The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-06-26
Social Intercourse,

In none of the blessings Of lite is the
goodness of the Creator more abundanlIy
manifest than IN the power he has given
us 10 reap pleasure and benefit from our
associations with each other; ana we have
often wondered that this point is not more
fully dwelt upon by those who discourse
on the manifestations of his goodness. 1t
would require more time than we cen de-.
vote 10 this article, and more space than
the columns of one Golden RIle, 10 re.
count the blessings that spring from social
enioymen,s. Man could scarcely be man,
ia the perfection of his nature, without
their influence. He who made him at the
first, upright and in his own image, said
iii is not good for him 10 be alone We
can conceive but Two classes of persons
that would shudder al the idea Of beng
condemned TO perpetua solitude the sor-
dld miser, whose affections are utterly cons
geaed, aud his heat as hard and cold ms
the iron chest that contains the gold he
worships aud the wretched mlsanthrope,
whose distorL d vision can see no beauty
in virtue, and who can be the recipient OF
no kind ac, that he does not lmpule 10 some
selfish or bad motive.
But valuable as is the blessing Of social
Intercourse il is olitn like our other bles-
sings sadly rerveredor worse than thrown
away. Where love should abound there
is envy, jealousy, and every evil work.
Scarcely is there socia gathering that
rJv in I'M no
mark, some evil surmlse which creduIily
makes frightlul reality, and to which
envy gives wings and sends it forth on its
mission OF death to sap The foundation Of
onfdence and blast the brightest flowers
| in the Eden Of social life. Oh how many
hearts have bled, and how mlny are now
desola,e that have been pierced by the ar
rows Of delracton, and that, too, In an un
suspicious moment. and very likely BY
those which were aimed, or shot at ran
dom, by the haud Of u confidential friend I.
The freedom, the oufIence, the unre-
strained expression of thought and feeling
which ale the charm and zesl of social
life are well nigh destroyed.-we fear to
speak lest some one shall misinlerprel o.
wresl our words and turn them against
US pointed with dead venom. Thus the
rivers OF social pleasure are dried up, and
we fear TO launch beyond our OWE fire.
side.
These things ought not so to be, and
cannot be without the incnrripg cf great
guilt. We must cherish the boon OF So
cal life if we would elj,y its blessings.
If we reap the precious fruits of peace,
love, jov and harmony, we must ne: SOW
the seeds of discord. tle who has be-
q1ealhe3 US the rich blessings of our so
cial existence will call us 10 account for
our Stewardship.
Oar sex are said, and too Justly, 10 be
greatly given 10 delracion and petty scan.
dial. 1t is lime that woman should arouse
herself 10 the effects and The antidoe of
this great evil. 1t is time that mothers,
while they So, guard over their own lips
should carefully represS every tendency to
cossiping aud evil speaking in their chill
dren. II is time, amid The enlightening
Influences aud boosted refinement Of the
nineteenth century, that young women
should feel themselves called 10 nobIer
and more eIevating empIoyments than that
Of retailing Inc real or imagined faults OF
their neighbors and associates. She who
is termed the 'angel of domestic life,
should, at least, be above so jsnoble vo>
calloo.--- Golden Rule
e