begun
is half ended," says the proverb: "and a good beginning is half
the battle." Many promising young men have irretrievably injured
themselves by a first false step at the commencement of life; while
others of much less promising talents, have succeeded simply by
beginning well, and going onward. The good, practical beginning is
to a certain extent, a pledge, a promise, and an assurance of the
ultimate prosperous issue. There is many a poor creature, now crawling
through life, miserable himself and the cause of sorrow to others,
who might have lifted up his head and prospered, if, instead of merely
satisfying himself with resolutions of well-doing, he had actually
gone to work and made a good, practical beginning.

8. BEGIN AT THE RIGHT PLACE.--Too many are, however, impatient of
results. They are not satisfied to begin where their fathers did,
but where they left off. They think to enjoy the fruits of industry
without working for them. They cannot wait for the results of labor
and application, but forestall them by too early indulgence.

* * * * *

HEALTH A DUTY.

Perhaps nothing will so much hasten the time when body and mind will
both be adequately cared for, as a diffusion of the belief that the
preservation of health is a duty. Few seem conscious that there is
such a thing as physical morality.

Men's habitual words and acts imply that they are at liberty to treat
their bodies as they please. Disorder entailed by disobedience to
nature's dictates they regard as grievances, not as the effects of
a conduct more or less flagitious. Though the evil consequences
inflicted on their descendents and on future generations are often as
great as those caused by crime, they do not think themselves in any
degree criminal.

It is true that in the case of drunkenness the viciousness of a bodily
transgression is recognized; but none appear to infer that if this
bodily transgression is vicious, so too is every bodily transgression.
The fact is, all breaches of the law of health are physical sins.

When this is generally seen, then, and perhaps not till then, will the
physical training of the young receive all the attention it deserves.

Purity of life and thought should be taught in the home. It is the
only safeguard of the young. Let parents wake up on this important
subject.

[Illustration: GLADSTONE.]

* * * * *

VALUE OF REPUTATION.

1. W