Boys: their Work and Influence

Transcribed from the Skeffington & Son tenth edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
Tenth Edition .
LONDON: SKEFFINGTON & SON, PICCADILLY, W. publishers to h.m. the queen and to h.r.h. the prince of wales.
By the same Author , 9 d. , elegant cloth , 10 th Edition .
NEW BOOK by the same Author. 3rd Edition. Elegant cloth, price 1s. 6d., by post 1s. 8d.
HE THAT SERVETH: Counsel and Help for Workers; being Short Readings, etc., specially, but not solely, adapted for Domestic and other Servants, etc., Including most of the Church Seasons; on various Duties, Faults, Temptations, etc.; Confirmation, Holy Communion, etc. The Publishers believe this little book will be most useful in meeting a very felt want.
The following papers were written at the request of one who had read the somewhat similar papers addressed to girls. The object aimed at in both books has been to try and help Boys and Girls of the so-called working classes to recognize their duties to God and their neighbour, and to use on the side of right the powers and opportunities which God has given them.
It seems to the author that advice given to the so-called lower orders, often partakes too much of patronage, and too little of the brotherhood, that should be a sign of Christians. “Do as you are told and be thankful,” is too much the tone of the advice, instead of explaining duties, pointing out opportunities, and recognizing them as fellow-labourers in the great work.
In God’s household everyone has his place assigned to him by the master, some to govern, and some to serve, but still all are fellow-servants of that one Master, and brethren in Christ.
What a curious fellow a boy is. I wonder if boys ever think about themselves. A young monkey is full of mischief, a young puppy is full of play, a young kitten is always ready for fun, but a boy seems to combine the qualities of all three, and to have a stock of his own to jumble up with them. A boy has so many sides, not only an outside and an inside; he is a many sided being. See him at one time and you would hardly suppose him to be the same creature that you had seen a little while before. Now he is a bright nice spoken lad, in a few moments he is a bullying tyrant, now he is courteously answering those who speak to him, now words come from his lips that shock the hearer. Now he would scorn to have his word doubted by a comrade, now he does not hesitate to lie to escape punishment. Now fearless, now a coward, now full of spirits, now in the depths of woe—sunshine or joy, wind and calm, silence and tumult, all seem to have their place, and to make up that incomprehensible and yet delightful animal a boy.