--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 9 number: 11 published: 1906-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Editor’s Table: Waywardness and Its Remedy," *Improvement Era* 9, no. 11 (September 1906): 897–900.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0911unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0911unse start_page: 897 end_page: 900 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1906-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0911unse publication_year: 1906 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1906, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Editor’s Table: Waywardness and Its Remedy EDITOR'S TABLE. WAYWARDNESS AND ITS REMEDY. A mother writes to the editors of the Era a most pathetic appeal in behalf of her wayward and intemperate boy. He is bright and ambitious; but from early childhood he manifested 2 restlessness and a disposition to do things, and was never con tenter unless earning money. This disposition caused him to leave home at the age of seventeen. He was employed on a railway running out of Salt Lake. Father and mother protested, but to no purpose, "we were helpless in the matter," she says. His work led him into the society of men who gambled, drank, and used tobacco; and, of course, he fell into like evils.His actions became a source of deep sorrow and regret to his parents who have always taught their children, of which he is third in a family often, the gospel by precept and example. They fully realize that a temperate life causes the soul of man to be more sensitive to the operations of the Spirit of God, and enables him more easily to serve his Maker, and so taught their son. Finally the boy left this position, for, while the environment of railway employees often brings them into serious temptations and loose company, duty still requires them to be temperate. He wandered into a neighboring state seeking employment. After a two years' absence, he returned last spring, to the home of his parents, who rejoiced to see him once again. Now let the mother tell her own story: For several years our boy has taken no interest in the Church organizations. It seemed that all the efforts wehad made along this line when he was small were fruitless. The evening before the 4th of July, he went to a neighboring town and did not return until daylight. We had planned an out to the lake for the family, as we had not all been together for some time. When the time came to awaken him, so that he could be ready to go with us, I discovered he was in a drunken stupor. While I had heard of his drinking, I had never seen him in this condition before; and, seeing my child lie thereunder the influence of liquor, his face, 898 IMPROVEMENT ERA. and hands soiled with tobacco juice, it was worse than death to me. I could not control myself, but cried aloud in the anguish of my soul! My crying aroused him, and when I returned to the room, I found him sobbing like a child. I threw my- self over him, and told him how I loved him, that I would sacrifice my life for him, if I could help him, but he felt his shame, and told me to leave him, which I did! The rest of the family went to the lake as we had planned. All day long my heart was raised in prayer and pleading to God. The next morning, at daybreak, I went to his bedside to assure myself that he was there, and, as I stood looking at him, it seemed to me that I could sense the power that Satan had over him ; that he was bound up as in a case which I could not penetrate. I just longed to lay my hands upon him, bless him, and rebuke that evil power, but I knew it would awaken him, and he would net understand. I thought, as I stood looking at him: he is my child, I gave him birth, I nursed and did for him when he was helpless, and yet now is so far from me that I cannot reach him, nor appeal to him to take the course that I know will bring happiness and success, because he is in the power of Satan! All I can do is to pray. Dear brethren, you can imagine the earnestness and sincerity of the prayer of a mother pleading for the' salvation of her child. As I prayed for him, I sensed that there are many young men in the same condition, so that my sympathy was drawn out toward my sister mothers in Israel. * * * * * i W3S led to pray that our Father in Heaven would inspire his servants to start some movement that would reach this class of young men who are going to destruction through this terrible curse intemperance. The thought remained with me, and the suffering I have passed through makes me feel that I would be willing to dedicate my life to the work. there nothing can do? ****** I Is realize that much is done in the Sunday Schools, I and the Mutual Improvement Associations, but this class are not reached through these organizations, for they never go there. Dear brethren, I hope you understand my motive in writing to you, and that you will take this as an appeal from a mother in behalf of our wayward and intemperate boys. I realize that one soul is just as precious in the sight of God as another, and that it is not always our worst boys who fall, but often those who are the brightest and most capable of doing good. It does not appear that as a Church we lack organizations to do this work. What with the Priesthood, the Sunday Schools, the Improvement Associations, the Primaries, the Relief Societies, Religion Classes, and other Church institutions, we seem rather oveic •^•anized than needing'more. The movement that would reach theft roung men, therefore, must come from some one of these ilions, or from all combined, and we believe that very much asso»c more ;an be accomplished by each of them than is now being done. However, reforming the wayward is not done in public assemblies nor by public organizations. It is an individual work that must be prosecuted privately by men and women, from these quorums and associations, who are willing and able to act as unheralded min- EDITORS 7 ABLE. 899 isters of salvation to the wayward, in their private lives. Such ministers must penetrate the social environments of the person to be reached. They must eat, drink, play, and associate with him. They must love and be loved by him. They must rebuke his evil propensities, not so much by condemnation as by directing his energies towards the good and the right. They must develop a spirit of pride in correct self-control, and self-insistence. They must teach by example the priceless value of moral courage; they must be unselfish, and throw ambition for place and honor to the winds.. They must work in the ranks unappreciated and unknown save by the very few, and their efforts must be vivified by the spirit and inspiration of the living God. Much of this work is being done by members of our Church organizations; more can and should be done. Even then, the good that can be accomplished by missionaries and public institutions must ever remain small compared with the influence and teachings of the home. It is here, and very early in life, that proper conduct must be inculcated, and that by the love and solicitude which only fathers and mothers can exercise. But it must be firmly accompanied, in early life, with that other power which also only parents can command — authority. But wisdom must be exercised, even in home training. The activity of a child should be directed, not suppressed; the disposition to do, should be gratified by providing proper work, not destroyed by lectures on the value of inertia; and if a youth has a strong desire to earn money, legitimate avenues must be provided to satisfy this desire, which in itself is not vicious, though it may lead, as in this case, to evil endingc. It is easier to prevent waywardness than to cure it. It may be prevented by judicious direction, coupled, of course, with firmness, judgment, the Spirit of God, and other virtues which a parent should strive to possess. In most cases (there are always exceptions which can neither be prevented nor cured, do what one will), waywardness can be prevented by destroying the causes, and judiciously directing the child's desires and inclinations.But once a youth is fallen into the slough of intemperance, the cure is not so easily effected except through self-effort. Without it, prayers and organizations, and outward efforts are of little avail. As in this case, the young man himself should have some sense 900 IMPROVEMENT ERA. of his position, duty and welfare. Look at the evil of wandering away from the endearments of your home, and the love of your parents which should bind you to their hearts, as their hearts are bound to you. You find less satisfaction among strangers! Your best feelings rebel against the dirty tobacco, and the beer, and the pernicious practices and language of vulgar men. You have still respect for the pleadings of your mother. Your heart rebels against the thought that your mother in agonv and tears shall plead and pray in vain for the salvation of her child. Your mother went down into the shadow of the valley for your life. As the mother of other lives, she has fully sanctified her existence; and her last days should be rich in rest and blessings, glorified by the confidence, respect, and deference of her sons and daughters. You do not wish to stand alone across the gulf, where her mother hand cannot reach you. You wish to be near her heart for mutual comfort. And then there are brothers and sisters. Your responsibility to them is worth considering. Your influence with them must be for good. Do not these considerations appeal to your better self? Of course, they do. Then let no false pride nor the slavery of appetite separate you from such love and ties. Throw off the yoke of bondage. Come and be received gladly into the warm fellowship of the family and the Church. Set your foot upon the curse; let your better self conquer; be a man! These are the movements, then, that we would suggest: vigorous individual missionary work by the Priesthood and by members of the auxiliary organizations, in reforming the wayward; judicious care and training in the family, and local employment, to prevent children from leaving the home during the years when they most need the guiding counsel and protecting watchcare of father and mother; and direct appeal to the honor and better natures and sentiments of the boys themselves.