Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-03-26
VERMONT
Temperance Meeting


in an easy, Methodist style so every ono feels
ut liberty Ito tell his experience what be
thinks and what he feels, on this blessed theme.
Our meeting last Sunday evening was one Of
unusual interest. '- %
" Father Brown" presided, and after prayer,
spoke briefly, summing up the cost Of intern
perance to its victim---not financially, but men
tally, morally and physically It costs health,
mental and physical, to which moral Irregular.
ties are consequent. lie gives all that his life
is worth living for and his hope Of eternal sal
vation The happiness and hopes Of his wife
and children are all sacrificed on the altar Of
his appetite, his home made desolate, and be
an outcast. And the cost to community,
Church and State. arc incstimable. What can
be done? The ladies' have come to the rescue.
They have used most faithfully the means in
their power--prayer, pledges and appeals. and
have brought matters 10 the present crisis and
now it becomes US as men 10 no longer stand
idly by, but each man to step into his place IN
this battle for the right, and WELD the weapon
fitted to his hand---the law. And With our
mon Toe, the struggle must end In victory.
Mr.. William A. Lord followed, and ina very
earnest manner showed the difference in cost
Of being temperate and incorporate man.
The cost Of being consistent temperance man
was in the effort every man must make to do
the work Of a man against the vice-in' emper-
ance. Every man has his work to do, and
should feel bis responsibility and the necessity
for action as much as though he were a whole
board Of civil authority. lie appealed to the
young men, asking them how they were TT
ting themselves for the places Of public trust
that time would bring upon them eGhorting
them To be true to themselves now, and 50
prove themselves worthy Of future trust.
We then had tie great pleasure Of listening
10 Mrs. Foster, lady most active in good
works, and from no one could statement Of
the present situation Of temperance matters
more appropriately come Mrs. Foster said
that from the beginning these meetings had
been free to all although she well knew what
part Of the community was meant by "all. -
She would venture to take advantage OF that
liberty, and say few words in regard to what
rhe considered to be the position now held by
! tine Ladies Association. She should speak OF
the Association, not for it, herself alone being
responsible She though. it standing between
two fires, that of fulsome aattery on the one
side--on the other fretful fault-iinding Far
from being Indifferent to the good opinion Of
temperance men, she still thought their com
mendations often overdone The work Of the
the ladies had been described as gentle as the dew
Of evening, and also as being next N potent
They had been told tina, their wishes were law,
that none would refuse to obey their commands.
This to Mrs. Foster seemed very far from the
facts in the case. From the other side the ladies
had been told they were responsible for the
Z fact that the rumseller and rumdTnker were
not outcasts from respectable society. This
deed it could be considered substantially true,
But how can women be held responsible for this
social laxity, when men often give to both class
Is honorable preierment at the polls2 Habits
Of iniemperanee ere no barrier to the bar OF
bench. In the impsnneling Of juries it was
uOt tuoNBut hiAsaie 70 uePthu un the opluhns
Of men Sbo made habtual use Of intoxicating
liquors. She had been told, but she hoped
falsely, that in their long confinement when not
agreeing, they were allowed the diversions oil
games, and not only that bat also to rcfrest
themselves with alcoholic stimulants Yer,
mont in more than one instance had sent mer
To Congress to participate in our nationa
counsels who were not able to keep themselyc,
from inebriation. The ladies were often asked
what they had done, what they were doing anC
what they were going to do in the direction o
enforcing the law. They had been told the,
had no votes to lose, no Office to gain no rent
ais to guard. This was no new lesson. bu
another lesson Mrs. Foster thought many 20
men we're being forced to learn that they car
not wholly depend on votes until they fall IRON
their own fingers.
position of Office, without financial income-io
! nv far the rreater punhsr Of rnarrfed xxnu,e,