Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-08
The Indian River.
An ENGLISH RESIDENTS DESCRIPTION OF SAL

An ENGLISH RESIDENTS DESCRIPTION OF SAN
ITALIA.
From the Youths Companion
An English resident in India recently de-
scribed in private letter journey made by
him through the district of Santhalia. Through
this region, he reports, there flows a river Of
remarkable depth and purity. Its waters are
SO clear that the pebbles can easily be seen at
the bottom. But the villages on fts banks are
undrained and even more vile and filthy than
Asiatic towns commonly are. Leprosy, typhoid
and malarial fevers and other diseases pro-
duced by uncleanness, abound. The wretched,
sickly inhabitants crawl every day to the edge
into IL without q thought that 1t could cleanse
and heal their diseased flesh.
Nothing can be more exasperating," say
the practical European. '.than the sight of
these inert despairing victims Of diseases, the
result of the foul conditions around them pass
lively dying while cleanliness, strength and life
itself pass UNDECIDED by their very doors"
Many OF the readers of the Companion will
probably make the application Of this story as
soon as they have read it, for il il truth as old
and hackneyed as life itself that cleanliness and
health OF soul are within the reach Of every man,
and that many choose instead foul diseases and
death. II il 30 old and hackneyed, indeed, that
boys and girls are apt to think Of the river
which fows from Gods throne" and the sum-
mons to ''come and wash in it and be clean, !" as
y uBuIo VI bPocCu-eou1otuluB Wen enough 10r
the minister to preach upon on Sunday, but not
. practical everyday matter. 1t was, they
think, doubtless true to David or Abraham or
Jacob. But Ii this river Of health and life ac-
tually flowing through Boston and New York
and the little towns and farms where our read
ers live? To every one Of these boys and girls,
wherever they may be, comes each hour and
minute Of their lives, the chance TO choose
whether they win lie or tell the truth; whether
they win speak the kind or the malicious word:
whether they viii keep their brains clear and
strong, or poison them with tobacco and whisky:
whether, In short, their lives shall be pure and
Many . boy, perhaps, who reads these words
will tell himself that the choice II not easy 10
make. His surroundings are unclean, or he
4 may have inherited appesites which lead him
naturally 10 selhshness, drunkenness, or de-
bauchery, just - the poor natives of Santhalis
are born in the filthy huts, in the midst OF len
rosy and fever. But there u always waiting for
him the truth which Christ taught Faith IN
him win wash away all disease Of soul
This II the river of which the psalmist spoke.
ssThe streams whereof shall make glad the city
| Of God"
This living helper can do the same to-day for
grow profans and vicious, which he did for the
ieper in the Galilean village, or for the woman
''who was q sinner" cleanse him from the len
rosy OF an impure mind, and forgive his sins.
Does our reader despise the fever-stricken
Indians who sit stupidity dying on the bank Of
doors2
The stream passes You BY also. Do you know
the touch Of il waters7 h your soul alive, grow
ing stronger each day BY free ne Of the pure
water OF The river Of kfe7