Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-09-12
The Church and the Tavern.
By Laurie TodG

In the year seventeen hundred and ninety
three, when Louis the Sixteenth was behead-
ed and the French revolution was in full blast,
was lhorough-going radical. With seven
ieen more of our club, | was marched, under
guard of the kings officers, and lodged in Ed
inburg jail After summary hearing, got
liberty 10 Danish myself, and accordingly
took passage in the good ship Providence, and
landed al New York in June, 1894 | was
then in my twenty second year. When The
ship cast off from The wharf, in Scotland, and
swung round with the breeze, my father stood
upon The shore. He waved last adieu, and
exclaimed, " Remember the Sabbath day"
arrived al New York on Saturday, and, The
next day being the Sabbath, at nine o'clock, A.
NJ, three young men Of our company called at
my lodgings
Where are you going to-day /" they in
qured.
"To The church. replied.
"We have been ten weeks at sea; our
health requires exercise. Let US walk out to-
day, and 60 10 church next Sabbath" they re-
Piled.
"Said |, "you can GO where you please,
but III 90 to church the last words | heard
from my father were +" Remember the Sabbath
day :" and, had | no respect for the Fourth
Commandment, have not yet forgotten his last
ADVICE"
They went to the fields | went TO the
church they spent forty or fifty cents in the
tavern put one penny bill in the plate, in
The morning, afternoon and night sevice TO
tai lhree-pence. They continued going into
The country, and in process of time the landla'
dy's daughter and the landlady's niece would
ioin their company. Then each couple hired
gig, a, two dollars day wine, cake and Ice
cream on the road, fifty cents each; dine al
Jamaca one dollar each. They got hope at
eight o'clock, P NJ, half drunk, and, having
been caueh, in a thunder shower, their coats,
hats, and manlles. were damaged htty per cent
They rose mex. morning at nine O'Clock, A. M,
with sore heads, sore hearts, muddy boots, and
an angry conscience, besides twelve dollars
lighter Than when they started. | went 10
church. rose a, five o'clock. A. NJ, head
sound. heart light, bones refreshed, conscience
quiet, and commenced the lebors OF the week
in peace and plenty. They were all mechan.
les some of them could earn twelve dollars
week. NV business, lha. Of wrought nail
maker, was poor the cut nail machines had
lust 90. into operation, which cut down my
wages TO a shaving With close application,
| could only earn FIVE dollars and fifty cents
per week. Never mind at the end of the year,
nv Sabba,h.riding .ship,mates, had fine coats
fine hats, powdered heads, und ruffied shirts
bu, had one hundred hard dollars piled In the
corner of my chest. Having lived fast, they died
early Nearly forty winters are past, and forty
summers ended, since the last was laid IN The
Pol,ers, or some other field while ] received
from my maker good constitution, (and COM
mon sense 10 take care Of it, I'm as sound in
mind, body and spirit, as was on this day
fif,y-six years ago, when first sci my loot on
shore al Governenr's wharf, New York Be.
sides, it's a fact. Gor which my family can
vouch,) | have been only one day confined TO
The house by sickness during all that period.
Now Mr.. Printer, dare say you think WIN
me, that the church on the Sabbath Is better
than the ,assfn aud fields for the iabolng
man.