Litchfield enquirer., 1847-04-08
WANT OF PRINCIPLE FATAL.

! with good intentions, generous impulses honorable sentiments. with intelligencrS and agreeable manners. and an active spirit; he thought himself prepared for all that lay before him, equipped for a credi,abIe, successful, sclt-governing career, aud f-r as much viriur as would bs requisite Or safety and good r"Put'' in the world. So he stepped forth with confidence and alacriry upon the theatre of life.
 By ani ty, of course, there came q stress upon his principles, a druft upon his moral resources, that he had NO, an ticipatrd. Dangerous associates drew their willy and invisible nets about him. Pleasure piled him first gently and then stormily with its bewitching enehani- ments. New influences drew him by degrees from his industry and probi,y, Confidence slipped mys,eriously away from him. Evil predictions werc wh's> pered of him by the sagacious. The aims oflif1 became gradually lowered in him, aud the flame of good aspirHti ms burned lower and lower. A reckless aspect sicalthily came over hitn, that in drscribable but unmistakable look. He fell away from his good endcavors and his lamp went out, in prodigal and worthless life, in the slough of indo!ence, and sensualiy and moral enervation.- There was fatal deHci ,ncy at the out set-and it was sure to ott.
 have seen the m,iden, who rcsem> bled her foolish prototypes in the para ble. She entered upon life gai'y. Her confidence was in her taste, her acom> pishmenls, her intellectual quickncss her Soci,l a,lractivcnCss, her socInl position and connections, and in such store of romantic sentiments and fine toned sensibiliics us might easily pass, for time, for religious allinitics and semi moral enthusiasm. By and by !he real cares and duties of life came. The illusions of youth passed away us they must. AccompI shm ntS los, their charm, and beauty its luslrc. The realities of life grew commonplace as they always do.
 Life is not wha, it seemed in her young dream. Romance flies from domestic hearth. Suffering and sorrow came, and the stern trial of her strength and pa, tience. Enoliou, sweet before, grows ucrid now. Sentiment turns into frstful- ness, and enthusiasm to Gi,cCnlGnt and disappointment. Duty is burdensone, & homo is nsipid, and its ties bondage, and society mockery. All this bitter falling of is cloakcd 10 the common eye under the show of good appearances, but the feeling of il is more intense for ,ha' Her life is flilure--her lamp has aonc out and we'll i, might go out-weil Il mighI-evcry page of Scripture and every lesson of human experience predicted that i: would.
 Ihavc seen a man, w'Go at the ou,se designed 10 be only prudent. industriou and entcrprising, turn at length into sordid miscr, his soul smothcrcd undc his gains, his heart eaten up by the can kerous touch of his own gold, and tho whole man, body and soul, bound hanf and foot, helpless slaveto the goods O this world no not is goods, but to tho mocking shadow of it's gnols. His laml has gone out and now could ]: but g out, with such shallow outfit as he star;e' with!
 have seen the man who had 10 muc! conscience tv set out with tho purpose t' deceive and swindle-he meant only t' be shrewdcr. and more yigilant thar olh CTS. But in the drive of business, ant amid growing exctcments and large Lats, honesty faltered, and conscionc grew accommodating, anl opor'unlly nor inviting. Integrity fled little ty Iitle he knows not when or how, and now h whole heart Is false, his whole cha raclr unstrung and demoraIizcd. His l4'"i has gone out. and no wonder; as wei might pasteboerd ship breast the surg ing waves of the sea.
 So all around us, in every sphere life, lamp after lamp goes out in mora steuch and darkness. And why? Q necessity and of course. for lack of oil upon the same principle that any humaI purposes fail, that depend on to!elhou9h and accumulated resources anI reserve power. as character does, m'fs csscn ,ially, more universally than any 'hiHt else Whence shall we derive tEos needful resources and that rc>c'v"' strength, which are sure to be wanted I answer, from among the moral eidm'nt of the soul and the spiritual influence of religion-ia early and vigorous ss'i culture, and that uplifting, snctItyin