SUMMER MEETING, 1880. 57 



in good weather, and when it rained they would borrow his jack-knife and go 

 out to the barn and trade that old knife among themselves until they had 

 made fifty cents apiece and then come and give him back his knife. 



It has always been a great consolation to me to know that the greatest and 

 best men were once nothing but boys. And it should be a source of the 

 greatest encouragement to the youth that this life is full of the grandest 

 possibilities, and they should ever remember that the best and most useful 

 men that the world has ever known, started out from this same stand-point. 

 We can hardly realize the great change which may take place in a few years, 

 either in their mental or physical characteristics, while passing from youth to 

 manhood. We can look around us and often see persons of wonderful magni- 

 tude, who it seems incredible were ever held out at arm's length as they were 

 admired by a fond and doting mother. But is it not a sad and fearful thought 

 that the little innocent prattler in its mother's arms, or the rosy-cheeked lad in 

 all the exuberance of youthful vigor, may yet be a curse to society, and possibly 

 close his worse than useless life in a felon's cell? I believe that the surest way 

 to ruin a boy is to give him plenty of money and nothing to do, and my impres- 

 sions are that many, very many boys at school would turn out better in life if they 

 were kept steady at work until they could more fully appreciate and improve their 

 school advantages. While it may be truly said that "idleness is the mother 

 of crime," it is also the imperative duty of parents and guardians to see that 

 boys have not only proper recreation at the proper time, but also a good, moral 

 training to influence their thoughts and conduct. I am acquainted with a good 

 Christian mother who once was teaching her little boy to repeat the following: 

 "A wise son maketh a glad father." The little fellow went about his play, 

 and after a little while his mother overheard him saying, "A wise father 

 maketh a glad son." "A wise father maketh a glad son," and my convictions 

 ..re that this new proverb deserves a place in every parent's heart. It is well 

 to encourage the children in earning money, and instruct them how to use it 

 in such a way as will be of some real benefit to them. Pay them the same as 

 you do other berry pickers, and let them buy their own school books, 

 articles of clothing, etc. ; it teaches them to be industrious, and to rely upon 

 their own resources. I know a man whose acres far exceed his moral influ- 

 ences, who in the magnanimity and solicitude of a father's heart, gave his only 

 son, a bright, intelligent boy, too much leisure, too much pocket-money, a 

 pony to ride to the village school, and afterwards to the "business college," 

 and how do you think he graduated? He "finished up" a shore time ago in a 

 "pet," just when his indulgent parents had anticipated solace and help from 

 him in their declining years, and I venture to say that the "end" is not yet. 

 Now this is not a solitary picture by any means. I presume, however, some 

 of you are wondering what place a dissertation of this character has in a 

 meeting of fruit growers. 



1 will tell you ! Keep the youth employed about something useful, and one 

 of the most ready means for its accomplishment may be found in the increase 

 of berry plantations. When I see a boy wandering around aimlessly and 

 wantonly, throwing stones at every little harmless bird, I feel that the future 

 career of that boy is fraught with the direst consequences. Fire arms of every 

 description are too cheap and plenty for the good of the boys or the safety of 

 the community. 



I cannot believe that the fruit grower and the birds should be enemies to 

 each other. Supposing we could not hear a robin or brown thrasher for five 



