The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1827-02-02

voluntary associations, of ministers of
the gospel, members of christian churches,
heads of families, young men and children,
who, for the sake of beneftting themselves
and their fellow men, agree to abstain from
the use of intoxicating liquors, except as a
medicine for the ease of bodily disease,
and to make vigiant efforts to lead all with
in the. circle Of their influence TO do the
same.
The Committee are gratifed to learn
that the Lord is, in peculiar manner, by
his Spirit, exciting the attention of his
people to this subject; that numbers, in
various parts of the country, have already
formed themselves into such associations !;
aud that numbers more are anxious to do it.,
and are wishing to know the form which
the American Society has adopted, or in
tends to adopt, that there may be as far as
possible union of plan and operation
throughout the country. The Committee
would therefore observe, that the Society
has not as vet adopted any specific form ;
but has thought it best to leave this for the
present, to the discretion of the friends of
the object, in the various places and Cir
cumstances in which associations may be
formed. In consequence however, of what
this Society has done, associations have
been formed somewhat extensively on the
following plan viz.
Association Of heads of. families in----,
for the promotion Of Temperance.
Believing that the use of intoxicating
liquors is, for persons in health, not only
unnecessary, but hurtful, that it is the
cause of forming Incorporate appetites,
and that while it is thus continued, the
evils of intemperance can never be done
away,
Therefore, We the subscribers, for
the sake of promoting our own welfare and
that of the community, agree, that we will
abstain from the use of them, except as
medicine in a case of bodily infrmity, that
we will not allow the use of them in our
families, nor provide them for the enter
tainment OF our friends, for hired men, or
for persons in our employment. That in
all suitable ways we will discountenance
the use of them in community"
The above form, when an association
is to be composed of young men, or of sim
gle persons of any description, not at the
head of families, has been altered thus, in
stead of saying, that we will not allow the
use of them in our families, &c. say we
will not countenance the use of them a.
mong our relatives, nor provide them for
the entertainment Of friends, or for persons
who may be engaged in our business and
in all suitable ways will discountenance the
use of them in community.
By the efforts of few individuals, ar
association on the above plan was formed
) in one place composed of more than fifty
heads of families; and another composed
of more than one hundred and fifty youn
men and has been productive of the hap
piest effects. The practice Of taking in
toxicating liquor, using it in their families
offering it to friends, or providing it fol
persons in their employment, is done
away.
Let all temperate men in our country
take similar course, and continue it, and
intemperance will ere-long be done away.
Probably half the number of those who
continue Incorporate will in ten years be
dead. In ten years more three quarters
of the remainder; and in the next ten
years, nearly every individual of the rest.
No new drunkards will be formed, and
our land will be free.
e In behalf of the Executive Committee.
J. Edwards, Clerk.
P. S. Editors of periodical publica-
tons, who are friendly to the object of the
American Society for the Promotion of
Temperance, are requested, as far as con-
venient, to circulate the above.