The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-05-12
Moral and Religions.
The Manchester NB NTdcr. 1.-The
.aaHoa 70 Road TO Ruin. rsa'


has already been observed that men do not become
very wicked at once. They must be trained to it,
This is only saying what is true in other thngs,--ro
become proficient in any art, requires long practice.
The student tolls on and steps slowly up the emnence
of iame The Mechanic works long to perfect his art.
So the servant Of Satan must pass through the prna
ry department orvice-and spend years of uppren-
liceshp before he is prepared to execute the bodest
deeds of crime. ..r
This course Of training is very various 1t might
be remarked that any thing which hurdens the heart
and lessons the obligations Of the gospel tends to
this result Whatever destroys the sacredness Of the
Sabbath-ihe belief of the future judgment-ora
heaven and hell, has the same effect.
To speak more directly ofthe schools of vice in
country, some of which are in the midst of us,
would mention Incidence first. To suffer boy TO
grow up without employment is to train him up 70
Satan
Incidence is both the parent of vice and the scoo
of all manner of evil The father who wOnld have
his vruous must give him empoyment-Gor if
he does not Satan will, 1t is well understood that
the dramshop is very necessary appendage to a
school of SIM II is Of the departments in Satan's
system of education through which almost every fin
ished villain must pass.
We have great cause for gratitude account OF
what has been done to suppress this vice among us
still however, we reaping the bitter fruits of
what has been done here-and what is doing not far
from May God give us strength to yet labor in
this cause, and may lie hasten the day when this
envy to God and men will be driven back 10 the dark
world whence it came.
Gambling is another means Of hardening the heart
And we greatly fear that this is vice Of this
place. know we have not perfect demonstration;
still think we hazard nothing in this conclusion
TO say nothing Of other and more secret means Of
prosecuting this vice, we have, think, noess than
four Bowling Saloons in and abGat this place. From
the general appearance and known character of most
ofthose who meet there, and the amount OF time
spent there-it is most obvious that they must have
some excitement beyond the diversions Of such
employment
And here would say, # address any who in
the habit of attending any of these Bowling Saloons
81 hope am not,) whatever may be your motive
in going-however you may spend your time while
there, you will be suspec,ed-you will be married,
and pointed at-for man is known by his company.
In this connection, | must make one remark with
regard to the business of the whose cruel death
notice. would always tread softly on the ashes
ofthc dead Most certainly would | wish to avoid
wounding the feelings Of the living. But the posi-
ton occupy demands tho truth. Mr. Parker
doubt was q kind husband and father-as well as
industrious, honest and peaceabe citizen. And we
ure ready to admit that probably he did not regard
his business in the light that regard it, Sti
we cannot conceal the fact that he followed bust
ness which was calculated to make other husbands
md fathers unkind-and other citizens anything but
id al nd
that the view he took of his business would screen
him from all responsibility.
If mistake not, for some two years after he came
TO this place he was engaged in tho mercantile bus-
ness-a we believe large part of this traffic
was ardent spirit 1t sold il, large small guam
ttesto be drunk in out Of the store-and this he
did against the wishes Of the most virtuous portion
of this community. There thsoe before who
could rise up ard testify that they have been to him
and endeavored to persuade him to rolinquish this
part of his business Still he continued it.
Not in worse form than other rumsellers but like
them; or perhaps like the decent portion of
them.
From some cause, however, he left this business,
and he built a Bowling Saloon, the same which he
continued in till the time Of his death, perhaps
year and half This last we fear was no better
tnan NSI. we pace tHen DOtH on inc game rev.
81, and that level is very low down. 1t was in this
very Bowling Saloop that the wrcched Clough spent
his days and nights. There his brain maddened
TO the commission OF suicide. Not an hour, proba-
bly,, after he last passed its thresh-hod before his
soul was in eternity.
Now, we say not that there a direct and nee
essary connection between the employment and the
death Of the unfortunate Of whom we speak
But we do say, that there is most natural and init
mate relation between this kind of business and the
blacklist of crimes 1t is where's business pros
ecuted that men trained for crime. And had
angels pencil, would draw the walls Of that
Saloon these ofsuicide and murde, as a suit
able representation of the deeds of darkness which
men are there trained to commit. -
Besides, these places the natural resort Of
outlaws of every knd-they thus drawn together
they there find home-devse their schemes Of
crime--form the acquaintance of those who may be-
come their Victims and gain courage execute their
deeds Of iniquity