Morning Star

MORAL REFORM.

Solitary Vice.

We feel it our duty at this time to bring before our readers a subject of great interest which has of late claimed much attention from medical men. We fain would be excused from this duty, but we feel that too much is at stake for us to remain silent. Many of our readers are doubtless aware, and those who are not should be, that there is a vice which is sapping the foundations of the health of our youth, and that it not only ruins health, but by its debasing, demoralizing effects upon the minds of its victims, ruins them for time, and as we awfully fear, for eternity-that it is the sin of darkness and secrecy-that it is appropriately termed solitary vice-

Are parents aware that this sin is slaying its thousands, and often the most precious lambs of the flock-that it is found among professing Christians-that it withers the physical energies, blasts the intellect, and often sends its victims to the lunatic asylum, and always to a premature grave?

Are parents aware of all this? If not, they must be informed. If we would save our youth-if we would save our world-for the hope of the world, under God, is in our youth--we must spread information on this subject. A lady remarked to us, when our paper was first established, that she hoped objectionable subjects would not be introduced into it, as she wished such a paper as could be read in her family. A few days since this lady informed us that she had recently discovered that a child of nine years of age, who has for some time been an inmate of her family, was destroying himself by this vice. He was almost an entire wreck before she knew the cause. If one in a thousand can be saved by giving parents warning, shall they not be warned? God help us to sound an alarm that shall be heard all over the land.

We have just published a tract of 36 pages, entitled 'An address to parents and those who have the care of children, on solitary vice.' It contains facts communicated to us by many under whose observation they had come, and several statements from those who had been victims of this vice and had been rescued. We have written this book from an imperative sense of duty. We wish we could place it in every family in our land, but this we cannot do unless the friends of truth aid us. We trust there are those who will gladly aid in the gratuitous distribution of the book. The price of a single copy is 12 1-2 cents. One dollar will pay for ten copies. Individuals wishing to aid in distributing the book gratuitously, are assured that any sum they may send shall be faithfully appropriated to that object; or if they wish the copies to distribute themselves, they will be forwarded agreeably to their direction. Address Mary S. Gove, Worcester, Mass., or Rosewell Goss, 63 Barclay-street, New York, and you can be supplied with the tract, or aid in its distribution.-Health Journal.

Many a child has been ruined here, from the false delicacy of parents.--Let both children and parents take warning.