A HINT TO PARENTS.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1715, 2 July 1874, Page 2

A HINT TO PARENTS.

We take the following .wholesome references from the letter of the BalUrat correspondent to the Pleasant Creek News :—>" One fact is remarkable in connection, with our Sunday evening services —the great preponderance of the gentler sex at all our churches, At least nine* tenths of the worshippers are women,' and of these six-tenths are young woman—too young, some persons would say, to Wont at night alone and unprotected. -Now, I yield to none in proper reverence for "the services of our churches, no matter what maybe the peculiar creed followed by the worshippers, but at the same time one can put two and two together and count up four. The practice—and it is general in Ballarat—of allowing young girls to attend Jate services on Sundays, and other church and chapel holidays, alone, is at all events a point open to argument;. It has become the fashion now at some of our well-attended churches for hosts' of young men —some respectable, others not so—'to collect at about closing time round the approach to the buildings and await the departure of the congregation. lam sorry to add that in too many, cases their patience is well rewarded by troops, of giddy girls, who accept the escort offered by the youths, and join in all kinds of larks on the road (usually not the most direct) home. Putting the'effects of the service at the churches against the romps in the street, after service, in the scale together, I am afraid the doubtful outweighs the good. At one of our churches this evening, the reverend* gentlemen officiating- took occasion to allude td the practice referred to. As far as I can recollect, his words were" has follows:— 'All should take part in the services of < church; the young especially, and there should be few excuses pleaded for absence from- the sanctuary. . . . It: mast be borne in mind by my young friends present that'the Sunday and its proper observances do not close as soon as the blei* sing is pronounced and the-outside of the church is gained. I have noticed, on frequent occasions, meetings seemingly prearranged of young men and young women take place after the conclusion of evening service at several of our* churches—meetings, I am sure, that would on no account be sanctioned by the parents of at least the young girls. I have seen levity, and, I regret to add, conduot that under no circumstances would be proper, and when I have reflected 1 that these things are going on; under the .very shadow of the house of God, I have said to myself, as I ever say to you parents and guardians of children here present,' better far keep your girls around your family bible, at home, on Sabbath evenings, nyou do not see they leave the church they attend in n orderly manner, * and remained untainted by the evil influences that I am sorry to say are at work each Sunday night, in our streets, and at the very doors of our sanctuaries.' Nev.erw'as ,good wholesome truth 1 more simply or plainly echoed from the pulpit. Straight from the shoulder, and in aright manly fashion, and the good cure hit out at an evil that too many of the cloth either do not or will not see. "