities taken from the system in
fluid form called urine, and that it passes through the sexual organs,
but that nature takes care of that. Teach him that these organs are
given as a sacred trust, that in maturer years he may be the means of
giving life to those who shall live forever.
12. "Impress upon him that if these organs are abused, or if they are
put to any use besides that for which God made them and He did not
intend they should be used at all until man is fully grown they will
bring disease and ruin upon those who abuse and disobey the laws which
God has made to govern them. If he has ever learned to handle his
_sexual organs_, or to touch them in any way except to keep them
clean, not to do it again. If he does he will not grow up happy,
healthy and strong.
13. "Teach him that when he handles or excites the sexual organs all
parts of the body suffer, because they are connected by nerves that
run throughout the system; this is why it is called 'self-abuse.' The
whole body is abused when this part of the body is handled or excited
in any manner whatever. Teach them to shun all children who indulge in
this loathsome habit, or all children who talk about these things. The
sin is terrible, and is, in fact, worse than lying or stealing. For,
although these are wicked and will ruin their souls, yet this habit of
self-abuse will ruin both soul and body.
14. "If the sexual organs are handled, it brings too much blood to
these parts, and this produces a diseased condition; it also causes
disease in other organs of the body, because they are left with a less
amount of blood than they ought to have. The sexual organs, too, are
very closely connected with the spine and the brain by means of the
nerves, and if they are handled, or if you keep thinking about them,
these nerves get excited and become exhausted, and this makes the back
ache, the brain heavy and the whole body weak.
15. "It lays the foundation for consumption, paralysis and heart
disease. It weakens the memory, makes a boy careless, negligent and
listless. It even makes many lose their minds; others, when grown,
commit suicide. How often mothers see their little boys handling
themselves, and let it pass, because they think the boy will outgrow
the habit, and do not realize the strong hold it has upon them. I say
to you who love your boys 'Watch!'
16. "Don't think it does no harm to your boy because he does not
suffer now, for the effects of this vice come on so slowly that the
victim is often very near death before you realize that he has done
himself harm. The boy with no knowledge of the consequences, and with
no one to warn him, finds momentary pleasure in its practice, and
so contracts a habit which grows upon him, undermining his health,
poisoning his mind, arresting his development, and laying the
foundation for future misery.
17. "Do not read this book and forget it, for it contains earnest and
living truths. Do not let false modesty stand in your way, but from
this time on keep this thought in mind 'the saving of your boy.'
Follow its teachings and you will bless God as long as you live. Read
it to your neighbors, who, like yourself, have growing boys, and urge
them for the sake of humanity to heed its advice.
18. "Right here we want to emphasize the importance of _cleanliness_.
We verily believe that oftentimes these habits originate in a burning
and irritating sensation about the organs, caused by a want of
thorough washing.
19. "It is worthy of note that many eminent physicians now advocate
the custom of circumcision, claiming that the removal of a little of
the foreskin induces cleanliness, thus preventing the irritation and
excitement which come from the gathering of the whiteish matter under
the foreskin at the beginning of the glands. This irritation being
removed, the boy is less apt to tamper with his sexual organs. The
argument seems a good one, especially when we call to mind the high
physical state of those people who have practiced the custom.
20. "Happy is the mother who can feel she has done her duty, in this
direction, while her boy is still a child. For those mothers, though,
whose little boys have now grown to boyhood with the evil still upon
them, and _you_, through ignorance, permitted it, we would say, 'Begin
at once; it is never too late.' If he has not lost all will power, he
can be saved. Let him go in confidence to a reputable physician and
follow his advice. Simple diet, plentiful exercise in open air and
congenial employment will do much. Do not let the mind dwell upon
evil thoughts, shun evil companions, avoid vulgar stories, sensational
novels, and keep the thoughts pure.
21. "Let him interest himself in social and benevolent affairs,
participate in Sunday-school work, farmers' clubs, or any
organizations which tend to elevate and inspire noble sentiment. Let
us remember that 'a perfect man is the noblest work of God.' God has
given us a life which is to last forever, and the little time we spend
on earth is as nothing to the ages which we are to spend in the world
beyond; so our earthly life is a very important part of our existence,
for it is here that the foundation is laid for either happiness or
misery in the future. It is here that we decide our destiny, and our
efforts to know and obey God's laws in our bodies as well as in
our souls will not only bring blessings to us in this life, but
never-ending happiness throughout eternity."
22. A QUESTION. How can a father chew and smoke tobacco, drink and
swear, use vulgar language, tell obscene stories, and raise a family
of pure, clean-minded children? LET THE ECHO ANSWER.
[Illustration: "SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN, AND FORBID THEM NOT, TO COME
UNTO ME: FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN-"--_MATT. 19:14_]
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