The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-07-01
fFor the Literary Echo.
Temperance Sermon.

to one Of the best sermons on Temper
anoe that has, in my. opinion, been
preached in this, or perhaps in any
other place, for long time. 1t was
delivered in the Congregational Church
in this village, by Rev. Freeman Yates,
of Maine, now Agent of the Connecticut
State Temperance Society.
He took for his text, Acts % 20,
which is as follows, viz =" And sohen
the blood Of thy martyr Stephen soas
shed, Ialso soas standing by, and con-
semting unto his death, and Kept the
raiment of him that slew him." He
stated in the introduction, that his dis
course would lead him to some conclu-
sions which would probably be startling
to many of his hearers. That some
time since he mentioned to clergyman
of his acquaintance, that it was his in
tention to write sermon on Temperance
which should be appropriate for Sabbath
service. The clergyman requested the
privilege Of suggesting text, and re-
quested him to use the above. He ac-
cepted the text, and seated himself, and
commenced the preparation of the SER
mon, but had not pursued his theme
very far, before he found that the con-
clusions to which fair, legitimate ex-
position and application of the unequiv-
ocal sentiment of the text brought him,
we're startling even to his own mind. If
these sentiments appeared thus to the
mind Of one who, for the past four years,
had given his almost entire attention to
the subject Of temperance he could not
doubt that they would fill those with
greater surprise, who had been less
familiar with the subject.
In giving an exposition of the text,
the preacher showed most conclusively
that Saul of Tarsus, although be cast
not a stone at the bleeding, suffer
ing martyr, nor laid violent hands upon
that innocent victim of 6endish malice,
still as one who "stood by" and showed
by that, if by nothing else, that he was
consenting unto his DEATH" but not
that only, but SO well pleased was he
with the bloo'y transaction, that as a
memento Of respect he "kept the raj
ment of them that slew him." was not
merely pariaker of their evil deeds,
but an equal sharer in their guilt as
murderers. He ably sustained this prin-
ciple by large quotations from the gen.
orally acknowledged principle in common
law, that person standing by and wit
Messing the commission of murder with
out putting forth such efforts as are
within his power for the prevention of
the same, is adjudged as particeps erimi-
mas, partaker in the crime, an acces-
sorry before the act
This principle, he applied with con-
vincing force to the relation sustained
by legislators, freemen, and the commu-
nifty at large, to the sale of intoxicating
liquors as beverage, and the untold
woes and destruction of human life con-
nected Herewith. About eight hundred
die annually in the State of Connecticut
from the effects of the use of intoxicat-
ing liquors. He did not think so much
of the mere fact that these eight hund-
red, fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers
are annually sacrificed on the altar of
rum, as that they are ruined, ruined in
soul, as we'll as murdered in body.
There was fearful responsibility resting
somewhere. In his opinion it rested
on the frcemen of Connecticut. The
power to put an end to this great
evil was in their hands. A law might
be passed to prevent this work Of
destruction, and any man possessing this
power and neglecting to use it, or using
it in manner to perpetuate the rum
traffic, sustains the same relation to the
eight hundred deaths which are caused
ANNUALLY in the State of Connecticut
thereby, that Saul of Tarsus sustained