Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-07-21
COMMUNICATION,

DrO0Cn lOc PHdU'hullV' w N'"' WV"
objection with peculiar and mingled emo
tons. For cer,anlAf the prosecution of
any system Of operation should give 'ri
umph to that niidelitv which chil's the
heart, wl,hcrs the soul. and brushes the
hopes of man for eternity, feel a. lover
Of my species muth more OF my God. l
must oppose it. Thus trust is so congo
mini TO all minds in tins religious c0mmu-
ritv. thu, it meets n hearty response. You
charge the Temperance Society as being
this system. Your words are "I'hot il 1t
could succeed !, would hc triumph Of in
fidelltv." Your proof amounts simply ia
r.. ihis--rhe Temperance Society has con
,rivcd bv written pledge To DESTROY this
master vice, this parent Of crime. IN one
generation. 4 like pledge and society
nigh, be formed against all other s'ns, and
therefore, the gospel of Christ might be
entirely Dispensed with. In this there is
men,fcs, n mos, malignant viruIancc against
society promoting the highest welfare of
man deny your premises. and contend
that if vcnr premises were true. your con-
closion by NO means follows.
The T.mpcrancc Society hss never at
tempted to- destroy the vice Of ln'emper-
anco nv the "pl2dgc.' The society acts
upon higher and stronger ground, that Of
moral power. The pledge is nothing bu'
an EXPRESSION Of their Vows, while their
hone of success is from the tightness of
their cause. the power Of their principles,
and the blessing Of heaven. The pledge
is given after an individual has become
convinced IN his judgment, resolved in his
mind aud decided in h's Will that he will
have "a more TO do with ardent spirit. or
iha, that makes drunk come. He must
thereiure become n tctnp"raln man. longer
or shorter. bof"re. win any c"nsi-lancy,
he can siru the pledge. THIS Is 10 be
done through the m"dnm OF thr T"mper
ance Society, by the action of the piInc'
pie Oi inotal power, or 'I''n o'heF nN"C'
gospel efforts. and the Influence of the Di-
vine Spirit. Now if tins b" So, how can
it be aid that il 10 by the "pIedge" alone,
that tbs crime is to b. drs'royed' None
but voursrlf would say IL. The fact Is the
pledge as the means Of accomplishing their
object but appeals I" the Judgment and
conscience, With facts in abundance TO sUs
tain them. and startling consequences al
tending, both "t present and future import,
and all upon the high christian principle Of
doing a. we would be do0e by: and tins
by the blessing of heaven Is The cause why
''the society is so popular "
But admitting that each specific vice
that is ourwardiy prscised might be de-
stroyed by pledge it would not follow
tina, the gospel could be dispensed with.
How should ingra,j'ude 10 God. a violation
of his law in our not loving him with all
our heart. aud our ne'ghbor as onrseIf.
with all our sins, be eXplared and we be
saved without the gospel? Surely such
reasoning becomes those alone who arc
''pedged" 20 support chain of PROPOSE
tons. This being The fact. The universal
success of the Temperance Society would
deity" You may say i, wcakens the ne
cessl,y Of the gospel by It's admitting in
fdes to co operate with christians. | an
ewer, bv no means. it shows lis necessity.
The nfdcl cannot cooperate with the
christian here so long as Temperance is a
christian virtue, bat on christian principle
and christian ground Ga this principle
think yon would not object tn the SERVED
of an luidel in the cxtuguishmcut Of the
flames Of your respectable edlfce at Bur
lington. And If not, why in the temper
ance cause so long as he must come upon
the ground Of christian virtue. Then in
stead oflhe Temperance Society becoming
infdelic, were It to succeed universally, i,
most be great triumph Of christian prn-
cipIe over vice.
But another objection you urge is that il
suits the nfdel as being plan OF morali.
" without foith. This is about in keeping
with the rest of your splendid performance
Do you mean to say that infides are pa
irons of morality ] fear sir, you have in
your zeal paid infdellty compliment you
did not intend. had supposed that inf
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