The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1826-11-21
WARNING TO SABBATH BREAK
80 EMC

was ever made to promote the improve"
ment aud happiness Of man. But tins M
stitution would prove comparatiyely USE
less. if it were not for the. appointment OF
the Sabbath; for such is the ascendency
which the cares-the pleasures, the fasci-
nations--and the duties of the world nave
acquired over the public mind, that very
few wnrld have an opportunity to attend it,
&c some sner;fic portion of time were not
set apart for this express purpose. Ii the
husbandmen we're compelled to toll IN the
field, and the mechanic to labour IN the
shop if the tradesman, the merchant, and
other members of the community had to
attend to their respective. duties without
any intermission, except what caprice or
Incidence dictated, the minister of mercy
might go into the temple, and proclaim all
the words which relate to the world to
come but would he be surrounded by a
large and attentive audience2 Oh no.
The temple would be forsaken and the
powers of this world would so engross the
attention of men, that those of the next,
would be generally, if not universally dis
regarded. To prevent this fatal evil, one
day in seven sset apart, by the immedi-
ate authority of God, which we are COM
handed to devote to the exercises of pri-
! vate and public worship; but alas how
MANY treat this sacred Injunction with con-
tempt. Some in the higher ranks of life,
] who disdain to be thought religious, em-
sploy it as a day for travelling, or for FEAST
ing; and multitudes of inferior classes re-
gard it as a day either for convenience, of
pleasure, or of dissipation.
AS / was walking down street on my
way to church, saw party of young peo-
pie going on before me, whose volatile
manners i'll accorded with the sane
tity of the day and just as was
passing them, heard one say, Indeed /
think we shall do wrong--my conscience
condemns mel must return" tsThere
can be no harm," replied another Gin ta-
king an excursion on the water; especially
as we have resolved to 60 to church in the
evening. must RETURN rejoined fe-
male voice, "my conscience condemns me.
What will father say if he hear of it ?i'
BY this time they had reached the river,
and one of the party was busily engaged
with a waterman, while the rest stood in
close debate for the space of FIVE minutes,
when they all moved forward towards the
water. ~ rs.
4 watched them going down the stairs,
and thought perceived an air OF peculiar
melancholy in the countenance of the fe-
male who had objected to the. excursion,
but whose firmness gave way to the ardor|
of importantly. Two of the gentlemenl
stepped into the boat; two more stood by
the waters edge, and the females were han-
ded in one after another but still I could
perceive great reluctance on the part of the
one who had previously objected !; till at :
length being surrounded by all the gentle {
men Of the party, she yielded, and the boat /
was pushed of. 1t was fine morning, +
though rather cold the tide was running at !
its usual rate many were gazing on them, I
like myself, when naval officer standing i
near me called to them, and said IS KIT
voyage to yeu." One of the gem
Ilemen suddenly arose to return the COM !,
pliment but from some cause, which I j
could not perceive, he unfortunately fell !
into the water. This disaster threw the
whole party into the utmost considerations;
md each one, instead of retaining his seat, :
'ushed to the side Of the boat over which : :
heir companion had fallen, which upset it +
= all were instantaneously plunged into the
leep. The shrek which the multitude of
pectators gave, when they beheld this ca- =
amity, exceeded any noise had ever :
leard several females tainted; boats inn
nediately put off; and in few minutes / !
rad the qualification Of seeing the Water :
men rescuing one--and another-and an :
other from premature grave. Having
picked UP all they could find, the differently !
boats rowed to shore, where some med:-
cal men were in waiting but when the
party met together, no language can de-
scribe the horror which was depicted on
Overy countenance when they found that
two were still missing. Where's my sis
ter ~ said the voice that had said only
few minutes before, "There can be no !
harm in taking an excursion on the water:
especially as we have resolved to 90 to
church in the evening" Where's INV
Charles r. said female who had appear
ed the most gay and sprightly when first
saw them.
At length two boats which had gone q
considerable distance up the river, were
seen returning; and on being asked if they
had picked up any one, they replied,
Yes, two. This reply electrified the
whole party; they embraced each other
with the tenderest emotions they went
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