Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-30
Temperance lecture.

Rev. P N. Granger, agent for the
State Temperance Society, delivered an
address on temperance in the Flown Hall
last night. The majority of the churches
suspended their regular evening services
to give their respective congregations an
opportunity to attend. i. >... il,
The hall was well filled with an audi
ence which listened to the speaker with
much attention. and evident profit.
Promptly at the time announced, Mr.
Haven announced the Rev. DR.. Porter,
who opened the meeting by prayer. Mr..
Granger was then introduced, and de-
livered an able address, showing a com.
plete acquaintance with his subject, and
an evident familiarity in the delivery of
temperance addresses. We give below
an abstract of the ...-.......
..s........ ADDRESS. ...:.'..s-- ,s-
1t is always pleasure to say word
in favor of temperance, and of total alb
stinence. But as become acquainted
with the Indifference of the people, as
regards temperance l become aware
of the great battle that is to be fought
against intemperance, I feel the less ca
pable Of wrestling. successfully with the
subject We want men, great men,
men who can move the masses to action.
| find that the masses are, in the main,
I,o+ta- YDI.0soj x,,1+I, e+cr,, fI,o+ ,rilg ops
ate laugh and please for the moment,
than they are with plain truths and sub
stantial arguments; so that there is great
difficulty in presenting this in q way to
satisfy the messes. Intemperance is. d
terrible evil, and is multiplying widows
and orphans, and filling our p0or-houses
and penitentiaries These facts are
known by everybody, and therefore
there is no chance for argument. There
is an Indifference in regard to this evil
prevailing in the world. and we are
quietly going to destruction with folded
hands. This Indifference is the most
lamentable and discouraging feature
presented to my mind. Every true man
and woman, young and old, should labor,
and labor most persistently until the
work of temperance reform is accomp-
lished. There is a difference of opinion
in regard to the course to be pursued to
accomplish this reform. Some favor
one, and some favor another course, but
there should be no difference among re-
formers, who have one object IN view.
We may have different notions, bat we
have the same object before us, and,
therefore, should harmonic; division is
our destruction. There are close and
open organizations among us. and some
have an idea that they are opposed
but they are not, they are working for
the same end. We all need to work, in
our own way, and push the work fron,
our different standpoints, but all to the
same great end. l cannot see why every
church should not lay aside every differ
ence of creed, and goforward in this work.
Some think that the minister should
leave the subject entirely alone, but they
are very wrong it is part of the Cos
pei, and cannot be separated. The men
who proclaimed this gospelin early times
were prophets, priests, apostles and men
of God. The minister who is recreant
to this trust cannot stand before the
throne at the great judgment day and
render satisfactory account. | would
not force the church out of this reform
because it does not do its proper work,
but would ask a'l-in the church and
QUITO work at driving back intemper-
ance. Differences of opinion nauSt be
laid aside, if we will succeed.
The speaker here compared the tenn
perance workers t. an army of artillery,
and cavalry, while in battle,
each supporting and aiding the other.
First one in front, then the other; each
working in different ways, but all
thriving for the same end-victory.
think there is a growing feeling,
continued the speaker, on this subject,
and | thank God for it it is one of the
hopeful signs.
Unless you Rutland people come up
to the work you will be left in the rear
Montpelier and Burlington, and other
towns, are pursuing the work vigorously.
1t is fact that the largest amount of
intemperance is among the young men.
The speaker here gave an incident that
occurred to himself in a town not far
from here In lecture, he advised the
young ladies to have nothing to do with
young men who drank Intoxicating
liquors. After the lecture, several
young ladies visited him, and asked him
if he was in earnest On his replying
in the affirmative, they said they would
be entirely debarred from the society of
the young men of the town, and to prove
their words, proceeded to count up, and
came to the conclusion, that of all the
young men in that town above eighteen
years Old, there were only seven who
did not use strong drink Startling,
lamentable fact The middle-aged and
old excuse the young men! ''Oh, they
are sowing their wild oats now, but
they will soon settle down and reform.
Others say, "Mine are all right; / can
not look after my neighbors. Gas We
sow, so shall We reap" If they are al
lowed to go on they will reap terrible
harvest of crime, suffering and death.
This is the history of sewing wild
oats" Il can't look after my neighbors''
is dangerous talk. The influence of
theirs may lead our own astray. Num-
bers of Christian parents who have
carefully educated their sons to
hate the sight of strong drink,
have nevertheless seen those sons fill