Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-08
Temperance Lecture.

A temperance lecture was delivered at thu
Universalist Church last Sabbath evening BY
Rev. Mr.. Moor, to q large and apprecativt
audience. Nse, 80 .1fe
He commenced by saying that we can name
no virtue to the perfection of which temper
anccis not neeessary--no virtue is complete
without 1t, and no vice is separate from intern
perance.
Temperance means the health and intern.
perance the disease of the body. 1t leads te
outward comfort and wealth; it puts capital
into the treasury, and intemperance draws i,
out. Itleads to just appreciation of domes,
tic enjoyments, while intemperance shuts the
door of the affections and sends the fires Of
woe into general society. Itleads to religion
but intemperance leads away to the Kingdom
of Satan.
Temperance is not weary in well doing, but
incompetence scorns all such efforts. As with
individuals so with the whole body Of the
people. 95
The follies and dangers of humanity are in
tensely and dangerously real. They who
walk in the downward path together are no,
truly friendly. The special sinner never has
a friend who is in the same path with himself
He will always prove false, therefore let none
mistake their worst enemies for their best
friends.
If mans nature is so callous that he does
not suffer at the time Of committing the sin,
the retribution will be the more fearful when
it does come home to him Every sinner
must by and by awake to a comprehension OF
his souls guilt. He treasures up wrath against
the day Of wrath.
We may dwell upon the sides of Vesuvius
for a time without danger, but soon will sure
ly come the tempest and we fly for safety in
vain. This is a representation OF the class Of
men called moderate drinkers. Think of the
end OF the poor miserable drunkard who dies
cursing his God. Dreadful end What sight
SO terrible as the wreck Of man among men
"a lost soul in wrecked body. Man CT Gated
by infinite wisdom and mercy-how fearful is
the wreck Of such being.
We can never estimate the loss caused by
this evil Of intemperance in our midst. More
of the loftiest intellects in our lands than we
shall ever know, have been rendered insane
and idiotc by indulgence in intoxicating
drinks Some of us saw a beautiful woman
few days ago forced to the mad house by this
curse.
The virtue of temperance is very broad and
SO is the vice Of intemperance. The com
monness of the evil should be an argument
for greater effort to suppress it.
If the evil was thoroughly comprehen ed, it
does not seem possible it would exist If the
effect of the first glass was understood-the
poison, the moral poison be seen, then never
again would it be raised to the lips of ration
al being. Let the moderate drinker wei h
well his danger and his deadly influence among
his fellows.
Legal aids to temperance reform are not
impossible, but complete success must depend
upon moral suasion. We have human laws
against the other sins which do not wholly
prevent these sins, but no one would have
them repealed for that reason.
The knotty point is that some persons think
these articles may be of use on some occasions
they are valuable, but it must also be al
lowed that in other cases they are damnable.
Human laws may be christian laws and may
be laws which may regulate the sale OF intox-
icating drinks and render the act as odious as
it would be for man to sell diseased meats
The evil is at our doors, but the ways for
action are various. 1t is wrong for any to re-
1use work because we do not all agree as 10
how the work may best be done, and because
we entertain different opinions Without
unity of effort in temperance labors, tie per-
feet victory will never come.
In all the history of the world in moral
movements, there have been dark hours, but
eventually their triumph has been made GER
tain. The temperance cause needs re-en-
forcements to strengthen protect and sustain
it. In every moral conflict right will conquer.
They who fight for the right never surrender.
All the true and good are on the side of right,
and they shall triumph over every foe
On.