heir younger brethren. They
should teach them, so far as they are able, and check them when they see
them doing anything really wrong; but they should never interfere
needlessly with their spiritual freedom. Young men of mind and
conscience _will_ think. They will test their creeds by the Sacred
Oracles, and endeavor to bring them into harmony with the teachings of
Christ and His Apostles. And it is right they should. It is their duty,
as they have opportunity, to "prove all things." And few young men, of
any considerable powers, can compare the creeds which they receive in
their childhood with the teachings of Sacred Scripture, without coming
to the conclusion, that on some points they are erroneous, and on others
defective; that on some subjects they contain too much, and on others
too little. And good young men will naturally feel disposed to lay aside
what they regard as erroneous, and to accept what presents itself to
their minds as true. In some cases they will make mistakes. The only men
that never think wrong, are those who never think at all. There never
was a child born into the world that learned to walk without stumbling
occasionally, and at times even falling outright. And there never was a
spiritual child that learned to travel in the paths of religious
investigation, without falling at times into error. But what is to be
done on such occasions? What does the mother do when her baby falls?
Does she run and kick the poor little creature, and say, "You naughty,
dirty tike, if ever you try to walk again, I will throw you into the
gutter?" On the contrary, she runs and catches up the dear little thing;
and if it has hurt itself, she kisses the place to make it well, and
says, "Try again, my darling; try again." And it _does_ try again: and
in course of time it learns to walk as steadily as its mother; and when
she begins to stagger under the infirmities of age, it takes her hand,
and steadies her goings.

And so it should be in spiritual matters. When a good young man falls
into error, we should treat him with the tenderness and affection of a
mother. "We were gentle among you," says Paul to the Thessalonians,
"even as a nurse cherisheth her children." And this is the example that
we should follow towards our younger brethren. Whether we would keep
them from erring, or bring them back when they go astray, we should
treat them tenderly.... We should try to win their love and confidence.
Men can often be led, wh