The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-06-18
tb,s rtm emit.
From the Youths Medallion.
THE FIRST STEP.

can but reach that, what difference is II
j" -, first step is taken 1t makes no kind of
DOW .o,iritis but right and safe. True and
, i. the very point. 1t is Of vital Importance
,,, sboud be both right and SAFE
pn "a nan who falls from the top of ladder
Nv -. L,svy 10 be unsafe when he began to as
'"'1 ..ooId have saved himself from death or
eH' which he must necessarily suffer by his
r.n,;on if he had not taken the first step; or
I.,.aao ,aken it, he had prudently turned back
~"A,nd,ned his rash project, his life and limbs
.p,,vo been safe. He who .umbes headlong
W.. ,ho precipice, and hazards his life by so
81 y. could have nothing to fear from its dangers,
ar,S,d not taken the first step towards its edge,
simving taken the first step, he had promptly
..,a about, and reganed the safety of his former
.,.non, his life might have been safe.
Tbe bow who recklessly ventures upon the ice,
,,abs finds it bending under his weight, forces
4 linslr through, and is buried beneath it, by the
.,,, effort he makes to regain the shore; but, had
4. oo, taken the first step, he would still be safe
4 I'D Gos from the destruction which had over
,o0 him, So it is in all things-the first step is
y,s il is the most important. Why, what would
he thought of person, who, if he wanted TO go to
4 New Bedford should start off and go to Lowell
4 mr. Nhe desired to go to New York, should take
,b, Eastern Railroad cals for Portland; or who,
n being lsmbhous TO fill seat in the Legislative
4 Halls in ourSlate House in Boston, should expect
y 10 accomplish his purpose by shaping his course
n towards that State Asylum for criminals which is
&ituated on a peninsula adjoining the above city
Ma either ofthese cases, you must see that the JrSt
h ap would be an important one, and that II should
both rigM and safe. And this leads us 10 a
aject, 70 which 1t will be well for us TO turn our
hghs and upon which we should be anxious TO
nNss our minds--it is the first step IN the path
dvhs, which if heedlessly pursued, leads onward
bpI and crime, and which, when not aban-
3hJ, has led so many down the road to moral
ADcal ruin and has brought misery and wretch
ns 10 The hearts of many of those who had
mm ondly looking 10 them for comfort and
aPnsss and thus Drought with sorrow to the
#vNb orders Of the grave, those, who, from the
1lNAN and endearing ties OF nature, had ever felt
underground rely upon fife objects of their care
publications, for support and protection in their
tshipg years.
II Tnm whence then is all this isappointment-
gef-ihis misery--and these bIighted hopes !?
nnO, they be traced to the first step9 And what
phs first stepe Perhaps it may have been
lAng more than TAXI ing cent without Permis-
IS Ian apple, or some more trifing thing But
f@right? Is not this the first step in wrong
ahg And if there is no harm in taking small
Hg which is the property of another, on the
Ens principle there would be no harm in taking
dollar, or barrel of apples, or any thing else
Ongug TO another, which one may desire TO
as@ tH
Now, no one who reads this, will for one instant
ni that it is right TO take the most trfling thing
Nj Nh is known to be The property of another
Hm admission would be contary TO all human
N'nd jnslice-ln opposition TO the christian pre-
Rn, and in violation Of the commands of the
@hsh God.
hel ruan, boy, who has been persuaded by bad
@cales, or who voluntarily absents himself from
pool knows and feels it TO be very wrong for
10 DO so, but he quiets himself with the fatal
aA'c, "Oh! it is only Tor fhis once; l shall not
20 again; and there cannot be any harm in
hs so once" But let him, let all bescarc; this
first step, and how many have by taking it,
'!eO from the path Of virtue, and found them
going hcadIong down the road Of vice and
"' Is lhelc no harm in being once truant!
,SOcN an one abusing the advantages which
'' 'Ne'ea him for fitting hmselrto become useful
respectable when he grows up in life Does
~ sela bad example 10 others who know
And when ho goes home TO meet his pa
S 'an ne do so in conscious innocence? Does
wv "e' mat he must meet them with Tie IN
'"' LOT II they inquire Of him if he has been
'O'' ne must be ready to say he has,and then
4""Se' out of their way as inst as possible, for
.'O''er question may be asked which he can
'ao''y answer. But what makes him want
D"ay from his parents? Is it because he
'Do fsht or because he has done wrong3 Is
vi" good and virtuous children? Do they
| ~, presence of their parents? MOI 1t is not
SI' "em; they love to be with their parents,
nv ""ve no fear The guilty, the wicked ARE
a hi, ~, VINO nee when no one pursueth. And if
christopher does not think am taking up
hon, VI his paper, 1 will tell you little story
y bod h.. who always proved himself to be a
aus,l ,unVl when about nine years old, he was
\ h.. " Dad associates, Qhe first step again, bad
N,n ~, 10 play truant, as it is called "only
M,, ."ea came the lie 10 his parents, thon TO
a..