Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-04-08


WATERBURY, The Fast Day services, held
at the Congregational church. were conducted
by the pastor. In addition to the usual at
tendance on such occasions, about one hundred
and twenty-five boys from the Reform School
were present., under the charge Of Mr.. Healy.
These boys, of all sizes and ages, from small
ones of eight or nine years, up to large, full
grown young men of twenty, in their neat gray
uniform, occupying more than the entire wall
slips OF one side Of the house, constituted a
striking feature Of the audience. Nor were
they surpassed in the quietness and decorum Of
their department By any OF the attentive hear
ers. 1t is seldom that more than fifty or sixty
boys, together, attend either religious service
in the village. In favorable weather, about
the last named number attend each church
Methodist and CongregstiOnalist. Who can
say what may be the measure Of salutary in
tluence on the minds and morals of these boys,
especially II in the public services frequent and
direct notice should be taken of this interesting
class Of hearers7 Direct allusion to the differ
ent classes of hearers is doubtless often etfec-
tive in securing attention TO, and sympathy
with, the public speaker, and especially when
addressing large and distinctive class Of
youthful hearers. 10 bis discourse on this &C.
casion, Mr.. Copeland restricted his remarks to
two great and alarming public evils-intem-
perance, and the too great facility of obtaining
divorces. The latter, more properly a social
evil, will soon, il it does not now, demand i'm
periously the attention of our legislature and
courts for correction. lie spoke approvingly Of
recent and extraordinary measures for the sup
preston of the liquor traffic and attendant
evils, but the other named evil seemed to call
forth the special energies and effort Of the i'm
FASHIONED speaker. Without attempting even
summary Of the remarks on divorces, we can
only notice two or three main points. The
great and central idea is that the only one
legitimate ground Of divorce is that named BY
the Saviour, in Matthew v 80, and XIX 0. In
the contexts of both these passages there is d.
rect reference to the Mosaic regulation on this
subject, but as decidedly coming far short oil
the standard Of Christian morals enunciated by
Christ. On the subject of divorce it must be
conceded the Romish church holds high ground
and evidently more Scriptural, as the writer OF
this thinks. than the practice Of our Protestant
courts, and our latitudinarian divorce statutes.
II by force Of extraordinary circumstances a
separation OF husband and wife should take
place for any other than that single cause
named, il would not accord with Christian
morals for either to enter into new matrimonial
relations. Hard as this doctrine may seem 70
some very good members of society, the pre-
vailing practice of granting divorces for various
and insufficient causes, il evidently pernicious
and dangerous to the whole structure Of society
The Waterbury grangers have united with
those Of Duxbury,. 10 the purchase oil Cal
load of -four 10 Michigan, and shipped II Il
this place for sale at cost to the members of tn,
lodges.
There has been some sickness among Oh.
boys OF the Reform School, also among Oh,
officers, but all are improving.
MIR. l.. S. Hills, proprietor Of the Water
bury Hotel, has sold the hotel to MIR. Alfred 4
Ely, of Hartford, Connecticut. We understand
that Mr. Hills intends returning 70 Connect
cut. Mr.. Ely will not act ss landlord. but de
sires TO rent the place.