The Southern Enterprise

Caution to the Young.—Beware of the card-playing circle! Beware of the gambling-table! Beware of the billiard-saloon! Beware of the theatre! Yes, young friend, beware of such resorts. You can find sufficient recreation elsewhere. There are amusements enough, without recourse to any of these. Be on your guard against the seductive influence of all of them. Direct your footsteps into wiser and safer paths. "Avoid them, pass not by them; turn from them and pass away."

None of these are necessary to your respectability or happiness, to your health of body or purity of mind, to the education of the intellect or the salvation of the soul, to your prosperity through time or welfare in eternity. They are positively dangerous to your peace of conscience, future, if not present; dangerous to habits of industry; and dangerous to your morals. They all peril the dearest interests of your immortal nature. In the hour of sober conviction, on the bed of death, and at the judgment of the great day, you will be ready to acknowledge it, if not before. There is no need of thus risking your good name in the estimation of the best part of the community; and, what is worse than all, risking the possession of an unspotted character and virtuous principles in your own and God's estimation.

Remember that while "the way of transgressors is hard," and while sin at the last "biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder," it is also true, for our encouragement, that "religion never was designed to make our pleasures less," and that "wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Am. Messenger