Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-24
For the VERMONT FARHER.
INTEMPEBANcE VS.. DIsHoN-
ESTY.

To those who dwell so largely on the evils
of intemperance as being The evil Of all evils,
would like to ask this question; Which
is the worst, intemperance or dishonesty :
Which of the great evils has done and is do
ing the most to ruin our country aud our
people? Which has cursed us as nation
with the deepest, blacklist curse2 Which
has struck its venomOus iangs the furthest,
deepest, to the very core of the hearts Of
our people Which Of the two eUils has
most faithfully done its work, throwing gloom
and sadness over our country like leaden
pail Again say tohich? Think well!
you can find many temperate men but ichere,
yes WHERE can you find an honest mani
Intemperanos has entered our town offices,
our legislatures, our senate chambers, our
halls Of congress, even the presidential
chair dishonesty has done the same. In
temperance has worked its way into our
schools, our colleges, our churches, even to
our pulpits dishonesty has done the same.
Intemperance has made man to become
murderer, to tako the life OF fellow being,
aud come to an untimely end 4; dishonesty
has done the same. lntemperance is carrying
millions with it, into its vortex Of destruc-
tion dishonesty is doing the same. Dis
honesty has made, and is making, liars,
thieves, and robbers Of our intelligent men
that have held and are holding responsible
Offices, under our government. Dishonesty
has made man leave his friends, his home.
his all (but his ill-gotten gains) that he holds
dear, aud become an exile, an alien, in for
eign lands. Where is the man, elected to
high Office, that cannot be bought for few
paltry dollars2 Where is the man who
leaves his occupation, whatever il may be,
and by degrees ascends the ladder Of
fame, that ere he reaches the top-most round
cannot be bought Look at the government,
cab.2st, senators, Representatives, our head
men, men that hold the responsible Offices Of
our nation, and what are they? Not one
out Of ten are honest men. Look at our
lawyers, our physicians, our merchants, our
mechanics, our many manufacturers and our
farmers and what are they but, nearly all,
dishonest men2 If a rumseller was an hon.
est man, honest with his neighbor, honest
with himself, homes. with his own soul, hen.
est with his God, would he sell his brother
drink No; he would not dripk himself,
nor pass it to his neighbor. In the honest
writings of Pope he hath said, ian honest
man is the noblest work of Cod" but where,
o where can We fnd one that is truly
honest and upright in all his works, that
can be depended on at all times, one of whom
it can be said "ofa truth he is an honest
man." one that will not only preach but
practice, one that will do as well as say 7
If there are such to be found it is the whole
hearted, humble, working Christian, who,
following in the footsteps of his Master, is
ever ready to lend helping hand to the
needy. Such men our country needs ; such
men it must Lave if it would prosper. l
think it would be well to have "The Five
Knaves," poem written by John G.. SAKE,
printed and reprinted over the country.
Those who are 30 honest in tdlk may be, af-
ter all, like the thief in the poem, which
reads
Path said the thief, since no man here
As Wo have learned Is wholly clear
OfknAysh tricks, ask you whether
We should not all be hung tOgathori
II, as the thief said, all Of our dishonest
men were to be chung together" we think
there would be a great Importation Of hemp
Men and brethren, while you are ruu.
ming temperate man for office, add honesty
TO it, and with the noble efforts Of pure
true, earnest, Christian men, we shall yet be
come nation worthy to be revered aud loved
In our pulpits let US have men who have
not mistaken their vocation; teachers and
helpers in deed and in truth men WhC
would not force their own convictions on any
one, desiring simply to lead souls to God
not caring what they may afterwards de
nominate themselves, knowing that salvation
rests not in names, rituals or creeds, but ii
the broad, tender, helpful, all-embraoinl
Spirit of Christ, looking on the whole human
race as one sacred brotherhood and living
body, of which no single member can CLAIM
superiority over another. Lot us have sucl
men and God must and iOlI prosper us as I
people, JANE
Fairfaz, July 10,