The northern star and freemen's advocate., 1842-03-03
ANNUAL REPORT


OF the Ne,o- York Slate temperance Society.
In presenting the 18th annual report of the New
York state temperance society, the executive COM
mittee would express their gratitude to God, that
they are permitted to live in so interesting period
Of the temperance cause, and to bear some hum
bic part in its advancement
1t is period calculated to awaken the energies
Of all who duly appreciate and desire the welfare
Of their fellow-men.
Among the various benevolent operations, this
now occupies an elevated place, and while other
departments should receive appropriate patronage,
teo deep an interest cannot be felt IN this.
1t is pleasant, in retracing the progress of our
enterprise, to know we have not labored in vain !;
but that through feeble instrumentality, great
and permanent good has been effected and it may
now be profitable to reflect on what has already
been effected, and the incentives to renewed acti-
vity in respect to future operations.
"A period Of nearly thirteen years has elapsed
since the organization of this society, and it is
pertinent here to state the remarkable fact, that
during this period but one of its officers, and one
Of it's agents, have died and that as remarked by
our late chairman, in the last eleven years and
half, twenty-three gentlemen have been members
Of the executive committee, and twenty-five have
labored as agents of the society and all, it is be-
heved, are now alive to labor in this good cause,
ana praise Inc AoIu Aol Alo WOHueilul WoIkS " Tie
children Of men.
IN this short period, we have encountered not
only the most powerful incentives to human action,
such as appetite and interest; but various other
impedments, which custom and fashion, with their
untold influences had stamped on the face of soci-
ety. The passage from the old to the new, or to-
tai abstinence pledge, was attended, as you are all
aware, with consequences which seemed for a
time to leopard our existence as society and
memory is now active in recalling the exciting
and thrilling scenes of that hour. But as the
Rubicon was passed, the early friends of the cause
did not falter the demoralizing, desolating and
seu-destroying work of intemperance has been
successfully resisted with the weapons of light
and love, and much Of the ignorance by which
the subject was surrounded has been dispersed !;
Intoxicating beverages now almost universally
conceded to be- not only useless, but poisonous and
dangerous. Our encOuragementS TO perseverance
are numberless We behold the noble, high-soul-
cd and intellectual snatched from degradation and
reinstated in the position which, by their talents
and education, they were fitted to occupy-hun-
freds rescued from drunkard's grave-homes
and fresides made cheerful by the adoption of our
principles and practice-wlves become happy
thousands of children fed, clothed and gathered
into Sabbath Schools-cod water armies marshall
ed and coming to the rescue under the tee-total
banner ana consequently large oe 'uclioh ltoin
the yearly sum of human indgence and crime, and
many have realized greater blessings, yea, many a
poor besotted drunkard has revisited the deserted
+amnle of God. and under the soul-subduing infu-
rnce Of the gospel, has, with broken heart, sought
and found pardon and obtained mercy, and is now
looking forward to an inheritance incorruptble,
indebted. and that never fades away.
The progress of the cause during the last year,
has been marked with more than usual interest ;
the triumphal onward march Of the reformation in