Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-11-29
III. GOngh'S Lecture.


ton Course for the present winter was given
on Friday evening last by John b. Cough,
and was brilliant opening of this series Of
entertainments. Notwithstanding the Sc
verify Of the storm which prevailed nearly
al day, an audience of over eight hundred
assembled at an early hour in the lecture
room of Trinity Church, which, as the
largest audience room in the place, had been
secured for the occasion. The fame Of the
orator called in people from adjacent towns,
and we noticed representations from North
field, Berlin, Middesex, Waterbury, Barre,
PlarfeId, Marshfed and Cabot, with here
and there an individual from the = regions
beyond A cheerful philosophy kept the
audience good-natured during the long wait
ing for the appointed hour of quarter to
eight, at which time the appeara nee Of the
lecture vas greeted with enthusiastic ap-
plause
Mr.. Cough vas introduced by Hon. I. P
Redfed. President Of the Association, and
proceeded to discourse in his fnimitable and
happy style for two hours upon the subject
0f Temperance.
Remarking upon the triteHess of The theme,
ne vet felt assured that the intrinsic impor =
tsnce Of tie subject warranted calling public
l.-ention to It, aad enforcing the claims Of
ta-aI abstinence as the only reasonable and
sale course 10 lie.
But 70 the doctrine OF total abstinence OBJ
e.,iJn7 were being constantly raised, and
:lc-a cllIed for attention and answer The
lecturer held to the right Of every man t.
.a,ecr. ana regarded it the duty Of the ad-
q..ats d any measure to meet the objection
ra.-eI The first referred to was the Scrip-
cural objection. that the Bible pronounces
wine good ana sanctions its use, and the
Saviour made wine, and drank Of it hence
The a5.--.ne u tJtlI abstinence was unscrip-
turu Mr Cough declined to 20 into the
Srr-lrl atsumcnt for answer, but based
hl- be ud1r upon the Pauline doctrine of
-eI-lc1al ana abstinence from that which
isaw.ll. ,lr the sake Of weaker brother.
his r4,-az u the argument was terse and
elective. and NJ doubt more conclusive to
CHE popular mind than would have been a
m5-a a5Jrej reply. Yet We did not under
-tiuI Sim is admitting the force Of the OBJ
lection. a- assuming the iueficieney Of re-
I.v based upon an examination of the pas
saca~ i1 question. the argument from this
source has been of late most concIusiyely
rar 5y Rev Sir. Richie, Of Scotland, and
Dr. Parton Of New Haven and he would
prove himself either ignorant or impudent
za5 should deny its validity.
Tae position that total abstinence j. cow
arl..e. tile opposit c extreme to the weakness
Of unrestricted indulgence, and that tenn
rerancc in the sense OF moderation was the
only manly ground, as calculated to call out
the virtues Of self-denial self-control. and
S evoke stronger nature was discussed
with cIud9r, and IT, iailacy thoroughly ez-
posed Moderation was shown to be an i'm
3. s-ibility, as a general rule, some tempera-
mear- being susceptible to excitement under
stimulus which would not make Others
even 3. comfortable The delineaton 81
these different temperaments, particularly
tie Emphatic, was especially happy.
Then :. moderation determines use or
abuse bv effects rather than by causes, tn
gin winch makes one man drunk being ex-
cess. while the quart which another can
carry with steadness is regarded - moder
ate drinking" The folly Of such estimate
wac shown BY pointing out that one the
makes a man thief, one flsehoQi brand
him as a liar, but in order to be a drunkarG
he must be drunk two thirds Of the time
We cannot concur with Mr. Cough in hi
cen-ure of the churches, id this connection.
declaring that discipline was determined By
tie same stand+rI. and tla1 only when man
was So incorporate as to get actIlily iruaS.
was he likely to incur any penalty. We are
sure Mr. Cough would MT desi5nedIy make
an unfouudeI charge, and equally sure that
thi- charge Is swcepingly Incorrect.
The common remark, :. 0 I'm not SO weak
minded az to lie ruined By drink, = was dis
ra-.d Of by reference to the wrecks which
his. been made Of the gifted and noble, and |
Tie recital # thrilling incidents Of saddles,
f.Il- la tic part of mcl vi highest position. /
I'll. ministry not excepted The victims ar,
aat Usually the billiards, 5a- the bandiesC
vruar. III. wiltiest companion, tie mos
iaa. .udent, the most eloquent lawyer
Sal. l...a rs often any Others.
A.-l ~ the use of liquors incidentally
tae .u.or had no desire to pronounce az /
aF.ar. dough in the judgment Of his audi
cid. 3. did pronounce most decidedly, concur |
rr- e Judgment Of an eminent author |
T.. ..t when thus used the doses should b. /
4 .l- ike those Of opium, and the effect. |
watched with equal care. But howeye |
diverse medical opinion may be, but one ear |
BE- enter tanned concerning the quac-s whose |
yiia.n.u- compounds under the guise Ct |
>enuaple and Bitters are dragging the pub !
-ie Z nscicnce. and to them Mr. Cough ad |
mini--cred deserved castigatlon. Many |
Practitioners reminded him Of that charlatan |
whose bottle Of all sorts played 50 i'm |
p5rt.nt part 10 bis practice, they dispense |
tae liquor = freely, and with quite as rzuch |
discrimination.
Tie beneficial effects of abstinence in hi |
own ease were referred 10, when most |
eloquent apostr5 pho to water WAS pronounced, J
the lecturer holding the while a goblet |
water 10 hi- hand The recital lacked the
fire and .as,ion with which we imagine Pau
Denton, the Texas preacher, invested 1t.
Rhenit fell like an inspiration from bis liPs
ID due presence 1T the hungry crowd who
sought preJex. Of violence, and quailed be-
fore his flashing eve and impassioned utter
ance Following this, was graphic por-
tfayal Of the ultimate triumph of this, as OF
every other reform, when the kingdom Of
righteousness shall prevail, and every form