| Citation |
CG-NL.772.017
20 Mar 1772:31 (9/436)
If I mistake not, I think I have read in some of the
histories of New England, that many years after this land
was settled, there used to be many private meetings in our
towns and societies, for the worship of God and edifying one
another; and it has been observed that the power of
Godliness, peace and love, ordinarily prevailed in that
place, where these private meetings were kept up, and
carried on. Many families together, holy women both old and
young, also young men by themselves, used to meet, pray,
read a sermon, sing psalms in evenings, to their own
edification, and great comfort of their ministers, who often
would be amongst them.-- Yet this is totally neglected, at
least in the town and society where I live.-- Drinking,
frolicking, dancing, and other carnal mirth now takes place.
Vice and immorality has made great progress on this once
happy land; the ministers of the gospel have been aware of
this, and many of them have lifted up their voices like a
trumpet against these sins, turned now fashionable amongst
us.-- Intemperance in eating and drinking, is what I would
say something about.
. . . [3 paragraphs on the evils of overeating and drinking]
[signed Temperance.
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