Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-22
For the Freeman.
To Those not With rs.

For the Freeman.
To Those not With rs.
At lecture. delivered more than two
years since in this village, DR.. Charles
Jewett said he was once urging a friend
to put forth efforts in the temperance
cause, and he replied, why, rum has
never touched me. When it has, it will
be time enough for me to work against it. -
Now the selishness of that answer is APP
parent to all. And is not the apathy, and
even determined opposition, of many in
this community to all aggressive temper
ance labor the result of such reasoning as
this?
| We certainly have those among us who
are to-day just as ready to deride each and
every appeal in the way of moral suasion.
as they have hitherto been to denounce all
legal suasion. Must they, as did the Doc
tors friend, see the heart of some loved
idol torn and lacerated with suffering. in
consequence of this demon drink, ore they
can be reused to'action-before they will
lift voice or raise hand against this UNI
holy and unlawful traffic?
There is no home so secure or beautiful
but it may be devastated by this mad
fiend. And will any have done their whole
duty towards their children, however de-
vOutly they may have counseled and
warned against the horrors of intemper-
ance within the sacred precincts of their
own household, if they refuse to do battle
outside-if they are unwilling to assist in
strangling this Goliah" in his strong
holds--if they remain oblivious to that
=" throng," whose regular potations ARE
taken beneath the roof they themselves
own, or under which they may be pursu-
ing legitimate business ?
1t is true that suffering is great inccn-
tive to sharp and decisive work. Would
American slavery ever have become a
thing of the past, if none but those feeling
its CALLING chains had counted it joy to
pray and promulgate, to do and die in be-
half of the oppressed? And black and
terrible as was the misery growing out OF
that evil, surely the Woes, which arise
| from this evil. spreading over our entire
land, are blacker and more terrible.
How can any thoughtful person turn Il
deaf ear to this loud call of God and hui
mainly? Must any father in this commu.
nifty wait until his own boy may be lured
into some place of temptation, and that
tyranncal appetite, (Which in his anguish
he can never understand why his God
should permit, is fast gaining the mastery
over him, before he shall make duty para
mount to either policy or prejudice,-and
enlisting in this war against the traffic,
storm those haunts wherein so many OF
Montpeler's noble sons have quaffed that
fatal first glass?
And the mothers-how can they fail ut
this time to 90 forward in this great Chris
tian work? Must any one of them first
see darling daughter the wife of some
sot, before she will in the " strength of the
Lord venture forth with weapons most
humane against this destroyer of all do
mestic happiness, beseeching these SER
wants of SO deadly 4 foe to serve the true
Master? And why will any mother,
daughter, sister or wife, stand unsympa-
thiIngly aloof, ridiculing the work and
reproducing the workers? Gather semi
weekly in the place where prayer is
wont to be made with those who for a
longer or shorter time have been arrayed
against this evil as it exists in our village,
ami yonr zedt will be greatly increased
Come of a Sunday evening. although
you may not always like the talk or talk
ers, to the Village Hall. where, for nearly
two years on this holy day, the fires OF
temperance have been kept burning, and
perchance, instead of the " fanaticisnl,
you may see the philanthropy of these
earnest workers. Many of them have
never felt this scourge, or seen its blight
and m;ldew pervadng their homes; vet
burdened by others sorrow. have beer
faithful to the cause they have pledged
themselves " directly and indirectly" tc
promote. There is strength in union, ane
if all, whether stirred by suffering or sym
patfy, will combine their efforts now
(and if need be for years. this great worl
of reform shall, God being its sure helper
ultimately triumph, driving from on
midst this old and monstrous evil. V.