Characteristics of Manhood.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3810, 15 March 1881, Page 2

Characteristics of Manhood.

The Eev. Mr Dewsbury lectured on the above subject in the Shortland Wesleyan Chapel last evening. There was a fair audience. The Eev. W. J. Watkin occupied the chair. The meeting opened by singing, after which the Chairman briefly engaged in prayer, and then introduced the rev. lecturer, who, he said, was an emergency man, being present as the substitute of the Eev. Mr Morley.

The rev. lecturer said his remarks would be more particularly addressed and adapted to young men. He charged them to become men in reality as well as in name ; let them so live that th.py would make the world their debtor, and be what the world would call "manly" men. What a grand thing it was to be a man. See our great men and their works — measuring the universe, bringing to light the wonders of' the world, and doing so many wondrous works. He regretted the fact that there were so few " manly " men. A great portion of his time at present would be taken up in pointing out the faults in most men. A principal fault was vanity; this was very general. He drew a striking picture of one of this class which is very common, but these, he said, would never make men, no, not if they grew to be seven feet high and had a beard down to their waists. Bluntness was not a characteristic of manliness; there was a great difference between candour and impertinence. He warned young men never to prevaricate, to be frank in manner and speech : to answer to the point when a question was asked of them of a proper nature, and to refuse to answer it if it was not. He then touched upon the use of tobacco, and said that he did not condemn it in every case, but strongly condemned it as a manly acquirement, as it was just the opposite. From his own experience smoking in youth stopped the growth, dulled the senses, and in some cases led oa to drinking, through producing thirst. Many thought that slang was a manly acquirement, but this was a mistake. He read an amusing extract, showing the many phrases which are now used. Swearing he need scarcely touch upon; they were all agreed upon the foolishness and wrongfulness of that habit. Having spoken upon the qualities which tend to make a man not half a man, he went on to describe the qualities which

made a " manly " man, and these were: perfect sincerity, not only in,word, but in deed. Many persons would act a lie. when they would hesitate to speak one. A man should be always ready to own a mistake; but if perfectly satisfied with a truth, he should stick to it, and on no account give it up. Firmness, energy, and true courage were also attributes of true manhood. Next to faith in God, faith in himself was the salvation of a man. True courage was that which knew the danger, and boldly faced it. Too much importance, he thought, could not be given to muscular exercise, and a man was not a man who had not learned to handle an oar or a cricket bat, or was afraid to take up a single-stick. The intellectual and moral part of our education were by far the most important, a true man was steadfast not fickle in affection, but true to his promises. Religion was a subject which he knew was thought effeminate by many, but as man was made in the image of God, Godliness, he contended, was a noble attribute, and a Christian was the noarest approach to a true man. Where would they find truer courage and manliness than that exhibited by Luther, Craumer, and other noble Christians. If young men wished to be true men, and wanted a perfect model, let them study the life of Jesus Christ, and follow in his steps, and ever remember that the path ot duty was the path to glory. Mr Ashly then moved a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was seconded by Mr Frauk, who regretted that there were not more young men present. A vote of thanks was then cordially given. The singing of the Doxology and the pronunciation of the benediction brought a very instructive and entertaining lecture to a close. It was listened to with marked attention throughout.