Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-11-30
From The Christian Keepsake-lS39.
THE DARK VALLEY MADE
LIGHT.
BY REV. J. X. CONVERSE.

BY REV J. X. CONVERSE.
It was just at the close OF that most
beautiful portion of our American autumn.
called the 'Indlan Summer, that ] was cd
nv business to travel from the Caplal of
Virginia into the range of middle counties
living under The Blue Ridge. My route
through part of us course, lay along the
valley of the James, more righ,iully called
the Pnwhaltan, 10 memory Of the powerful
chief whose dornlnous once skrlcd this
noble stream. 1t was in The latter part ot
the month of November. The evenings
were clear aud cool The white frost on
the hedges Of locusts and perslmmon
sparkled brilliantly m the morning sun
beams. During the middle hours of the
day, the sun impaired q genial warmth.
The extended forests Of oak and hickory
in,erspcrsed with ev"rgreens, had either
cas-, their foliage. or were clad in the last
robes of autumn, exhibiting all the various
tinis and hues Of the season. A thin light
haze hung upon the verge Of the distant
mountains. ns they were occasionally seen
through The openings. or from the swelIs
of land over which my road passed.
There was something both in the scenery
and m the season in its attendant c'rcum
stances which gave me- sensible delight
Rejecting, as ! pursued my journey, on
the sweet 'yicisstudes Of the essons, and
their return again in perpetual circle, |
could no, he p saying to myself. O that !
could return again to early boyhood-to
INV h's, spring of youth! then would re
deem the time and opportunities that have
been lost, and prepare myself for man
hood that should be as happy and graceful
as this Astounding and mc;ure season of the
year.
Such were passing reflections, when or
a Saturday night, arrived al an unnshly
,nca, country tavern, which had determ,net
10 make nv home Til the Sabbath had pa
scd After the requisite attention to my
faithful beat and 10 my nGn freshmcnl
Iava,ed myself OF the well known hosp
,ai,v Of the people, and walked out, some
half mile, to call upon family hrhorlc
unknown to me except by name. Wnt
this interesting circle, the evening soor
passed away. As | was about to take
leave of them, ] inquired Il there was /,
be any preaching in the neighborhood tn,
next day, NO. replied the lady of tht
nOuSe, we udSc p'CoSu"S UuL oc'ublIi
We have M shepherd 10 take care Of us
but some of US begin TO feel that it ia tim,
for Us TO take care Of ourselves The Las
sentence she uttered with deep emotion
and then added, we shall have a Sabba,l
school to morrow about a mile from TINS
we commonly 60 there when we hav
no preaching. We will hope to see 70,
there, and perhaps you will have word t.
say to U.s.
Let the reader imagine tract of coun
try beautiful and fertile indeed, but lnhab
tied by a scattered population, whose dwel
lngs are widely separated from each othe
BY The intervention of largo plantations
Lie, him conceive of the property as beip
very unequaly distribute ed; the wealthy
educated, and hospi'able, but imbued wit
scepticism. and devoted to pleasure; ,h
poor-very poor and very ignorant an
the whole population without schools, an
having no stated religious worship on tn
Sabbath ;-and he will have before bl'
the true idea of the moral condition of thi;
and of some other portions of the Ancien
Dominion, at the time Of which we write
This state Of things had resulted natural
enough, from causes which had been bro
into ope,a,ion about the close of our Rev
dictionary struggle. The few chnrche
which had been previously gathered, WEI
either broken up. or very much deranget
The writings Of Goodwin and Paine wei
read by many in the higher classes az
their poison had d,ffused itself into oth'
parts of society.
The obligations of gratitude felt towar'
France had opened the way for the ln'r'
duc,ion Of the irrelglon of the Fren'
Court (; and The admiration in which v
held the French, at that time, operated
a recommendation Of their principles,
Moreover, some Of the most popular poll'
cal leaders 10 the state were the undsguls
advocates OF infdel principles; and d
young men. enthusiastic IN their love
liberty, and aspiring TO high stations
their coun,ry's service. did no, use The n
cessary discrimination, bu' in adopting /
political creed Of popular leaders, b
unfortunately, and perhaps unconscious
adopted also their religious faith. He