Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-09-27

lows. These are the streams which How
from what is termed moderate drinking.
With all this information in our town, il
may now be asked, what has been done
Would that an answer could be given,
that would be subject OF congratulation
with Us, and with our fellow townsmcn
\ Objections ,4aswe,pd.
| Another says, Why do you come to
me? l have always been temperate,
and need no aid Of temperance socie-
ty to continue SD. Get drunkards to
join; they ought to be members. Re-
form them, and you will do something TO
the purpose. This objection, which, by
the way, savors little Of sell-rie hteous-
ness, sounds like very triumphant an
swer. But does this objector go to meet
ing on the Sabbath? Surely he makes
mistake; for religious services, accord
ing TO his doctrine, are for notorious bad
persons, who ought to be reclaimed, and
not such exemplary men as he is. Is he
member of church? What a sole
cism Why such institutions, by his
rule, ought to embrace none but the vii
est characters; because such need re-,
formation the most. Does this man wish
to form an association for increasing USE
ful knowlodge' Certainly he cannot
want any scholar or scientific man to.
Join, because such society ought, by
his rule, to take the ignorant and the
simple; they need to be taught, not schol-
ars. Does he wish to train number of
men for certain expedition, requiring
great couragel What would he think,
in calling on neigbcr to join, to receive
this answer:-"I have always had cour-
age and need none of your discipline
Get towards, and teach them courage.
They need teaching, and not men who
have always had it," Or if this man
wished to form charitable society, and
in obtaining members u person should
say to him, 81 can be charitable with
out Joining any societies. Get the stin-
gy and mise,ly to join. Learn them to
be generous, and then you will do some
thing to the purpose" Now take the
objection made by this person to joining
temperance society, and apply it in the
other cases, and his doctrine leads to the
following result. Churches would be for
notorious immoral persons, religious i'll
struction for the impious; charitable So /
cieties for misers; lyceums for ignora-
muses.; military schools for towards; and
temperance societies for drunkards.-I
But enough. Such an objection can be
reluted by n school-boy. And every
man refutes ii in all his practical under
takings. /
Another objector says, Iapprove your
object; bit the world has my example,
and always has had it; and certainly
think that is sufficient. If this objector
should be moving large building, and
should engage twenty men to work to-
gether, what would he think, when nine
teen should be employed with a large
lever, to see one take crow-bar and
work alone, with perhaps one quarter the
effect he might produce by working with
the rest saying all the time, my exam
pie is as good as theirs. Or if this OBJ
icctor should wish to send an important
petition to the Legislature, requiring ma
ny names-a man whose name he wan
ted, should say, 81 like your object, but
shall send in my petition alone; so you
will have all the benefit Of my example,.
Now if this objector would, in these ca
ses, deem these answers sufficient, he
has made a discovery in practical ope-
ra.ions which experience has never found
out.
Another objector says, ! dislike these
cold-water societies. If you would not
go so far, but would only allow moderate
drinking, which hurts nobody, i could
get hundred members to join your so
ciety where you now get ten. Yes, and
every member Of every temperance So
ciety believes il. But Just reverse yourII
position You may take ten on the prin-
ciple of moderate drinking, and expert
ence says that some Of them would be-
come drunkards. And give us hun
dred, or thousand, or hundred thou
sand in the practice oientire abstinence,
and truth says that none Of them would
be in danger of becoming intemPerate..-l
BY your moderate drinking, an empire
mio Int be overthrown; by our total absti-
nence, not an individual would be injur-