Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-11-11
John B. Coughs Address to the Young, in ST.
Martins Hall. London.

/ L
children, and then to the adults l have been IL
the habit-and / speak now to the chdren-ol
speaking very frequentiyto young people in the
United States. where we hayed formed large soce-
| ties called "Cold Water Armies" In Boston, wc
have 5000 children who have signed The pledge
and who thus belong to the cold water army and
ii is one Of the most pleasant parts of my business
| to speak to them, on the occasion Of their gather
iugs. 1t is encouraging to ME to speak to chill
| dren, because believe the boys and girls mostly
| enjoy and understand what is said.-(Cheersj A
Temperance speaker told me. that the greatest re-
buke he ever received in his life Was once Oyerhear
ing two boys discuss an address they heard. "Well
Bll, how did you like it," "Oh not at ALL, why
not?" "Why, because he talked so much baby
ak Laughter.) Boys don't want baby talk.
want the boys and girls to pay little attention
to me this evening. / rejoice to have the oppor
tunity of speaking to them for one reason in par
ticular and that is because children generally ar,
conscientious, and his is one of the most pleasing
features Of childhood Let ME relate stoFy-and
[ shall deall chiefly this evening in stories.
"I'vE SUMO IT."
A gentleman in t c city of Boston who was il
the habit of using wine, was asked by one of hi
promising boys il be might go to one Of our meet
mgs. Yes my boy, you may go bat lou mus
not sign the pledge Now in cur cold waite
army, we cont allow the children to sign th
pledge without the consent of their parents. ",
believe the boys first duty is to obey his fathc
and neither. Well, the boy came he was nob
fellow; full of Ere ard lie, and ingenuousness
We sang and sang, and the chorus was shouted b
the children =
"Cheer up my lively lads,
la spite OF rum and cider:
Cheer up my lively lads,
We've signed the pledge together"
We sung it eight or ten times, and the little fel
low spoke of sung it too. As-he was walkin.
home, however, the thought struck that he hat
been singing what was not true-"We have signet
the pledge together;' he had not signed the pledge
When be reached home, he sat down at the table I
and on it was = jug of CIDER. ''Jom," said one
his brothers, "wiil you have some cider?' No
thank you" was the reply. "Wby not-don't yoU
like it?' oh, I'm never going to drink any more
cider, nothing more that is Intoxicating for me?'
MY boy" said his father, "you haye not disobeyec
me; You have not signed the pledge" 40,
father" said he, sOboing. Il have not sigred tht
pledge but I've sung it, and that's enough for HE"
Il Loud cheers from the children That father
came up to the Temperance Meeting, at vhict
5000 people were assembled and told the story
and said I'm not be Outdone hy my boy,-theugh
have not sung the pledge will sign it, lie die
so aud is at the present day of the truest aaG
nobest supporters Of tie cause. Now, like TO
ace conscientiousuesS, and children are conscen
tious before they become warped and stutifed by
contact with the world and if we can bring them
to the right point at starting, we may feel assured
t!ey will go on, by Gods grace, to q glorious con
summation. Some persons say, "What is the use
of letting child of six or seven years Old sign the
pledge? They don't understand il" Now chill
dren understand great deal more than we give
them credit for. They do understand what IS
meant by the pledge and. by temperance, and they
understand also and often use the arguments.
"MAY I DRINK CIDER.
was once engaged in forming cold water army
at Bangor, United States, and boy said TO Inc,
"If l sign the pledge, may | drink cider, and the
beer MY mother makcs?7 Now, knew that what
he called the beer made by his mother drink
which was not intoxicating so l said he might
drink that, but cider--no. "Oh, we'll, l like ci-
der !" said lie, aud away he went. Other boys
Joined him, and they talked earnestly together.
Presently he came back and said, Put my name
down; I'll sign."-(C Cbeers)
THE BROKEN PLEDGE.
gentleman in Virginia had boy boy six or
seven wears old, who wanted to sign the pledge
All in the family had done so, but the father
thought him too young, and would not let him.
At last. however, after much enreaty, PERMISSION
was eiven Soon after the father went on jour
ney. At one stopping-place, away from the town.
he called for some water. 1t did not come so he call
ed again; still he could net get 1t; but cider was
brought and, being very thirsty, he so far forgot
himself as to drink When he returned home, he
related the circumstance. After he had flushed, tie
little boy came up to his knee with his eyes full OF
tears. and said, Father how far was you from
James River, when you drank the cider?' "Rath-
er more than fifteen miles, my boy ''We!l," said
the little fellow, sobbiDg, 81 have walked there
and back again rather than have broken my PLEDGE
!
--(Oheers) o. God biesa the children! We
have thousands such as these; children who under
stand the principle and keep to the practice.
sometimes wish the adults kept the pledge as well
as the boys do. l said just now, that the children
understand the arguments
! TIE Rum JUG.
! A lady who kept school told me, that when shC
was teaching spelling in class, she came one day
+ the word jug" what le asked do people
mt in Jug ?" "Rum," sand boy. Il hope,
lid the lady, "none OF you know anything OF rnul,
81 do said the boy "my fa.ber drioSs IT, and
like it." At the recess the Other children go
rauud that boy and argued with him vith suel
f,rce. that at last like many cider han he hay
done. he got his back against wall and said, .
d,nt care if it Is SOL don't care ii sos arr gid
They DO understand the argHmeo''
ION DEAR WHAT PITY
i barrel OF l;qIor was once being carried ii