The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-04-04
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS, SPY.
EMPERANCE.-No. 4.

TEMP BRANCHING A.
find he spake this parable unto certain
iohich trusted in themselves that they ,Cere
r. righteous, and despised others: Iieo men
= icent up into the temple 10 pray; The one a
. . Pharisee, and the other Publican. The
: Pharlsee stood and prayed thus ,ciih himself.
God, THANK thee that / am rot as other men
t. are. ertortioners, unjust, adttiterers, or even
: as this Pubtican.-ST. LUKE, xviii, 9-II.
Let as not therefore Judge one another ann
more; but Judge this rather that no man put
: stumbling block or an occasion 10 fall in
his brothers. ,Oay-RoMANs, xiv, 10.
In our previous numbers, we have advo-
cated the necessity of example, as well as
precept, in the cause of temperance, and
any other course than this, is Pharsaic or
r hypocrltical, and ultimately runous to The
undertaking. To make "stump speeches"
on temperance, or organize societies for the
display Of "oratory," sectanan or party
feeling, is not calculated to benefit mankind.
unless those persons pIoclaiming the glad
tmings OF temperance, are exemplary in
word, act, and deed, in the moderate in
1 duigence of the appettes or passions" ut
the same time that they thank God they are
not like other men. We would ask evetv
honest and candid mind, what difference
We are to impart to those who suffer them
selves to become intoxicated by passion,
malice, envy, pride; or those who become
so by alcohol, opium, Thompson's Elixir, or
malt liquor? And what effect does the hahi;
OF gtnttony produce in the human system,
and upon the minds of those who nre watch
ing your example, as well as listening to
the salutary precepts which fall from your
lips, on these subjects? On what principle
do you expect to reclaim tlrunkard by your
Precepts, when you indulge yourselves in
passion, strife, and guttony?
1t Is not enough when you lay down the
course in morals, temperance, or religion,
and omit the examples,-you must deal
Justly, love mercy, and walk exemplary and
humbly, before men, with your Col; and
In pursuing this course you may reasonably
expect that blessing which is promised to
all who honestly and seduously strive to do
the will of their Maker. 1t is much more
difficult to many to practice temperance, than
to lnculcate the principle here, then, is fla
grant lnconslstency, for yeu cannot reconcile
your precepts with your example. "Let us
examine this question. Alcohol is the de-
nounced poiSon-it is that on which the del
eterious properties of distilled spirits exclu-
svely depend. In these liquors it is found
IA VIC PlOpOltlOu vi Oh W III per cent. is
Alcohol foundin fermented or malt liquors
OF surety it is. 1t constitutes from 10 TO
70 per cent. of wines, varying with the spe-
cies. OF Port and Madeira, it constitutes
about % per cent; of Claret, Is per cent.
Alcohol enters into the composition of cider,
in the proportion of 8 per cent. 1t forms
nearly per cent. Of Ale and Brown Stout
and rather more than of Porter.
Ar the ah0vo rafa H. IL IA
drink bottle of Port or Madeira. supposing
1t to contain quart, would drink nearly as
much Alcohol as is contained in pint of
Brandy. But it will be alleged, that the
Alcohol in wine, is more diluted with water,
and modified by other ingredients, than it
is in ardent spirit. If this be the argument
against the latter kind of liquor, all that is
!. necessary is, to drink it in the form of grog,
sweetened with little sugar. Let us sup
pose a person to drink tumbler full of
spirits and water, the former being in the
proportion. and to the eye it seems the Gus
tomary allowance, of wine glass full. or
one-sixth of the whole. He takes bever-
age, having about 9 per cent of Alcohol in
1t. The actual amount of Alcohol in this
tumbler of grog, is equal to what is contain
ed in two glasses of Madeira, and three and
a half Of Claret Wine. The members of
most Temperance Societies tell drinker of
ardent spirit, that his single half pint of
grog daily, is frnught with dangeE--it is
lure 10 disease and death, or what is worse
10 habitual drunkenness, with blignted fame
and beggared family. They are right. But
( thousands have no scruple in taking, each
his two glasses of MADEIRA Wine, or half
pint of Claret a day, and call themselves
exceedingly moderate, quite temperate and
gentlemanly, and all that sort Of thing. Is
this consistent?
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus 10Th
himSeH-God, Thank thee that am mt as
other men are, ertortienerS, unjust, ddutter-
erS, or euen as this Publican. How many
Pharsees, we would ask, are there at the
present day, both male and female, who
outwardly appear righteous and temperate
unto men, but in their closets or secret places
keep the poisonous or denounced articles,
Ardent Spirits, Opium, Thompson's Elixir
&c, of which they partake daily and often
er, until intoxcation is Produced. There
are people of this description, and it is in
vain to attempt to shield themselves from
the light of truth. Any person acquainted
with human nature and qualified to Judge
OF the different hues and expressions of
temperate and incorporate faces, or odors
exhaed from the body, cannot often be
mistaken in his conclusions or opinions,
when formed from such data.
In the "moderate Indulgence of the pas
sions," aoe would ask, whc! is to be implied
or understood? Paiey says, the meanest
and most pernicious Of all bad habits is that
oftying," -i. e.,siandering, or immoderate IN
diligence Of the passions, peculiar to this
mennest of all bad habits.
Ne ,coa,ld also ask, srhat bad habit is there
meamer than the meaneSt ? Pale5 says none
meaner than lying or slandering, and our
Grammar, ,chich Is taught IN every school,
inculcdtes the fact, that there is nothing
meaner than that ,chich is the meanest.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SPY.
rEMDED ANCE