The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-07-20
Letter from Wisconatn.


Having passed summer in your neigh
borhood some fifteen years ago, and at
the time formed many pleasant acquaint-
ances, | have always felt a deep interest
in your quiet little town, and it's inhabi-
tants This led me to subscribe for your
paper, when first issued, and have always
hailed its coming with pleasure, as l
seldom failed to find a familiar name,
sometimes with message, as it were Of
pleasure, at other times frought with sad
ness, as many have ''passed into the great
beyond" whom learned to esteem for
their high social qualities. OF late have
been much interested in your Free
| Thought Column"
carefully noted correspondent "C's"
Lifting of the Vail and / find there ideas
that till within few years were as
strangers to me, but on perusing an arti-
Gle by ''Lenore," must admit that truly
'belief is not evidence" and that zone es-
tablished fact is worth a thousand the
cries" Fact it is that we all do live, and
must all die, but the future is yet an un-
tried reality but with all my doubts and
theories, fail to see how anyone can
doubt the existence of an overruling
| power. This world is not the work of
chance. 1t had beginning, and will as
surely move on, for ages to come as it
has in ages past We have no right to
force our opinions upon others with de-
| sire to compel them to follow in the same
course we are travelling but we have a
right as human beings to think and act
for ourselves, untrameled by bigots and
priests. The place we call Heaven has al
ways been mystical illusion to the mere
credulous. but did know there was no
future beyond this world, would not
knowing rob anyone of the comfort they
find in such belief. But Heaven would
not be Heaven to me were to know or
believe that one dear to me here on earth
was denied its pleasures. Our ideas are
suggested by our surroundings. Thus if
we miDgle with the refined and cultivated,
with people of broadened views, with
hearts filled with that charity that think
eth no evil, we shall partake of the same
natures. The question .If man die,
shall he live again?" can not be answered
better than to picture the growth of the
plant from seed time to harvest We are
as surely natures children as the clnging
vine or the stately oak. Man was the last
of the creations, an after thought, so to
speak, and but one degree above the low
er animals. He, man, is governed BY rea-
son Cor should be- while the beast has
only instinct. Speaking of Heaven am
constrained to say that want no happi-
ness, which must come to me through
another's suffering. | want no Joy which
must be bought with anothers woe, l
want no wealth that is the outcome of
want and depression to the suffering poor.
Supreme happiness cannot come to a
rlghtmirded person so long as there is
one surrowing heart among u.s. and l
want no part in Heaven, where happi-
ness will be so supreme that shall for
get the sorrows of others, or lack will
ingness to share them and help to tighten
them. There is no love in all this vast
universe like mother love, no tie like that
of kindred; and think you mother could
enjoy the regions of the blest with one
child left out9 Such theory will do for
those who are so depraved, so hardened,
so bound up in self as to be unable to
grasp manly thought or accept rea-
sonable statement. for love is Heaven,
and Heaven is love. did
not think of wearying you thus far, but
my lonely and secluded life has led me to
much thinking, and although dread not
the change may soon undergo. l believe
life worth living so long as we can bring
one smile to the face of the aged one
ripple of laughter from the heart of 9