Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-02-02
Washington on Profanity

The rank and file of every army almost
necessarily includes many of the most
wild and oepraved of men. The adven-
turers who crowd to the frontiers of any
country, and especially those whose tastes
have lead them to abandon the more cnl-
tivated regions of civilization. and to
plunge into the solitudes of the wilderness,
have generally been those who have wish
ed TO escape from the dominion of laws
and from the restraints of religion. In
the little band enlisted under the banner of
Washington, there were many unprinc-
pied men. His ear was constantly panied
by that vulgar cursing and swearing.
which WAS exceedingly repugnant to his
refined tastes and to his Christian prnci-
pies. He could not forget that, amid the
thunderings and llghlnln"s Of Sinai, the
law had been proclaimed
Thou shalt not take the name OF the
Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not
hold him guiltless that taketh His n lmc in
vain.
And he recognized the Divine autt tority
of the words of our Savior, when in con-
firmation of this command, he said
" Swear not ut all Under the influence
of these teachings, which he had received
from the lips of his pious mother, and
which had thus far governed his life. this
Young officer issued the following admira-
bic Yet extraordinary order of the day
"Colonel Washington has observed that
the men of his regiment are very pretane
and reprobate. lie takes this opportuni-
" to inform them of his great displeasure
ut such practices: and assures them that =
if they do not leave them off, they shall be
severely punished The officers are de
sired, if they hear any man swear or make
use of an oath or cNecration, to order the
offender twenty-five lashcs Immediately
without 4 ourt-martial. For a second
offence he shall be more severely pun
i>hed.'
Such WAS the character of the youthful
Washington Even those who do not
emulate his example, can appreciate the
excellence of his principles. Twenty
years after this. when the war of the
Revolution was dcuging our land in blood
and when the infant colonies, which
numbered n population of less than thre"
million white inhabitants. were Struggling
in deadly battle, against the armies Of the
most powerful empire on the globe
Washington, still recognizing the au-
thority of God, and avowing his faith in
the religion of Jesus Christ. WAS greatly
distressed in view of the contcnpuou9
way in which the name of God was used
h. the officers. as we'll as the common
soldiers
The feeble army he led was def lled.
overwhelmed with disaster. and threat
ened with irretrlevablc ruin A-oniLng
were the prayers which he had been heard
offering to to God, pleading with Him to
interpoSr to rescue our country from the
gigantic power which was trampln- out
i> life. In those dark hours. when nearly
all patriotic hearts We're engulfed in de
>pair General Washirgto Commander
in Chief of the Armies of America, in
August, 17-6. issued at New York, the
following order to the troops
The General is sorrv TO be informed
that tn. foolish and profane practic" of
eur ,inr and swearing, a vice hitherto little
known in an American army. is growing
into fashion, He hopes that the officers
will, bv example rs we'll rs 10y Influence,
cnLe:,vor to check il and that both they
and the men will reflect that we can have
little hope of the blessing of heaven on
our arms, if we insult it by our impictv
and folly. Add to this. it is :. vice 80
mean and low, without any tcmptation,
that every man of sense and character de
tests and dc>piscs it :"
Profanity must be exceedingly diSple;l~-
ing to God or it would not have been 50
solemnlv prohibited in those command
mcn,s which God issued for the regulation
Of the conduct of men in all ages; and
Vet it is our national vice. How many are
there .,who have no God to pray to; only
:, God to swear bv" While speaking up n
this very important subject, it may be
proper to refer to an antc tote of Washing
ton, which was related to the writer bv IN
officer in the United States army. who
wa, present on the occasion.
Washington had invited the members of
his staff to dine with him i'll the city Of
New York As they were sitting at the
table, all engaged in that quiet CONVERSE
ton which the presence OF Washington
! invariably secured, one of the guests very
distinctly uttered an oath Washington
dropped his knife and fork a> though he
had been struck by a bullet. The move
ment arrested the attention of every one.
For an instance there was perfect silence.
| Washington then, in calm deliberate
! tones, whose solemntv was blended with
sadness, said " thought that had in
vited gentlemen only to dine with me.
1t is needless to add that no more oath>
were heard at that table .4tbofs IjJ-
nc.fs nnl IhttriotS.
LIFE LE>GrliENEn.--Dr. Hall. in his ex
celcnt Journal of Health. gives the fol
lowing sensible and suggestive rules under