Polynesian., 1852-09-04

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for in regard 10 the use of ardent spirits %
Similar opinions were doubtless adopted b,
others, vino in their own cases may hav,
acted in conformity by abstaining altogether
But II was not until the 18th Feb, 1876, tina
the American Temperance Society was form
ed in Boston on the principle of total absti
nence from ardent spirits as drink. Thi.
put the ball in notion The men who formed
this society did not content themselves will
passing resolves, but went vigorously to theil
work. They wrote addresses and prepared
tracts which they printed and circulated a
their own expense, not only in America, bu
in Europe and other parts of the world
Some of them came to these islands. They
made annual reports of their progress, anC
sent them to the world with arguments fol
their cause. They met cordial response
here, and in many parts of the United States
by the formation Of local societies, and at.
tracted attention in Europe. AT the close Of
the year 1923 there were reported thirteen
Temperance societies in Maine, twenty-three
IN New Hampshire, seven in Vermont, thirty
nine in Massachusetts; two in Rhode Island
thirty-three in Connecticut, seventy-eight in
New York, six in New Jersey, seven in Penn
sylyania, enc in Delaware, one in Maryland,
five in Virginia, two in N Carolina, one in
South Carolina, one in Kentucky one in Ohio,
two in Indiana. There were others not re-
ported. Not less than 80, 900 persons were
pledged not to drink ardent spirits. The SER
mons of Rev. MIR. Beecher and Palfrey, and
addresses by Doctors Mussey and Kittridge,
were widely circulated, and travelling agents
employed to address the people orally. AT
the close of 1929, one thousand societies had
been formed, embracing 100, 900 members.
More than fifty dis,ileries had been stopped,
over 400 merchants had renounced the traffic,
and 1900 drunkards been reclaimed Ii was
in this year, US29,) that the temperance
reformation may be said to have commenced
in Europe. The Rev. John Edgar, profess
sor of divinity in the college at Belfast, Ire
land, published a series of essays in the Bel
fast papers, which attracted much attention,
but the first society in Europe, on the princi-
pie of abstinence, was formed by Rev. Geors e
close Of the year, numerous societies were
formed in England, Ireland, and Scotland
embracing IA 900 members.
The first meeting of the London Tempe
rance Society was on the 29tb June, 1880
At that time there were 80 societies in Eng
land.
1t ought to be mentioned that long before
this, the society of Friends had discarded in
toxicating liquors, and it was ascertained that
they were much healthier and lived longer
than other people. 1t had been found that
the united ages of one hundred individuals of
the general population buried successively in
the parish of Chesterfield, in Derbyshire,
England, were 25l5; making an average of
% years and two months. OF these, only
two reached the age Of eighty and upwards,
and only twelve the age of seventy and up
wards. At the same time it had been found
that the united ages Of one hundred of the
society of Friends, (who are remarkable for
their temperance who were buried success
lively, were 479O, making an average of ~
years and 10 months; and that of these, 10 at
tanned the age of eighty years and upwards,
and thirty to at least 20.
Macnish, in his Anatomy of Drunkenness,
states that only one in forty of the general
population of London, lives to be eighty
years old, while one in ten of the Quakers
lives to that age.
The sixth annual report of the American
Temperance Society lin 1888, announces
the formation of 5000 temperance societies,
embracing more than million of members,
the stoppage of more than 1000 distileries,
the discontinuance Of the sale of ardent
spirits by more than 500U merchants; the
banishment of the poison from the army, the
sailing Of more than 700 vessels in which it
was not used, and the reclamation of more
than five thousand drunkards. Great num-
hor 70 Hrtr ha
not pledge themselves, as the exiinguished
fires of two thousand distilleries afford good
proof
Here was much accomplished, but there
was still an immense work to be done. A
great many people still made money by SELL
ing strong drink ,and the thirst for it remained
Great numbers who were pledged to absti-
nence from ardent spirit kept the appetite for
alcohol in stimulants sharpened by cider and
wine, and soon fell back one after another
into the old habit OF drinking ardent spirits.
This brought up the question whether these
weaker liquors ought not to be prescribed
also, and temperance societies began to be
divided on this question. IrecoIlect wei! the
very earnest and protracted debate in the
State society in Maine, in 1888, in which it
was proposed to extend the pledge against
the use of wine. Some gentlemen Of high
character and standing, made sturdy de-
fence ofther wine, which they maintained to
be useful in sickness aud health, consecrated
by the example Of our Savior, and long es-
in the conventional usages, the fes-
tive and social meetings Of the christian
world; that an attempt to abolish itsuse was
ultra radicalism and would injure the cause
Of temperance, and break up the society.
On the contrary, il was maintained that It
was idle to Danish one kind of intoxicating
drink and retain others; that it would be
impossible to reclaim the drunkard while he
resorted to fermented drinks as substitutes,
and especially wine, some kinds of which
contain half as much alcohol as whiskey or
Ras,dos n .xne :dlo e.. xho rich