Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-02-05
For the Waterman.
Temperance Reform.

Messrs Editorsi In the ladies afternoon
temperance meeting lately, an incident was re-
lated which shows how to do successful tenn
perance work.
A lady in this village interested herself in,
and made every possible effort to save young
man, who was addicted to drinking, -one Of
the saddest and lowest specimens of the class
She invited him to her house from time
to time, loaned him her croquet set and ground
for himself and companions to nmuse them
selves during the hours of leisure, when
very likely if they had not been there
they would have been at the drinking saloon
and in very many other ways, by wordand act,
had helped and encouraged him; and for
year or more ho has been sober man, and
worker among his class in the present temper
ance reform.
All honor to the noble lady that is willing
to do Christ's work 10 Christ-like way. This
is heart fower brought into action. 1t is dis
interested love that never fails of reward. There
was no craving notoriety; no attempting an
impossible work by impossible means no long
speeches no query as to how the work should
DO done; what forces employed who i, best
capable Of doing this, that, and the other part
Of it and thus wasting time. money and
thought, while those for whom the effort is
made are suffering and dying still.
Let fifty or hundred of those who are 50
anxious to be temperance reformers, choose
each their man from the first, second, or third
class drinkers, and work for their individual
reform, as this woman has done, and we shall
not wait year to see the grandest results fol-
low and rs this method is adopted by the
many or few, in that proportion will intemper-
! ance disappear.
But this method Of procedure is distasteful
We are afraid of soiling our garments or repu
tation by too close contact with Goa rseness anC
sin. We are afraid our genteel friend A, OIL
aristocratic neghbor b., will sneer at our rea
' phianthrophy If we ever do anything fo
God aud humanity, we must be willing to TAX
humble places and do humble work. w,
must take of our gloves and give q heart,
hand-grasp to these abject slaves of appetite
and sin.
But this method is too slow. We are i'm
patient Of delay. We want to move faster
' Well, we have tried to push the enterprise b.
u firing pop-guns at the enemy, who thus far 1
y neither hurt nor scared.
e Let us try Gods way Of working, lie ueye
compels men, lie loves them into obedience
n Love is the greatest power for good ia th
!. world. 1t is the basis and grandest element {
= all reforms. When We entreat men to be good
II the plea that prevails is, :" for your sake, an
N when we have learned to love our iellow-mer
rs not always for what they are, but for wis
no they may be, we have force in our grasp thu
will sway them at will,
Some one said, the loudest cannon might
" cred on England's shore, and no one woul
at hear it here, but little song arose from
ge poets heart and all America heard il. 1t can
from the heart it touched other hearts.
We may have all the sound and show of worl
IT. and our fame may reach the iarthest corner
Ia our little State, and beyond, but just as long
ed the people do not put their hearts in it, so lor
he il will be surface work-an agitation that W
A.. send the waves in the right direction, but not
~ ing that will stir to its depths this seethiI
US pool Of vice and shame, and remoye it from o.
- midst.
Jly I I \