Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-08-16

no means relinquished the use nor the
traffic; and that clergymen may be found
IN erery denomination, who set their
faces, in bitter spirit against this " great
deliveramce," for which, with Professor
Woods, such multitudes arise to offer
their grateful homage to compassionate
God. At one moment. we have reasons
for not joining the Temperance Society,
By Clergyman" at another, a minister
boasts before his people, In the very spirit
of exul,atiop, that he and they have not
formed themselves into Bibt Society,
or Temperance, or an education, or a
BENEVOLENT society," To-day, a bishop
lectures against the Temperance society,
and publishes his lecture to the world,
assuring them upon the faith of his lawn
sleeves, that "the success of The Temper
0nce society aoilI be the triumph of 'ntfdet-
ity" We are scarcely permitted to re-
cover from one false alarm, before our
nerves are exercised by another rerer-
end reviewer next procIaims the true
state of the Temperance reform" ond
informs US, that the cause is "at a sto1Id;;"
while, in the same breath, he calls upon
his brethren and friends, to drag the
wheeIs"-of a machine, which he has
already averred to be perfectly motionIess
and still.
Nevertheless the Temperance reform
moves gloriously forward-these efforts
of its opposition are speedily forgotteni-
in the language of another,
I.ethean CULTS receive them, as they fall,
And dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.
1t is abundantIy manifest, however, that
the Temperance reform has not had its
perfect work among clsrgymen, deacons,
and church members. The writer has
before him incontrovertible evidence Of
the intemperancc of several cLergymen,
de0conS, and church members; in some
cases amounting TO stupid Drunkenness
Within short time, minister, some
what advanced in years, member Of the
Temperance society, was found to be in
the constant practice of privately drink
ing gin, and was summoned before the
society for the offence Deacons and
church members are VIGOROUSLY engaged
in the traffic and in the manufacture, not
only by wholesale, but, in the more dis
gushing form, retailing it TO every appli-
cant. In making this statement, we rely
on the evidence of conversations, held d.
rectl v with men Of this desert ption, upon
the subject Of their degrading traffic. 1t
is not long since we partook of the sacra-
meut, while a tavern-keeper of,he village,
sitting in the same pew, did the same
thing; and, in less than half an hour
having returned to the inn, we saw this
church member openl selling brandy in
his bar, and drinking it himself without
the slightest indication Of embarrassment.
The testimony on this point also could
be gathered in abundance throughout the
land"
Here you may see that the priest and the
prophet, the deacon and other members Of
the church are swallowed up of strong
drink-they err in vision-they stumble il
judgment.
5th. Woe unto HIM that giveth his neighbo
drink, that putteth thy bottle to him. Habakkuk
I'd Chap, part of the 18th verse.
1t appears evident from this passage, thai
he who tempted his neighbor with strong
drink, was guilty, as we'll as he who go
drunk. 1t appears also from sacred wri;
that in all ages of the world, from our frs
parents transgression down to the presen
time, that those who knowingly tempt 9th
ers to sin, are as guilty in the sight of Coz
as those who yield to the temptation. Should
it be known and proved to the satisfaction
Of a court competent totry a man for muir
der, that instigated one of you to commi
murder, and the murder was committed,
suppose no one of you would say wa
r any less guilty than he who committed thu
murder. This is the view which the Law
takes of the case. We find that in the day.
Of Moses and Joshua, in cases of seduc
ton, both parties were considered alike gull
ty, and were alike punished; and where tn
f tempter accomplished his object by force
. he alone was punished, (and that witt
: death.)
think it can be abundantly proved, from
scripture and common serse; that, let tn
crime be of what magnitude it may, be wh'
! tempts or instigates another to commit
2 crime, is as guilty as the one that commits
the crime. If tempt man to steal, an
: guilty of theft. 1t tempt man TO muir
der another, am guilty of murder. If
tempt a man to defraud another and tel
him what means to Use in doing it, and b.
Yields, and goes according to my direction
:, and defrauds the man, l am guilty of fraud
; And if knowingly tempt my neighbor Il
: use strong drink am as guilty as he is
whether he is drunk or sober. Now tn
fact is, there is no intelligent man who sell
strong drink by the pint, quart, or gallon