Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-10-30
WHOLE NO. 2O4.

there not plenty Of occasions where people
can display dress without going to church
for that purpose2 We are all sinners and
should oil meet on common ground at church,
and with united purpose of worshiping
God and not fashion, and while each would
reap rich harvest Of happiness, and spirit
ua and bodily rest by so doing, he would
prove, in proportion to his efforts to gladden.
and bless the souls of others, that " it is more
blessed to give than to receive"
A natural impulse draws US toward those
whose tastes and aims bear some resemblance
to our own, and certain equality of condi-
tion and similarity Of feeling must exist to
promote the fullest enjoyment of any social
gathering Simple, inexpensive reunions,
enlivened by music and literary entertain.
ments, confer much unembarrassed pleasure,
and advance some Of the best aims of social
intercourse. Thousands of people are pre-
vented from participating in the enjoymeuts Of
social life by their inability to meet the ex-
travagant demands Of fashionable society,
and the expense presses heavily upon those
who submit to it only to preserve their
standing in some circle of "upper ten."
The money and labor lavished upon the dress
of those who move in fashionable circles can
in no regard be said to aid, but greatly to
retard, the true ends of society. We are
glad that these truths are becoming in some
measure realized; that the farmers have
frequent gatherings where refreshments are
either excluded or of the simplest kind
where dress is inexpensive, and the hours
are devoted to some settled object Of interest
as regards their employment. Here the
young and the old, the cultured and the ig-
norant, the strong and the feeble, all mingle
in harmony, each one developing in the other
some trait Of character that could only have
sprung into life by the blending of such va
rious elements Those who are wisely and
sensibly educated will be anxious to extend,
not limit it, their social sphere, to a few FASH
ionables Such exclusiveness betrays mar
row culture; on the contrary they apprehend
the true benefits to be gained by the min
Cling of ages capacities and conditions. By
companionship the young reap the wisdom
of age, and the old retain the freshness Of
youth the cultured elevate the less inform
ed, while they themselves gain practical
knowledge of life that books cannot confer.
The views of each person compose, as it were,
a separate field of thought, and each contrib
utes something to the general stock to make
life happier, nobler and wiser, than if they
had not met. From such circles none need
retire on account of limited means, and eve-
ry farmer should avail himself of this privi-
lege 1t is just what that class have always
needed and now have in the grange. By
this means we learn to view things in q
broader light, and lose much of the concert
that is cherished by an isolated existence.
By this means, also, prejudices are overcome,
and kindly feeling cultivated. Friendship
and love beautify and ennoble our lives, yet
our views as does social intercourse Hon.
esty is one Of our articles of faith. 1t seems
, to be the general feeling nowadays that if
one would sail successfully on life's voyage,
he must abandon honesty as his life-guide.
} Therefore every one who is noble enough to
: feel, and courageous enough to show, respect
for character rather than wealth, is aiding
in the progress of humanity toward virtue
and truth. And the person who in his daily
calling places character above gain, not only
contributes his part to the ultimate virtue
and happiness of the world, but is also SOW
ing for himself seeds that will spring up and
bear the richest and sweetest fruits that life
7 can yield. We also recognize that animals
have rights that it is the duty of every one to
respect. 1t has been said that cruelty to
animals is "Satans tribute money" and we
resolve to pay no more such taxes. Faith is
also our shield, hope our anchor, and charity
our rule of life. Prejudice is the opposite
! of charity, and nothing is more abused We
must Judge individuals, not classes. Inward
ly every man is himself, and not one of any
. class, party or country. There is some good
in everybody, if only one knew it, even the
most degraded.
We remember of reading an account OF
i, laboring man in one of our large cities, filthy,
unattractive and old, meeting with an acci-
dent in the street, and was bleeding to DEATH
and there passed the gaping crowd. 1t was
. evening. A woman whom no one who call
f led themselves respectable would speak to
/ or even touch with their garments, she in all
her finery knelt down, and took from her
/. pocket a handkerchief rich with lace, tore it
n in two that it might make better bandage,
n and bound the limb so that his life was saw
3 ed, and went away without word, and was
v never seen again by any one there. The
| lace on the handkerchief was worth fifty dol
@ lars. Was there no good in that woman
a think you? We must all of us feel con-
, scious that We are apt to discover all our
g neighbours faults, but are not 50 anxious to
o discover his virtues. Happy is the man who
takes for his axiom, 4" there is good in every
e mortal" and would set himself to look for
% that good in all with whom he comes in con-
a tact. We have no right to Judge each other
/. as we do, in saying that person is mean,
d treacherOus or contemplate, and put him
# aside as worthless, or he belongs to this or
n that religious sect or society, and therefore
"a we want nothing to do with him. Perhaps
in some mint he is hotter than We are. and