The Litchfield County post., 1828-05-08
From the Connecticut O6sevper. FEEBLE SOCIETIES.

IT u IS a UnaXtfn true ttl OttbeG CUuCtGUsstuat Gn ounce cf preUfntion IS UOTth 0 pound Gf cure it is emphatically SD in regard to aiding fee ble s0cleties. It is much easier to maintain them, and repair their breaches, than to rais" them up when fallen. The expensr is less the trouble is less--the obstacles are fewer. After people have been for many years dcs titute of the institutions of religion, only here and there one would wish to enjoy thrm.-- Many will'bc indifferent, and some will vi0- lently oppose. The house of worship, per haps, has gone to 'tter decay, and thus. the only bond which held the society together for some time, is dissolved. Then,the few who hoped that a better day would dawn upon them, yield up all hope, and cease all exer tion. If benevo olent societies. or benevolent individuals, in such circumstances, begin the work of raising up the desOlations.the people are disheartencd, and scarce willing to make any effort. where they have failed with ap- parently better advantages for securing their object.
 There are, in this State some feeble Soci- cites which seem to be struggling for exist ence; and whether if unassisted. they will struggle successfully, appears to be doubtful Ofthis number, is the society of Milton, in Litchfeld. This society, 1t is known to ma nv of our readers, has been. for some years. destitute of pastor; and the prospect of the ultimate, permanent establishment of reli gious institutions, there, was so faint, that. if we do not mistake, the cNnsOciatiOn once ad- vised the church to disband, and unite with other churches in the immediate vicinity.- But they felt unwilling to adopt this painful measure. The situation of the people in re- lation to other places of worship. rendered it almost certain that d considerable part of the congregation must be depri, ed ofthe regular enjoyment of the Gospel. In this crisis, an interesting revival which has brought consid- erablr numbers into the church.and strength ened the Society increased the unwilllngness to yield up forever the thought of d perlnan- ent ministry in the place. We understand that the people are now making an effort to repair and finish their meeting house, the frame ofwhich is in good preservation, though if not attended to soon will begin to decay.- The Domestic Missionary Society of Conn ectcut have sent committee to enquire into the circumstances cfthe case. who, we are informed, report, that an effort ought to be made, and may be made with good prospect of success, to aid the people in establishing. permanently, religious institutions. Tfmeans can he obtained. with the aid expected for a short season from the Domestic Missionary Socety of Connecticut, the people hope ny great sacrifices to be able to support minis. ter.
 And now. we appeal to the hourishing. lib- eral. wealthy and patriotick county of Litch. field. in favour of this feeble society. It has, in times past. .heen often remembered by these churches, and we doubt not. will be again, when its wants and encouraging prospects are known. It will not, we are confident, be suf. fered to sink, for the want of d little temper ary assistance, in the midst of churches, dis tingnished fer their liberality in the cause of Foreign Missions.
 lntorication. laws against intoxication are enforced with great rigor in Sweden.---- Whoever is seen drunk, is fined, for the first offence, three dollars; for the second, six {; for the third and fourth, still larger sum- and is also deprived of the right of voting at elections, and of being appointed a represent alive. He is exposed at the parish church on the following Sunday. 1.-the same indiv- idual is found committing the same offence a fifth tim, he is shut up in house of correction. and condemned to six months hard labor; and if he is again guilty. to a 12 months imprisonment ofa similar description -If the offence has been committed in public such as at fair, at an auction, &c. the fine is doubled; and if the offender has made his appearance in church the punishment is still Severer. Whoever is convicted of hay ing induced another tn intoxcate himself, is fned three dollars, which sum is doubled if the drunken person is minor. An ecclesi- astic who falls into this offence. loses his ben tice; if he is layman N hO occupies any con siderable post. his functions are suspended, & he is perhaps dismissed. Drunkenness is ne- yer admitted as an excuse for any crime; and whoever dies while drunk, is buried ignomin- ionsIy, and deprived of the prayels of the church.. It is forbidden to give.and more ex- plicitly to sell, any spirituous liquors to stud ents, apprentices. wOrkmen, servants. .and sol diers. Whoever is observed drunk in the streets. or making noise in tavern. is sure to be taken prisoner and detained until sober, without. however being on that account exemp- ted from fines. Half of these fines go to that informers (who are generally police officers,) and the other half to the poor. If the delin- quent has no money, he is kept iD prison till some one pays for him. those ordinances are read aloud from the pulpit, and every tavern keeper is bound, under the penalty of ae hea- " fine, to have copy of them hung up in the principal rooms of his house,