Very frequently and to an alarming extent "masturbation" is taught by older boys, and by young men even, in nearly all our colleges, boarding, public and private schools, and by companions under the paternal roof. This act is repeated time after time until the degrading and destructive (morally and physically so) habit is confirmed. As a result, the boy grows thin, pale, morose and passionate; then weak, indolent and indifferent; his digestion becomes impaired, his sleep short, disturbed and broken; he sometimes becomes epileptic or falls into a state of marasmus; in any case he is in great danger of being totally ruined forever. There is a great difference in boys regarding the formation of these habits. While some may almost insensibly glide into them, others, intuitively as it were, turn away from all such temptations and banish all thoughts of a sexual nature from their minds at once. This is right. So long as a boy's mind refuses to harbor such baleful approaches, so long he is safe; but the moment he heeds them and allows them to enter his mind, that moment he is in danger and will most likely fall into bad habits. He must strenuously resist all such thoughts and going to his father or mother tell them about his trials and temptations and strive to forget them until success crowns his efforts. By persistent efforts, by repeated prayers to the Lord for help, by reading his Bible and good, pure stories, by running into the open air and indulging in some useful occupation or joyous, healthful play, he will eventually conquer them and thus rise to the dignity of a true man. Sometimes, too, it may be necessary to consult the physician for help. In addition to the instinctive shrinking which every right minded person generally feels from putting ideas of impurity into a child's innocent mind, a parent's pride leads him to hope that _his_ boy would not indulge in any such mean and disgusting practices. But, bearing in mind the advice of Herbert Spencer--"that the aim of discipline should be to produce a _self-governing_ being," the best advice a parent or guardian can, and ought, to give, is: do not harbor bad thoughts or feelings about anything; at once turn them away and think of something else, of something good, true and pure. Indulge in no hatred or revengeful feelings towards others; plot no evil things; always be true to your word, faithful to your duties and charitable to all. Treat everybody kindly and politely. And further, a child should be _taught_ what "chastity" really is, instead of leaving him to find it out as best he may.