Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-05-16
T E MPE R An C E.
From the American Temperance Unior

From the American Temperance Union.
THE CHURCH,-THE CHuRCH.-Itis
a somewhat amusing trait in human na-
ture, that every man must have every
thing done in his own way. We see
none SO pert;nacous as the sticklers for
ecclesiastical organization. The Temp
erance reform must be conducted by the
church. Temperance Societies are ire
sponsible bodies, and wholly unnecessary,
as well as unwarranted.' And if such
gentlemen, advocating on all occasions
this principle, did not do it to the retard-
ing of the great work OF Temperance in
their own circles of influence and over
weak consciences, we should let them fold
themselves in their comfortable nantes,
and take their rest. And here we would
remark that no one has ever objected to
the church doing the great work
in her organized capacity. She has had
from the beginning the whole field before
her. But has she ever done it? What
did the church do in her ecclesiastical or
CARNATIONS, before Temperance Societies
came into existence. Nothing She man
ufactured, bought sold, drank, and wiped
her mouth, and said, l have done
no harm, bearing about a dreadful
load of Incorporate members. What
has she done since? What has been
done by the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church. by the E pisco-
! pal Church, the Dutch, the Scotch, the
Roman Catholic, the Congregational, the
Baptist, the Methodist, ia their great or
ganizations All but the ground has
been taken from them. How so? Is not
their field the world? Have Temperance
Societies ever said to them, Stand off?
Have they not courted them, implored
. their assistance, and thanked them for
every movement!
To those gentlemen, however, who OPP
t pose Temperance Societies because they
are voluntary and not church organiza-
tions, let one question be put. Who Is
the Temperance cause to reach For
t whom is it designed2 Is it not all men
of every character? Now, how are all
J men, of every character, to be reached
t by ecclesiastical organizations What
do thousands on thousands in our land,
; whom we would gather in Temperance
Societies, and whom it is all important we
] should gather, know or care about eccle-
siastical organizations Just nothing at
all. Perhaps it will be said they should
know something about them. Very we'll
Be it the business of such as sustainthose
organizations, to make them acquainted
with them. 1t is not End cannot be the
business of the Temperance Societies.
The error of these gentlemen lies, we
! apPrchend, in their supposing the Tenn
perancc reform to be a religious reform
one therefore which should be directed by
the church. We do not so view it. Not
+ that it is an irreligious work, in which
f good men should not be engaged. Its o.
= ject is breaking up the fashion ofthe com
6 munity in the use of Intoxicating drinks
= for the extlrpation of drunkenness; an
object in which all good men should en-
gage, and for which all good men should
! pray; but an object in which too all 9TH
er men may engage, men whom Christ
ian churches would not choose to receive
to their communion because giving nc
evidence that they are the friends and fol-
: lowers of Christ. The church is the salt
of the earth, the light of the world, and
we rejoice in all her operations for the
: salvation of the world; but we have little
. praise to bestow on the sleek, weII-fed
= minister of the gospel IoLling on his so.
: ia, and refusing to lift a finger in the
/ cause of Temperance, while drunkards
S are perishiug around him, because it is
= prosecuted by voluntary associations, and
> not by church organizations. And such
: there are-men that stretch themselves
upon their touches, and eat the lambs ouu
y of he flock 0Wd the calUes out of the midst
of the stall; that chant to the sound OF
the ri0l; that drink arine an 6oaols, ana
$ anoint themselves piA the chief. soiut-
5 ments; bit they are not grieped for The
affection Of Joseph 1870, -,
5 The Life Preseroer. Boston, Whipple
/ & Da:nreIl, PIP. 132,-This formsthe sew
enteenth Of Mr. Sargent's Temperance
t Tales. 1t is, with the assumption of fic-
: titious names. an almost literal account, bv
5 an old seaman, of the awful wreck Of the
Fl Home, in October last The tale is short.
| occupying but thirty-one pages. The rest
Of the book is taken up with discussion
: of the question. whether this dreadful ca
tastrophe was the result of intemperance
In the close of his inquiries, Mr.. s. saws.
1 American Temperance Unionl lzIst.
il aAftera careful consideration of allthe
facts, there are a few solemn convictions at
i which all parties must arrive. The yery
Il be5tffiends and advocates Of Captain White