The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-07-16
tfHpErdnrE.
Strong kn Death.


8heG be found bis life wasting, bore en-
Ghatic testimony to his belief in the prin-
eipsed Of t,l&l abstinence. The vii yhioh
ac left, covss0 50 folio pages, and :hers
IS eodiois containing sizty-three double
coi4mns Of printed matter. He bequelths
to each OF his brothers, sisters, executors,
&c., sixteen in all, a copy Of the Holy
Bible E&ca successive owner Of the
bib'e is 10 sign family tee-total pledge
tha: :hey will not make buy, sell, or
give away or use any kind Of alcoholic
or Intoxicating liquors, either for drink
ing, cutaary, medicinal, surgical, or sac
ra.aeatal purposes, or any TOBACCO for the
purpose OF chewing, smoking, or snuf6ng,
and that By preeept and example, and all
other suitable ways, at all timea and
p!aces, to discountenance all such uses. d"
he also orders his executors to sub
scribe foF one copy of'gone good temper
ance paper, a(;voca;ing the disuse OF to-
bacco, and legal ard moral suasion COM
biaed, for the suppression Of hquor, thir-
t. copies in al, Tor twenty-one years.
Ha further b21uea.hs $3.50 70 each qf
Lis sisters, provided they, oa'h OF them
within oaa yc4g sign the family tee-totai
pledge.
His properly, subject to all other De-
quests is then divided among his relatives,
payable every Eth, tsqta, fifteenth and
twentieth yslr, provided tn2t at the e.
Flration OF every period they shall make
affidavit that they have Kept tie pledge
- its full extent.
Frou the shove it will &c seen that
the will in6u!cates absolute 2b3tinence,
It has long appeared to us tha. the friends
af temperance Insisted 900 strongly OF
retaining in pledges and statutes some pro,
vision which would allow the use OF 81
cohol for medicinal and other purposes.
a many casea they have been tenacious,
that they have given their opponents oc-
casion to uge it Is an argument against the
temperance movement. So much stress
has been laid upon al exceptional clause,
that we have often been provoked and
been glad to see those who we're by their
ludiscreetness subjecting the cause TO the
obloquy Of its opponents, stcyuly rebuked
ior their inconsistency.
We think the aedicinal quali;ifs have
been very much ovorrated; all its paica-
tons can be accomplished by articlea which
90 not possess any deletcrious operation.
AZ stimulant, there are practitioners OF
no mean rspute elther, who have discard
Cd It's use entirely. They have better
ones, and use them, finding no difficulty
IN their practice. And f)r culinary pur-
poses there IS no excuse for the use Of
alcohol IN any of its forms. 1t Is true
that 40 intuxiGation will result from the
u OF cakes or pies which contain alcoh j,
4or the process Of baking dissipates the
Intoxicating qualities. It's effect IS TO
add to the indigestible nature Of pastry
and cakes hut it is not owing to this
that ne now object TO It's use. 1t affords
a weapon for the friends OF the use OF
and traffic in liquor to use against the
advocates Of fprohlbition They sag that If
Is proper to useit in cake and pies, it sure
iv can be no harm to use IL rs beverage,
provided it can be done in moderation.
And with similar pleas for.any Of the uses
Of fa.cohol which are considered exceptions.
many satisfy their conciences and excuse
themselves to crafty depraved appetite
or habitual practice which may BE-
wrong, men Will find justiicatory reasons
10 very small l4atters. When wrong do
ing wishes TO shield itself, it will inYaria-
bly, seek weak spot in the opinion or
practice of the friends Of the right, and
avail themselves Of that. We have watch
ed the progress of temperance tor the last
ten years with reference to the effect OF
the exceptions We have noted, and We
are satisfied that We have lost much by
the policy we have pursued. There seems
to be only one position which is tenahle
and which can be occupied with success;
and that is total prescription Of alcohol,
making no reservations whatever, as to
It's use. II is poison, and lot it share
the fate Of all other poisons. Let it be
treated as an enemy in whatever shape it
presents itself; let US not waste ouI
stength by combating intemperance, and
in the same breath make ap admission
which more than half neutralizes our ef.
fort and throws obstacles in the way Of
our progress. The point we have sug-
gested deserves serious and earnest atten-
ton, for though a good work has been
done, there is enough for US to do yet
Intomperance has been bruised - God
aad Humanity demand that it shall be
killed. The war we are to wage is not one
OF palliation but determination. He who
strikes against vice must be careful that
ne leaves no chance for the enemy to use
his own weapons and appropriate them to