Litchfield enquirer., 1870-02-03
Total Abstinence,

, We tried a short time since to demon satrats the inconclusiveness of the scriptu- ral argument against Total Abstinsncs.
 We now propose to enquire whether that reform is one of the real needs of our time., A great social reform hes unqusstionably been the result of the old Temperance
 movement Whereas. half century since, habits of antindulgencs in alcoholic drinks were deemed unobjectionable, pro- Sidsa they did not reach to the point of
 intemperance,n now steady thinker of spir- itaous liquor, even though never seen in.
 toxicased, is generally looked upon as be.
 low par morally-as in very dangerous way. The use of spirituous liquors on ell festive occasions and at social gatherings has been very generally discontinued. The beneficial results of the great social reform
 of the past half century are admitted even
 by the opponents of Total Abstinence, 90
 that the movement is not now strenuously
 opposed. even by those who believe in tenn psranco in. rather than in abstinence from,
 thsuse of splrituous beverages. Comparing .the practice of our day, however, with the prscsieeeof . quarter of century since, and the general and probably the correct opinion is that there has been .. marked
 relapse toward the evil habits of ante-tem- petanoe times. Total Abstinence men are
 fewer in number and less earnest in effort.
 The great movement which almost entire. ily reformed the habits of the great middle class of New England. and, indeed, of the country generally, never wrought any thorough change in the practice of the very highest or of the very lowest strata of society. The example of those classes, the
 nniortanate reliance of temperance men on prohibitOry legislation. the bad intlu- sncse of army life. and the influx of for. eianers have certainly wrought . great change for the worse. Are we therefore to consider that the Total Abstinence move
 zhent has done all the good of which it was capable; that it's fire has burned out; and
 that any and that every attempt at it's revi-
 val is uselessp -za-A4as sfiI ,..e U' eA', The great Temperance wave of the past generation has left most of us, middle class New Enelanders, in about this position :: : 70 generally abstain from the use of alec. iholic liquers; from their habitual use we ishfinkas from a very dangerous and iniu-
 rious- practice. We seldom if ever drink
 ct a public bar, simply because we deem
 it of evil example. Nevertheless,
 our practice rnanifestly tends downward j toward moderate indulgence. rather than
 upyard toward total abstinencs. Many of ara taking with considerable alacrity, to the use of cider, ''nativs" wines, and malt
 hquora Is not. in fact, our present posi- < ton an anomalous one, not likely to last?
 Is not wine either blessing, from wh ose habitual use we gre abstaining from preiu.
 diee. rather than from principle; or . !, curse from which we should abstain alto. i eetherf If moderate indulgence is right, i've are certainly denying ourselves much
 innocent gratifcation; if total absti hence [ ..s3ss EH { F
 is the true conrse. We indulge just often
 enough to lose our foothold on firm moral ground, and with it all our influence over
 others. We can hardly expect that anoth.
 or generation will follow an exampls which teaches neither abstinence nor indulgence but is evidently one of transition from the former back to the latter. g s1 ,ad If our view is correct; if there are really but two possibly tenable, permanent posi-. s H6pns 6 open to society; one which iastifes
 She habitual but temperate use of alcohol. ie beverages. and the other which holds to
 ths necessity of a total abstinence there. airom. the great Temperance question has oaly Co bss stated to be decided. We do
 not believe that this generation will fall
 beck into the very slough from which their
 a-e1 KxgwoE 70 a. g1s3sGs1 ga@z1