Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-05-21
Sunday Evening Temperance Meeting

Sunday brought us beautiful evening, a
large audience and two or three pew speakers.
Mr.. Waterman, the chairman, called upon Mr.
Butter6eld 10 open the meeting with prayer,
alter which we were addressed briefly BY hessrs.
Camp, Chase, Jones, Lord, Robinson, Lull,
and the Revs. Parker and Spencer. ID.
Mr.. u. B. Camp said he was not accustomed
to public speaking, but was 10 much ia earnest
in temperance that he was willing to do any
thing he could, even to attempt speaking when
asked lie thought our hope vas In our young
men. II 80, how necessary that they should
be aroused to a sense Of the danger Of playing
with the tcmpter. for all the drunkards that
are, or ever have been, once though themselves
strong and masters OF the situation, but the
result proved them weak and ahlect slaves Of
their appetites. Mr.. c cited instances that
had come within his own observation, and
showed that young man is wise, only when he
takes all these facts into consideration, and
strong, only when he uses all his God given
powers to strengthen and perfect himself into
being worthy the blessing and sppellation
his Maker gave him Man
Mr.. Noah Robinson, Of Waterbury, said he
had been temperance man for fifty years
mentioned the great change on the subject Of
temperance in that time. lie thought there
was class Of persons that had as much to do
with the success Of this cause a, young men
the young ladies' If they would turn cold
shoulder to those young men who were not
sound on this question, he thought it would
have great and good influence
The Rev. Mr.. Parker, Of Bethel, said twenty.
five or thirty years ago it was unpopular not to
drink now it was unpopular to drink Then
the tide was towards intempersnce now il was
IN the contrary direction, and those that persist
in going the downward course, do it with a
full knowledge Of dangers ahead That there
are many who enter this course. there is abund-
ant proof, and that we have a great field Of
labor before US.
Judge Chase thought our temperance men
and women bad reason to rejoice that we had
accomplished 20 much, although to many the
time had seemed long. We must settle down
to the plan OF making it life work 1t has
been eighteen hundred years since the Chris.
tian Gospel was promulgated, and yet how
many thousands are making 1t the busine,s Of
their lives to teach, by precept and example,
those same blessed truths. How can we ex-
pest to finish this work, which is a branch Of
the true Gospel, in a few weeks or months ?
Our work has been compared to battle, but
neg, he thought would be better compari.
hell .fn - s.t
greater than that Of American slavery It is
the most degrading slavery, for man voluntarily
places himself in letters that strengthen with
time, gnaw into his vitality, and poison all
his being. If we could break the bonds of this
slavery, what rejoicing would there be all over
our land The question with US is-what
can we do to advance the cause which has for
its object the liberation Of so many thousands
Of our fellow beings from such slavery? Any
thing that looks to the suppression Of the man
uhcture and sale Of intoxicating drinks, OF to
the amelioration Of the condition Of those who
are sufferers from the same.
The Rev. Mr.. Spencer said he had been
called a radical temperance mamie hoped he
was. II to hate intoxicating liquors, in
large or small quantities, and all degrees
Of intemperance, with all the powers of his be-
ing, would entitle one to that name, he thought
he deserved il. He believed, with Judge Chase
that siege was necessary in the warfare with
intempernnce, but in order toresult in success
we should find it necessary to cut of supple.
and while be would deplore the necessity
yet we should find this could not be done with
out severe contest. II is on this ground
that the battle is to be fought. Mr.. Spencer
said the evil we were contendng with was worse
than the slavery our country had lately freed
herself from. The black slave had even de
sire to be free il was the will of the master
thatwas his bond, and when government thrust
that aside, the slave bur.tin,o free man Tn,
incorporate is bound by double bond. Tn,
love Of gain in the rumseller is one bond, Will,
the appetite Of the victim supplies the other
Alas, in this bondage there is the triiling slav,
he is in love with his own shame We need
to use all the means in our power, use al
the wisdom and patience Of which the wises
and most persisiens are masters.
MI l.. W Jones Wlsleu that the pledge
book be not forgotten, but that some means b
divsed that would result in adding numbers t.
our ranks. The law was being enforced IL
some cases, but that was no reason for not using
all other means possible.
Mr.. W. A. Lord said be had Just read il
the New York World Of the census of the H.
quor shops that had been recently take, il
that city. There were eight thousand foui
hundred and three-syeraging one shop to eaci
one hundred inhabitants, including women and
children. In another column of the same pa
per were notices Of arrests-ore for murder
two for grave assaults, all committed under the
influence Of liquor and yet the same papei
dpyotes almost column in attempting to show
all law wrong which looked towards the re
moyal of this greatest source Of crime.
Mr.. Lull says" have been thinking
while others were talking, of my own impa
thence in this work we have undertaken,
felt at the beginning Of this movement thai
every temperance man and woman ought to run
up and down our streets, crying to the rum
sellers, Repent ye. repent ye, for the King
dom Of Heaven is at hand. As looked upor
the marble statue Of Ethan Allen, as he sand.
there 10 our Capitol, with arm upliited, look
ing out upon our village, imagined him
speaking in thunder tones Rumsellers 81
Montpelier in The name Of The Great Jshorah
and the Continental Congress, I demand you,
surrender = Mr.. Lull concluded that hi,
zeal was without knowledge, and that the way
the movement had been conducted was about
the right way. When men praised him as a
temperance man, be thanked God and took
courage when they sntered at him, he thank.
ed God and took courage. He would like to
cugrave, and have it carried on the wings OF
the wind to every corner Of the earth--Henr,
c. LuH, aiemperd nee man forever
~.