The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-07-06
6ooa GtmpIars Galamn
For the Grand Haven News.
C0LL0QUY CONTINUED.


Frank continued" And then, Harry,
TO make your objection good, viz:-that
our organization is an attempt at being
wiser than God-it will devolve upon you
to show that our pledge of Temperance or
obligation as Good Templars are in their
essential principles opposed to the direct
injunctions Of the Bible, or that it affects
to supply some defect in the doctrines
which il teaches. This, however, can not
be shown; and | challenge you or any
one else to do it. ask you now in all
candor what is there in our obligations Of
total abstinence, or in the principles by
which we support it, that is chargeable
with an attempt at being wiser than God
If the practice of total abstinence is UNI
scriptural, and if there is no such thing
rs abstinence founded OH christian chari-
ty, taught in the gospel, then we acknowl-
edge the charge to be valid one, and
confess that the temperance folks are found
false witnesses Of God. But | have al
ready proved that the contrary is the fact,
and you must own that both scripture
precept and example sanctions our princi-
pies. Your ungcnerous charge, therefore,
is either false in itself, or falls with equal
force upon holy Daniel and his selfde-
nying associates, the Rachabites, John the
Baptist, the apostle Paul, and other holy
men, rs il docs on U.S."
ry--"Hold on there, Frank, that
last argument of yours is clincher, and
| must confess that if had no other rea-
son than the last would join you i'm
mediately; but can not divest my mind
of tho aversion feel to depriving myself
of my liberty by signing your pledge"
Frank-" Sign away your liberty
What an objection! You, really, Harry,
must be very hard up for an argument
when you satisfy yourself with such a
miserable subterfuge. Liberty to do
Uhat? To visit the tap-room and be-
como the associate Of drunkards to drink
to the health of others and ruin your
own; to imbibc slow poison which in
flames the passions, dethrones reason, and
finally lays its victim in drunkard's dis
honored grave. Who would wish for a
liberty to do this, which is the only HJer-
ty you deprive yourself of in becoming a
teetotaler!'
Harry-"It is not very valuable
right L confess, but not so bad rs you
want to make it appear. You talk to me
as though was in tho habit of going be-
yond the bounds of moderation, which
you very well know is not the case, nei-
ther is it likely ever will be, as | know
when TO leave off hope. But supposing
were 10 become teetotaler, | should have
to connect myself with some temperance
society, and | am utterly opposed TO sucl
combinations, and especially secret ones
like your Good Templars, as / believe
them to be dangerous. 1t would be mucl
better for every one to be temperate OF
his own hook"
Frank-"It is really time that that
fallacy was exploded, especially when The
value and importance of union of energy
and purpose is so strikingly apparent rs
it is at the present day. If your oblec
ton is good for anything, why, at a fire
each man had better throw his bucket o.
water, and not unite in any engine COM
pany; each man in raising building had
better lift the timbers alone; in war each
man had better fight on his own hook, and
not in regular disciplined army; IN re-
ligion each man had better so TO Heaven
alone, and have no churches and no min
istcrs. Try your system, Harry, in 9th
er matters and how would it work."
Harry" Well, really, Frank, | ncy
er thought of that. dare say it is very
necessary in some cases. But how do YOU
tectotalers manage when you are sick
YOU know wine, and even stronger liquor
is good as medicine, and are recommen
ded by physicians, and you must either
neglect their prescriptions or violate YOU
pledge"
Frank-" Our pledge does not exclude
the use Of alcohol as medicine, for which
it may be sometimes good, though an
not sure even of that, or that something
else might not be obtained To- answer
| EQUALLY wall. hui adnlittin0 that 1T Is