The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-12-10
For ne orgun Of the TsmPsraAss Reform.
gtranOa Tbinrs
NEwARK. O.. Dec. ard. la52.

our institution, the Sons OF Temper
ance, as we'll among those out of it as
those already in it. Hence my short
series of short articles entitled StrRge
Things.
No. ] you published in your issue
of Nov. 29th, and if any explanation
can be given of the fact there set
forth, should be very glad to see it.
! repeat, :" it is to me exceedingly
marvellous that the great mass Of the
professed friends Of the Temperance
reform should stand aloof from our
organization" Perhaps the excellent
Temperance music which your Organ
discourses weekly but seldom falls
upon the ear Of this class Of persons.
In plain language, it may be that but
few of them are your subscribers. l
am afraid it is even so and while
this may defeat my efforts TO get an
explanation of Marvel No. / from
that source, it is itself entitled to be
ranked as one of the wonders de-
manding attention. But this pass
for the present, and offer now for the
consideration Of all whom it may con-
cern, Marvel No. 2, viz That SO few
ministers Of the gospel are members
of our institution.
So far as | am informed, our town
will furnish a tolerabIy fair illustra-
ton of what is true throughout the
State. If, in taking a wider range,
things should be found to vary con
siderably from what they are here, |
fear they would be worse rather than
better-that relatively fewer of this
class rather than more, would be
found ranked as Sons of Temperance,
The wonder to me is that so teaO of
them are found in this position.
We have resident in this place two
Presbyterian ministers, two Methodist,
one Baptist, one Episcopalian, one
Calvinistic Methodist, welsh, and
one Congregational, welsh, Of
these, only one of the first and the
last are Sons of Temperance-two in
all Now, Of all men, ministers
should have reasons, and good rea-
sons, for whatever position they may
choose to occupy in relation to any
great reform, or to the organizations
through which the success of that re-
form may be sought. What are their
reasons for choosing the one they
have chosen and maintain in relation
to our Order.
The history Of the Temperance
cause proves that ministers as class,
have been quite as ready as others to
stand in the breach when enemies
have assailed it. None have been
reader than they to take and main
tain advanced positions in its onward
march. There have indeed been
exceptions. When the pledge of en-
tire abstinence from all that intoxicateJ
was first Propounded, some of the
ministry shrank back, crying, I" Too
much and too farl And while
taste, and the long-honored customs
of the side-board prompted this hesi-
tation in some, conscientiOusness was
doubtless its source in others. Still,
the verdict Of history is, that no class,
as such, was reader than the ministry
to hail and urge forward this then
radical movement. If they were not
SO prominent in the Washingtonian
movement, the fault was not theirs,
as all competent to know readily adj
nit. Now, it is this very praise-wor-
thy forwardness and Prominence
this characteristic zeal in the Temper
ance reform, which makes the stand
that ministers now take so generally
with regard to our institution, so
strange
If the spirit of Rev. Lovejoy Of
Massachusetts, or of the Rev. DIR.
Spring of New York, pervaded the
ministry to any extent-if, like these
men, the profession generally had TAX
en- ground against the Maine Law, we
could expect little sympathy from
them for it is doubtless true that if
there be any sentiment in which the
Sons are united, to man, it is in the
cool and settled purpose to cut up the
liquor business root and branch by
Just such legislation. For this they
stand ready to sacrifice everything
except truth and principle. Nor win
they withhold any effort tending there
to, until they attain the glorious con-
summation. This we openly declare:
this we wish to be fully understood.
But do ministers object to our organi-
cation on this ground 2 Far from it.
Presbyteries, and Synods, and Gem
eral Assemblies, and Ecclesias ical
Associations Of all kinds, declare the
same thing as openly and strongly asI
we do. And if their declarations
mean anything, the Protestant miIiis-
try are one with US in this respect.
Why then, the question returns, do
they SO generally stand aloof from us?
II cannot be that the puerile nom
sense about secret societies has any
thing to do with this phenomenon.