Thoughts for Young Men

THOUGHTS FOR YOUNG MEN “Young men likewise e xhort to be sober minded.” —Titus 2:6 WHEN St. Paul wrote his e pistle to Titus about his duty as a minister, he mentioned young men as a class requiring peculiar attention. After speaking of aged men and aged women, and young women, he adds this pit hy advice—“Young men likewise e xhort to be s ober minded” (Ti 2:6). I am going to follow the apostle ’s advice. I propose to offer a few words of friendly exhortation to young men. I am growing old myself, but there are few things I remember so well as the days of my youth. I have a most distinct recollection of the joys and sorrows, the hopes and fears, the temptations and difficulties, the mistaken judgments and the misplaced affe ctions, the errors and the aspirations, that surround and accompany a young m an’s life. If I can only say som ething to keep s ome young man in the right way —and preserve him from faults and sins that may mar his pr ospects both for time and eternity—I shall be very thankful. There are four things that I propose to do: 1. I will menti on some general reasons why young men need exhor ting. 2. I will notice some special dangers against which young men need to be warned. 3. I will give some general counsels , which I entreat young men to r eceive. 4. I will set down some special rules of cond uct, which I strongly advise young men to follow. On each of these four points I have something to say, and I pray God that what I say may do good to some soul.

In the first place, what are the general reasons why young m en need peculiar exho rtation? I will mention several of them in o rder.

For one thing, there is the painful fact that there are few young men anywhere who seem to have any religion. I speak without respect of persons; I say it of all. High or low, rich or poor, gentle or simple, learned or u nlearned, in town or in country —it makes no matter. I tremble to observe how few young men are led by the Spirit, how few are in that narrow way which leads to life, how few are setting their affections upon things above, how few are taking up the cross and following Christ (Mat 7:14; Col 3:2; Mat 16:24) . I say it with all sorrow, but I believe, as in God’s sight, I am saying nothing more than the truth. Young men, you form a large and most important cla ss in the population of this country; but where, and in what condition, are your immortal souls? Alas, whatever way we turn for an a nswer, the report will be one and the same! Let us ask any faithful minister of the gospel and mark what he will tell us. Ho w many u nmarried young people can he reckon up who come to the Lord’s Supper? Who are the most backward about the means of grace : 2 the most irregular about Sunday services , the most difficult to draw to weekly lectures and prayer meetings , the most ina ttentive under preaching at all times? Which part of his congregation fills him with most anxiety? Who are the Reubens for whom he has the deepest “searchings of heart”? Who in his flock are the hardest to manage, who require the most frequent warnings and r ebukes, who occasion him the greatest uneasiness and sorrow, who keep him most constantly in fear for their souls and seem most hopeless? Depend on it, his answer will always be, “The Young Men.” Let us ask the parents in any parish throughout England and s ee what they will generally say. Who in their families give them most pain and tro uble? Who need the most watchfulness, and most often vex and disappoint them? Who are the first to be led away from what is right, and the last to remember cautions and good advice? Who are the most diff icult to keep in order and bounds? Who most frequently break out into open sin, disgrace the name they bear, make their friends unhappy, embitter the old age of their rel ations, and bring down grey hairs with sorrow to the grav e? Depend on it, the answer will generally be, “The Young Men.” Let us ask the magistrates and officers of justice, and mark what they will reply. Who go to taverns and beer -shops most? Who are the greatest Sabbath -breakers? Who make up riotous mobs and s editious meetings? Who are oftenest taken up for drunkenness, breaches of the peace, fighting, poaching, stealing, assaults, and the like? Who fill the gaols, and penitentiaries, and convict -ships? Who are the class that requires the most inces sant watchi ng and looking after? Depend on it, they will at once point to the same quarter —they will say, “The Young Men.” 2 means of grace – instruments that God is pleased to use in order to accomplish salvation and sanct ification in the heart of men: the preaching of the Word, Bible reading and study, singing, prayer, baptism, the Lord’s Su pper, and godly fellowship with others. Let us turn to the upper classes and mark the report we shall get from them. In one family, the sons are always wasting time, health, and money in the selfish pursuit of pleasure. In another, the sons will follow no profession and fritter away the most pr ecious years of their life in d oing nothing. In another, they take up a profession as a mere form but pay no attention to its duties. In another , they are always forming wrong co nnections, gambling, getting into debt, associating with bad compa nions, keeping their friends in a constant fever of anxiety. …