Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-09

temperance organizations but there
might be principles involved in some o:
them which prevented Christian pastors
from bidding them God speed and there
might be something in the attitude o.
these societies to repel the aid of others
There were those who said that no one
stands up for temperance, unless he joins
the lodge; and he had been charged with
wanting back bone, because he did not be-
come Good Templar. Yet he had stood
up for temperance when it cost him faI
more than to pay his so cents and get q
password. The church is after all the
great Temperance organization. The speak.
er defended the ministry with spirit from
the charge of want of interest in the
cause. Take out of it the ministry and il
will drop where it cannot recover for q
generation.
AFTERNOON
The discussion on the 9TH and 9Th reso-
luton was continued by DR.. Jewett He
would not have any man join in close
organization who had any scruples on the
subject. But we must have organizations
into which to put the poor fellows who
are trying to reform, before they are fit to
be church members. These organic atoms
often proved stepping stones to the church.
He honorod the Christian pastors and
worked with them.
Rev. Mr.. Gushing considered religion
the basis of all true reformation. The
Good Templars were ready to work with
any and all other, in elevating men. There
was enough to do for all.
Mr.. Baker of St. Adams, said he was
not a minister or church member. He
could not but question the religion of
Christian churches which do nothing for
temperance year after year.
The 9Th and 9th resolutions were then
adopted, as was the Tth. Upon the 9Th,
Rev Mr.. Stone said that he was, as most
present knew, the Secretary of the State
Temperance Society, and was Just about
to enter on the work of collecting funds
Mr.. Atwater, when he was Secretary, col
lected $500 or 5000 year, for the Socie-
ty. Last year Mr.. Axtell collected $3.50
What he Mr.. Stone) could do remained
to be seen. The resolution looked like a
rettectlon upon HIM.
DIR. Jewett, and Mr.. Phillips of the COM
mittee on resolutions, explained that no
reflection was intended, and that the reso-
luton was designed to aid the State So
ciety. Rev. Mr.. Bailey of Newport, sup
posed the dollar membership fee was at
present feature of the Sta,e Society Mr..
Stone explained that it had been; but as
little came from it, and it operated to him
der attendance on the conventions, it was
repealed seven years ago. The 9Th reso-
luton was then adopted.
The 9th resolution was debated with
considerable spirit. Rev. Mr.. Mills of
Rutland, was in doubt what was the ex-
act position assigned to the pulpit. He
had been a laborer for temperance for 80
years; but of late had been told that such
moral effort was of 40 account. The cler-
gy were punched by public lecturers for
not crying aloud ON the subject and at
the same time are told by others that talk
is of no account, and that he who il not
fighting rumsellers with the weapon of
the law, is doing nothing. Mr.. Atwater
said that any minister who did not know
what his duty was in this matter, should
be informed by the passage of the resolu-
ton.
Mr.. Dean of Monktou, had been a drink
or, and knew that drunkenness was en-
couraged by men who belonged to the
Christian religion and who blessed the ci-
der (T-this was the word the speaker
was understood to use-with the bread
He wanted this resolution adopted.
Mr.. Copeland of Waterbury had yet to
learn that the Clergymen of Vermont
needed this implied censure. He did not
believe its adoption would aid the tenn
peranCe cause
A delegate, whose name was not an
nouuced, said that as a clergyman he did
not object to this resolution. He did not
regard it az censure, but If any needed
censure let it not he spared. He believed
in cooperation between clergy and laity.
Rev. G. f. Ferrin bad no fault to find
with any suggestion of duty. He had no
question es to bis own duty on this sub
iect. But the resolution seemed to him
out of the province of the convention. 1t
does not become us to say here what con-
siderations shall determine tho situation
of pastors by the churches.
Col. Mead was panied to hear any one
say this was outside of our province. He
knew of minister who had received sew
eral barrels of -four from rummies, with
the message that it was reward for mind
ing his own business. He knew of an
other minister who, by personal example,
encouraged drinking.
Mr.. Atwater called for vote without
further debate.
Mr.. Mills thought the convention could
not spend its time better than in settling
this question. The olergymen were knock
ed about from pillar to post. 1t was a
question whether clergymen could not
better influence public sentiment by pre-
cept and example, without also doing GER
tain other kinds of temperance work
which might be better done by other
classes.
Rev. G. G. Torrey considered the re-
solution as it stood an insult to the clergy.
For one he needed no such whip cracked
about his ears, and did not believe his
brothers did. The clergy as body did
not SHRINK from their duty on this subject,
and if there are exceptions they only prove
the rule. He moved an amendment sub
stituting request to the clergy to speak
on all proper occasions for temperance, in
place of the last clause of the resolution.
Mr.. Hoyt of Cabot, thought the clergy
were unnecessarily sensitive. He was in
dignant that the men who stood up to
tell him his duties should object to being
told theirs. The clergy dashed him for
his faults. and he proposed to lash back.
Rev. Mr.. Walker did not at first like
the original resolution, but he began to
like 1t. Ii the clergy are right it hits no
body. He feared there was location for
the rebuke. He preferred the resolution
as reported.
Rev. e. ii. Griffin of Burlington did
not complain that the resolution was too
strong. As an abrstract proposition it
was not strong enough. Ministers who
shrank from denouncing intemperance