Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-02-13

with the earliest dawn, and through the
bitter cold Of winter, Joscy's was the
first foot sleeps across our PLAIN. lie al
ways came with his empty bottle in his
pocket to be replenished at the village
shop. His case was now deplorable;
we thought it despcrate-but experience
has taught US what religion should have
taught us long ago, never to despair of
human nature. In most blessed time for
poor Josey; before the fountain ofhealth
was dried up, came forth the preachers
of Temperance. Many had long felt in
temperate drinking to be the only evil
that materially checked the prosperity of
our happy country. AS you know, my
dear sir, the sentiment became at once
almost universal. The merchants Of our
village were among the first to resolve
not to retail liquors. The cider barrels
and brandy bottles in our private houses,
were suffered TO remain untitled, and
JOsey, in common with many others, felt
his weak resolution amazingly assisted
by the cutting off of facilities and temp
tations. He abjured ardent spirit. A
few years have passed, and what regen-
Grafton! Ills health is restored, his la
Dor is profitable, his place is repaired, his
family is thriving and happy. Josey
boasts that he has "always money in his
pockets now-a-dnys;" and when pass
him cheeringly driving his opn yoke Of
oxen through the village street, and re-
ceive his good humored greeting, l Sc
cretly bless the Temperate Societies.
Jem Orion, another of these redeemed
eaptives, is at this moment passing my
window. i see in his erect figure and
elastic steps, the signs Of his improve
mcnt. Jem is colored man, and the
natural lghtheartedness of his race is re-
stored to him. Jem married the belle OF
our village among her own people; and a
Pretticr grll than Lucy, spite Of "feecy
locks and black complexion" was hard
ly to be seen. She was the waiter at
our village parties, and one OF their chief
ornaments was she with her well turned
figure, her pretty features, her graceful
creole turbaD, and her soft civil ways
remember how shocked and grcved
we all were when we heard that Lucy
/ had fallen into bad habits. A "drinkin
woman," even in the worst OF times was
almost unknown among US. AS might
be expected, conjugal dfscord soon sue
ceeded, and other inevitable fruits Of in
temperance, a slovenly house, and ne
| elected crying children. Now the scene
Is changed-Lucy's little dwelling is one
of the neatest in the village, and if you,
my dear sir, were to see her sitting at the
door with her very pretty, bright, clean
little children around them, you could
not hardly resist stepping in to partake
the "cake and beer" advertised on the
little strip Of board under her window.
/ There are some other cases equally
instructive among us-but where are
they not-an angel Of mercy with heal
ing on his wings, is brooding over our
land. Many, like those have specifi-
ed, who were fallen and restored-and
countless are the number who are saved,
that were snconsciousIy approaching the
precipice.
\ We may learn from the effects produc-
ed by the friends Of Temperance, that
love is the efficient principle. They are
the friends, the iorers of their race; they
60 forth in His spirit who "is love" ~
According to the example Of their Di-
vine Master, they visit the sick, (the
diseased in body and souD they 60 TO
preach to the spirits in prison, and to seek
and save those that are lost.
i That you, my dear sir, and those as
sociated with you, may continue to be
successful in this sacred mission, is the
prayer Of yours,
! Very respectfully and sincerely,
Il G.. NJ. SEDGwICK.