Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-08-25
n u NJ B E R 49.

trine let it be 50, but 1t is the result efthe
Experience of every one who has labored
in the cause Of temperance. We felt the
same difficulty in the early stage of the
reformation in regard to giving up ardent
spirit We had the notion that there
would be times when they should want
it, or it would do them good, or be really
necessary. No man who has not tried
total abstinence is a proper jud &c of it's BEN
efts, and it is not invidieus or censorious
to say so.
Alran Stecart at first thought it mere
trulsm, which every body would see to be
a selfevident proposition. But now he
thought it a good resolution, and hoped
it would pass. There always will be per-
sons who will repl y to us, "You say
that because a man has drank half a gill
of wine or beer, be cannot judge of its et-
fects." Now we don't mean to say, that
! if man vets his lips with brandy, or
drinks a teasroonful of wine, that i'm pairs
his understanding. The resolution means,
that when men drink, as men do drink
who make use ofthese liquors as 4 bever-
age, altho' they may not be so disguised as
i legally to d;sQuai(v them from being iu-
INtliI, Vi ~ prevent lIltII milking par
gain which the laws would enforce vet
on this subject their appetite affects their
reason. and they are no longer neutral, no
longer impartial Judges, but have the
weigh: of habit in the scale against unso-
phis&icatcd reason.
A gentleman from Indiana, also hoped
the resolution would pass as it was. 1t
says the use of intoxicating drink disuuali-
! fes man for Judging of its influence II
thisis fact, there is a sufficient reason
why we should say it. I am sick Of the
docEne tina, we must not speak the truth
for fear we should "hit somebody" The
Temperance cause has been sadly retarded
by the fears Of some of its friends about
going too fast and too far. This fear of
; ultralsm is a great bIgbelr.
Is the doctrine Of the resolution true?
Here are men that say intoxicating drink
is good for them, in cold, ard heat, aud ia
tigue, and so on. Who says this ? No
man who has fairly tried total abstinence.
But the man who continues to drink is not
a Judge, for he has not tried the other way.
This resolution mere V speaks the testi-
monv Of those who have tried both sides.
1t is singular that the results of the expe-
rience of so many should now be called
an abstract doctrine. Let us know we are
right, and then go ahead, and so long as
we go right, hold it is impossible to 60
} either too fast or too far.
Mr. Hunt said-lt is hard to part with
? what we love. And sometimes where we
have sin that We do net love so verv
much, it seems harder to part with it be-
~ Al
:" Is it not a Little one?" Whereas. if it
+ was crime of more enormitv, conscience
: would lie startled. That the doctrine Of
] the resolution is true, in this sense, is cer-
e tain. OF the propriety of passing it,
It have some doubts; for in another aspect
i and taken in connection with the other
: resolutions, it does not seem exactly true.
! And besides, we do not always wish to tell
men whom we want to persuade to relin-
quish their practices, that the practice it.
: SET d;squalihes them to Judge.
e A young gentleman from the Oneida
: institute argued, that the whole truth had
e better be told and lie believed if it had
. been done so from the beginning, the cause
= would have been much further advanced
: than it is at present. The cause las lag
. S6'u EGCdUSe We llttN OH certain EOlQtS
e has been smothered and kept back So
;, long as our conventions and societies will
= keep back the truth, it will lag and falter
It The prophet uttered this sentiment $500
e years ago, "The priest and the prophet
j. have erred through strong drink, they are
It swallowed up OF wine, they are out the
[ way through strong drink" And | hope
1t this august cony ention will not shrink
l. from repeating it, and that the whole com.
= munity will say, Amen
% M liant thought the sentiment intend
= ed by the committee might be so expressed
s. as not to give offence. He knew that men
could sup occasionally, at weddings, for
d instance, or even sitting at ease bv their
y own tables, of what our Savior command
E. ed to be used as the memorial of his love.
r and their judgment would not be affected
he by it and he could not therefore speak
N the truth in such language that it would
is be understood as lie.
Rer. William TVtsmer, Of St. Louis,
thought all were united IN the sentiment
)r of the resolution and the difficulty arose
W from not understanding it, although to him
of it was so plain that it seemed impossible
- any BODY should misunderstood IT.
- Rec. Etancis HodGs0~, of the NJ. Epls-
* copal Chapel, Vestry- street. Newly ork,
n sail the on v objection he saw to the res
q oIut;on is it's bearing on those who use
ID wine in small quantities occasionally
70 For himself he had recently laid 1t wholly
~ aside For some years he had continued
~ to tnSte it occasionally, but seldom, as at
weddings, rot teeause he loved it, but be-
" cause he felt difficulty in refusing, lest
ID he should produce dispieasure on festive