Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-15


popular speakers of the day, set herself per-
fectly at ease with her audience in announc-
ing her object.
MRS. WILKINS ADDRESS.
This, she said, was to excite deeper in
terest upon the subject of temperance, and
to arouse to greater activity those who have
given 1t but little thought-those who see
no breakers ahead-who hear no whisper
ngs in the air and fear no danger from the
low mutterings of outraged humanity--no
frantic cry from the lunatic asylum
no curse in the name of JUS
tice from the criminals cell-no voice
OF prayer from the orphans lips, or pitless
moan OF starving wife and child-and from
the throne above no tone of retributive JUS
tice. In response to the inquiry - what do
women know about the liquor traffic p her
response was. if there is any one thing they
understand better than another, it is the
effect produced by the use of intoxicating
drinks on the human system, and still more
they know how keenly the evils arising
| from its use affect the human heart And
then, from well-chosen illustrations. she
proceeded to impress upon her hearers the
| fact that when one member suffers from the
use of intoxicating drink, or otherwise, the
| entire race Is more or less affected and
that the power which elevates or reforms
| one human soul, elevates the entire race in
| a corresponding ratio, and vice versa.
| W hlle our legislatures are devOting their
attention to the prevention of the manhtac-
| ture OF spurious butter or to the prohibit
ing any person from employing female to
| operate the treadle upon any sewing me-
chine. out of consideration for woman's
health, there could be no great force to the
assertion of the magnates of the land that
We have no right to legislate upon what a
man shall eat or drink. Many things used
for experiment, by the chemist, are not
allowed a place on an apOthecary's shelf,
and many things used as medicines in great
emergencies are prohibited from sale except
upon physicians prescriptions 80 let alcn-
hol, it it must be used, have its place in the
same secluded closet, and let the law and
pubic sentiment control its sale and use, the
same a. 1t does other dangerous compounds:
otherwise It's possession and use are not
commensurate with its cost. And who can
estimate its COST Let the mother answer,
who, with fearful fOrebodings. watches her
first born son from his cradle to his grave.
lest by some accident or some trap set on
purpose he may look upon the wine when
II Is red or when she follows her beloved
son to a convict cell. Let the father who re-
celyes the last remains OF a beloved son, nob.y
born and literally educated, from the hang
mans hands. estimate the benefit conferred
upon society by the use and sale of intoxi-
eating liquor. There appear to be no con-
scientlous scruples about taking a man.
life after he has committed murder. but to
prevent it. commission by prOhib biting the
sale Of intoxicating liquor, the legislator
will find any number OF loopholes through
which to escape responsibility. y ever
can We estimate the fearful cost to our
country OF the liquor trade, until We can
measure the unutterable grief and sorrow
IN the hearts OF thousands of devoted wives
and mothers and not until We can fix a
valuation upon the grandest, noblest work
of the lnfinite-the human mind. Ii was
fearful cost to protect human slavery in its
limited territory; but the liquor traffic
exposes 10 slavery a ich0ic race of finely
moulded organizations, and exquisitely
sensitive nervous force--a race OF intelli-
gent, reasoning. thinking beings, capable
OF graphing with the hidden forces OF
nature and turning them TO man : advant-
age. All along the stream of lite, millions
OF young men, some OF them mere boys, the
choicest buds Of promise, are going down
irighttul abyss, bringing poverty and
sorrow upon themselves and families, and
We should rouse ourselves 70 see the
danger and prevent it. N0twithstand-
ing the millions Of mOney-the
strongest power in the world, except appe-
tite,-that Is arrayed against Us, even weak
woman can, by the help OF God, do much TO
stop the evils Of the traffic and use of intox-
icating liquors If we could see the un-
written volumes that mi ght be recorded. of
heart-histories of the wives, sons and
| daughters of these ioeaiihy liquor merchants
even, we should not envy them their costly
equipages, their noddng pTumes,- the
price OF poor inebriates' souls their fash
ing diamonds, washed by human tears. How
Will the tables be changed as the magnif-
cent cortege passes up the broad aisles OF
Paradise, where the scales of Justice will be
evenly poised. The guage by which God
tests the worth and capacity OF human souls.
Is not made by tastldIOus society. custom
or fashion He does not ask, were we born
in a cabin or palace? but did We do to 9TH
ers as We would that they should do unto
US? did We remove the temptations in their
way, or did We place them in their way?
W hen We better understand the true object
| of existence, better comprehend God and
| Ills laws more fully realize that,ll work Is
our work-the elevation of mankind-that
| His highest happiness consists in the happi-
ness of all His children, and that conse-
/ quently our happiness depends upon our
recognition OF the same laws, and obedience
to them, through which He labors and by
which He IS governed, We shall no longer,
for selfish ends, attempt to cramp and letter
each other physically. socially or mentally.
Mrs. W ilklns then congratulated the peo-
/ pie of Montpelier that they had taken 50
| bold stand on the temperance question:
and proclaimed their determination ever to
be first and foremost in the cause of eternal
/ truth and right, and took her seat amid
the applause OF grateful audience.
Mrs. wilkins address was finely written,
and, considering the very few times she had
appeared before public audiences, was well
delivered 1t was at some points eloquent,
and throughout the whole of it pathetic and
telling and the more so from the fact that
a lady of her position in society-a lady of
wealth, education and culture-had so far
broken through the restraints of custom as
to lift up her voice for the elevation of the
human race from the bondage of vice and
intemperance. Such addresses can not fail
to excite deeper interest, and arouse a
greater activity, on the subject of temper
|
heartily responded to by nearly all present.
DIAGNOSES IN BETHANY CHURCH.
At the regular Thursday evening prayer
meeting at Bethany Church Chapel, one
week ago last Thursday evening, Rev. DR..
Lord proposed to his church the propriety
of the election of four women on the advi
/ sorry committee of the church - usually
| called deaconesscs. and so called by DR..
Lord when making the proposition. Last
Thursday evening the church voted to elect
deaconesses in accordance with the suggcs-
ton of their pastor, and the election is to
take place Thursday evening OF this week.
This is but another recognition of woman's
power and influence in all Christian and
philanthropc enterprises.
Among the items in the appropriation
hi u for rivers and harbors, are So 900 for