The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-07-08
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Siatcs has passed through series Of
Stages ~ / + crosses from the first associ-
atcd acIiOn against immodcrate drinking,
onward to the pledge against distilled u
colol,c drinks and sill further oa~ard
! pledge a@;Jpsi the use Of all alcohol
ic drlnkI either distilled or ttriu2uted /;
and sill onward to the formation Ut the
ID der OF the Sons of Temperance and
afterwards, as a supposed dnaIity, to the
doctrine aud temporary establishment III
me Sla'cs of prohlptory laws against
the traffic. These dlttcrenl phases have
all in their turn been actively supported.
From each OF them much good WAS hoped
for. and, Indeed, mgch good was realized.
These schemes haye had their day, and
all have failed Of their full accomplish
meut, and most Of them exist no longer.
The Order of Sons Of Temperance being
a great Affiliated brotherhood, linked to-
gcther by a common constitution. and uni
form cerem0nics and usagCs, with It's d.
Visions scattered thickly over the whole
North American continent still exists,
has exercised heretofore, aud is still eX-
ercislng a great Influence for good. Il
must be MESSED, however, that the az
gregate tendency Of the Order has been
downward for the past seven ycaEs, and it
is not till within the past six months,
that its friends could say with truth, its
course ia upward, and every days report
speaks more and more cheerlngiy. The
lowest point of depression seems to have
been reached, aud the icbound has be
gum The people of the State are aware
Of the necessity of doing son,ctbUtg in the
present emergency. Ihc Order Of Sons
Of Temperance is calculated to operate adj
vantageously upon community through
individual influence, 1t administers a
personal single obligation easily under
stood, and With the assistance OF lis socl-
etary influences easily maintained. IN
the first days Of the Order it was dis
tasteful to many hearted friends ot
Temperance 10 mngle in the dellber2-
tions of a body whose most interesting
topics of discussion referred to beuoft,
Jor the sick, rather than to the priuIc-
pies of Total Abstinence. This objec-
tion is now obyiated by giving to Dlyis-
ions the power, if they choose, Of being
non-beneicial The law now permits
boys of fourteen years and upwards to
become members, excluding them from
the principal Offices until they are tTea-
ty-one years of age 1t also permit, the
Diveions, at their option, upon \ two
third vote, to admit females as visitors.
These increased privileges render it a
much less restrictive organization than
in its first days. To young men there
CAR scarcely be better school Of p2riia-
meutary discipline than the Division
room, where each week the unpractieed
speaker has an opportunity to cultivate
the faculty of expressing his ideas with
out embarrassment. Every small village
should have such an institution, where
the leisure of the inhabitants can be in
pocently and proftably spent. P'a3cs OF
entertainments will be established in all
localities where there arc people living
and it behoves the weli-wiShegs Of tae
human race to furnish playground foi
intellect, where it may develop its strengtl
and activity in harmless, healthtul man
ner. Every association should have the
feature Of Total Abstinence consplcuousIy
set up as one of its indispensable aud
most important elements. The reason Q
this is plain. Any circumstance which
draws men and women together at So
cial party, or as members OF tempora
secular association, increases tho chances
of filling into the practice Of drinking,
unless there be connected with that asso
citation or assembly an obligation to ab
stain. Each member of the Order wh(
has borne its regaiia upon his shoulder:
in the presence of the members, aud il
may be of his neighbors, as ne gave the
outward sign of his inward faith at pro
cession of his Order, has an increased
power to avoid the contamination Of baC
Example, when he mingles in circle:
where drinking is permitted, and in some
instances almost epjolned as duty
Such a man not only saves himselfamlds
many dangers, but by steady adherence
10 his faith moderates the eXceSses Of 9th
ers, and even Indirectly, peacefully, an(
politely induces others to avoid that dan
gerous sin of drinking moderately, out o
which often come immoderatlon ant
drunkenness. That Intemperance Will
all the hideous and indescriblble miaarie
consequent thereon is great evil, no on
disputes; nor does any one doubt that
is caused by drinktny Intoxicating bev
erages, either moderately or immoderate
ly, or both, The corroIlary from thes
propositions is, that if we can, b. an.
agency yet undiscovered, totally erldlcat
the act and practice OF drinking intoxl
eating beverages, We shall totally escap
the evil; and if We cannot entirely eradl
cate it, still tharc is an approximate duf.
upon us to diminish it as far as possible
iou shall this be doneI
Wbatbar the Order Ia nosifivelv tn