Litchfield enquirer., 1842-04-07

| DrluSe; me Doy jones eat mutton chopS
under sofa.
THE FIRST GLASS OF WINE.
! Young ladies', read it.-Youpg men, read it.
Mr.. Hiram J. Thomas in giving some
account Of his history and experience, rela.
ted the following thrilling occurrence.
"When was about eighteen years DID,"
said MIR. T. "and resident Of Wayne
county, Indiana, l became very intimate
with two young men. They were moral
and respectable. We often met in the so-
cial circle. AT a party one evening saw a
young Iady-and lovely young lady she
was-of(er nv young friend IA glass
Of wine. saw him falter and hesitate, for
he was total abstinence man, though he
had never signed the pledge. Upon her
insisting upon his drinking, saw him
shrink back from her importantly; yet, as
she continued to insist, he could not refuse,
for she was his affianced bride.
Two years after, she was the mother Of
an infant child, and the wife of drunken
husband. In the autumn of '3S, he sought
refuge from those who had Witnessed his
degradation in the wlds Of Iowa. Only
last March, my other friend, was travelling
in that territory, and he thought that he
would enquire about our mutual friend
K. What do you imagine were his
feelings on being told the sad tale Of the
end Of. About Il year and u half ago,
neighbor Of K-caIled in one morning
to see how the family were, and there with
in his dea,l,-cold hand was the fatal knife,
with which he had murdered his wife, his
child and himself. They there lay pros
,ra,e upon the floor, welte.ing in their blood
together.
All this was the result of drinking that
first glass Of wine, Of which he knew the
danger, and to which he was invited by hon
whom he loved better than any other being
on earth.
But THAT glass Of wine cos. The poor,
,houghtless, but then guy girl, her l'ie,-
the life Of her child-the lite Of her nus
band! From that glass of wine he wen,
down to a drunkard's grave.
What is Religion? Not That which me-
teor-Iike, shines for brief period, and then
fades and disappears. Not that which
which talks most-.prays longcst---sighs
deepest--shouts loudesl--aud rcproyes
with the greatest severity. Not that which
can reject the widows petition-the orr
phaD,s cry. Not that which deceives in a
bargain--deals closely with the pour
withholds the just requilal of labor-breeds
-alienates triends--cmbiiters
enemes--beirays conGdcnce--promO!es
sectarian strife ard renders evil for evil
| Il loA haI, ~ n
the father, is this : TO visit the talherless
and tho widows in their aff1iction, and to
keep ourselves unspoticd from the world.
| Pore religion is u vital principle-a tonn-
tain Of living water springiDg up i'll the soul,
and cleansing it from the pollution Of sin.
A radiance shining into the heart, giving j,
new life, new principles Of action, aud ne "
modes OF action; giving higher aims, bright
er hopes aud Sweelcr JOYS. Pure religion
teaches US to love our enemies, to pray for
them, and in all things to render good Tor
evil. 1t requires ~ to ACT on principles OF
perfect Justice. All things whatsoever we
would that men should do TO us, it teaches
US 10 do TO them. To do justly, love mer-
cy aud walk lumbly before God.-FrdS-
mcnts Of Time.
An IIONEsT REPoRr.-A German MEM
Der Of the Pennsylvania Legislature, having
returned home from session, was asked
by neighbour, 'what had been done BY the
Legislature Z" 81 don't know what eth
ers have DONE" replied he, " bas have
cleared one hundred dollars for nsinesrlf."
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