The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-06
From the Boston Globe.l
THE FARM-YARD CLUB OF JoTHAM
By Or. George B. Loring.

By DR.. George B. Loring
TWENTIETH MEETING sUBJEC: GRAIN
The evil and urgenerous sentiments aud
suspicious which we're aroused by the con-
versation at the grocery, soon filled the air
of lothian, and beclouded it, as the test
drop of the chemist casts its Opaque aud
dingy shadow through the crystal pool.
The ordinary village gossip had always had
its share of scandal and flying abuse
sumed serious aspect. A citizen in whom
the community had reposed entire conf
dence, and who had been entrusted with
the affairs of the town without hesitation
or doubt, was enrolled in the list of those
who are a reproach TO society, and whose
restraint and punishment are among the
painful duties of a well-ordered state.
Nobody pretended to say that John Thomas
was dishonest; nobody suspected him of
being rascal. But perhaps Stevens, the
keeper of the alms-house, had over-reached
him, and the sagacitv of a public official
should place him beyond the reach of fraud;
how otherwise could the state be safe
John Thomas, the citizen and farmer, might
be cheated every day of his life but John
Thomas, the selectman, never. He might
be weak and mortal in his own affairs, but
not in the affairs of the town. They felt
by sort of perverted instinct, that official
infirmity was no better than official wick
edness; and one ancient maiden alluded in
an undertone to Casar's wife, while many
an ambitious moralizer referred to spots on
the sun.
81 am sorely perplexed by this affair of
John Thomas's,' said the Rev. Mr.. Howe
to his wife, as they sat together on Sunday
evening, discussing the services of the day,
and the condition of the parish. "He ia
under heavy cloud, and when it lie to clear
off cannot tell. lie may be a victim of
a lofty and perhaps imperious demand for
official honesty, which is natural char
scteristic of free people. From the days
of Washington until this hour, every man
in high place in this country has been
charged with corruption and dishonest de-
signs and it is encouraging to feel that the
people have always set their standard so
high, and have always been so uncomprom-
Using in their demands. glory in this keen
and watchful public eye" I
"Isn't there something little green in
that eye now and then?" said MIR. Hopkins,
who had walked in to make his usual SUM-
day evening call on the minister, and had
heard the latter part of his little discourse.
at may be so," said Mr.. Howe; linen
may be enyious and jealous Of success in
every form, but think they feel so deeply
the Importance of honesty as the corner
"A. has hoe,
may sometimes be hard in their demands.
A mind filed with deep convictions and
heart fixed on high purposes are apt TO be
merciess. II men will aspire to high
places they must pay the price. 1t were
better that one righteous man should suffer
rather than that wrong should fall upon the
community"
at is so hard that popular injustice
should he necessary to preserve the purity
of popular institutions" said Mrs. Howe,
in gentle tone.
''Not popular injustice" said Mr.. Howe;
"but popular integrity, which must be
heard, though the heavens fall, and which
| should no more be checked in its career
| than the workings of an all-wise Providence.
| Ii John Thomas must be sacrificed TOR the
| good of the community, and in obedience
to the high demands of popular integrity,
| he must bow with resignation, and we, his
friends, must submit with patience"
"But he is innocent2' interposed Mrs.
Howe.
"That he must PROVE" said Mr.. Howe +;
"and be held guilty until he does"
'If were man, should be very slow
to pay such price as this for the highest
office in the gilt of the people" replied the
perplexed and sympathixing Mrs. Howe.
"My dear" said the minister, warming
to his subject, "nothina but a fearful ac-
countability vigorously impressed can keep
society, or the state, or the church, or party
pure. Let it be understood that the char
acter of the church is created by the sim
ners II should save; that the state Is no bet
ter than the criminal 1t should punish; that
society is controlled by the corrupt, and
that a party is always as bad as the worst
men in it, and state and society and church
and the party will purity themselves. even
If II be done by fire. -al3fla
"But are you sure this is truef" asked
Mr.. Hopkins, who began to grow restless
under doctrine which threatened to tar
nish his mercantile honor, am sure men
must have higher motion, and more en-
ligh,ened sense than this. Injustice never
| vorked ont n reform | do not know thai