Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-15
And ID, stop The sale Of gin and .Oddy,

This doggerel was set to music, and sung
in the streets with uproarious laughter and
cheers. Sister Bradshaw could not step
from the door without lmeeting insult and
abuse.
The temperance meeting was to he held
on Wednesday. All lthai day Sister Brad
shaw's lodge was In session drilling the
members for the OCCASION When the speak
ers for the occasion had arrived, they were
taken into the lodge and all the arrange
oments completed. Sister Bradshaw had
heard intimations that Elder Apathy would
not intend tho meeting. She resolved to
forestall that determination.
Two dnys before the meeting tragic af-
fair occurred In Harrison. that filed the
minds of It's people with horror. One of the
lweathiest citizens, in drunken fit. fell from
his wagon and broke his neck. When he
fell out the horse took fright and ran. throw
ing the daughter, young lady, from the car
riage, leaving her mangled and crippled for
lie. All admitted that Il never would have
happened If the father had not been intoxi-
Gated. The very next day another horror
took place. A drunken father, in fit Of de-
lirium, struck his little girl repeatedly. and
would have killed her II she had not been
rescued by the neighbors. As II was the
child lay insensible for hours. This, too. was
admitted to be the fruit Of rum.
Tive such horrors, taking place in so short
n time from the use Of strong drink, were
enough to startlc any community out of its
lethargy, and pave the way for successful
temperance meeting.
When the time arrived Sister Bradshaw
Imcd IL procession. The members Of the
lodge, nearly forty in number, were all pres
nnt, clothed in regalia. Then, headed by
the speakers for the occasion. tho procession
marched directly to Elder Apathy's door.
Sister Bradshaw called him out, and intro
iuced HIM to the distinguished lecturer and
the two clergymen Then she told him they
had come to escort him to the temperance
meeting.
tlore was a style NJ mo-. suasion that Elder
Apathy had neither forseen nor dreamed Of
Reluctant us he was to attend, he dared not
refuse In the face of such I'm array of moral
power So he took the lecturers arm and
the procession marched To the hall. which
they found filed to its capacity.
Arrived ut the hall Brother Apathy WAS
going to take his seat among the audience.
Sister Bradshaw resorted to moral suasion
again. She resolutoly took his arm, led him
to the platform, and seated him among the
speakers When the time come to opeu the
meeting, Sister Bradshaw called upon Elder
Apathy to open il with prayer. To the AS
constituent of everybody he declined. saying
that it might seem TO sanction secret socie-
ties, and he did not wish to be mixed up with
secret societies in any manner. Then Sister
Bradshaw like true Christian hero rs she
was. knelt right down before the audience
and opened the meeting herself. Sister
Bradshaw knew how to pray and what to
prty for. The house was hushed to perfect
stiffness while they listened to the outpour-
ing of the Holy Spirit that reigned within her.
If there were any riotous spirits in the audi-
cnce, they dared not show themselves after
listening TO such u prayer.
At the close of the prayer, Sister Bradshaw
made few remarks, stating the object of
the meeting; she said that it needed no ar
gument to show that all the means hereto
lore taken to suppress intempcrance in Har-
rison, had failed. They had got temper
anco society. yet intemperanoe. There was
- church in Harrison, hut the church had
not accomplished the work Even some of
its members had gone down to destruction.
The horrors of the last three days had
shown how urgent the need was of doing
something, and the object Of this meeting
WAS to see what could be done to arrest tho
evil. Its only object was to arrest the evils
Of intemperanoe in their midst. and she ex-
pressed the hope that all had come there
ready To lend II hand in the good cause.
The two clergymen followed Sister Brad
shaw. They were both able mon, aud their
brief remarks produced marked effect.
Then came the reformed druukard He
was powerful speaker. He had deep pen
etraton. and great powers of description,
coupled with the greatest earnestness. The
why he laid bare the springs of selfishness,
unveiled the deceit and delusion surrounding
them, made the audience absolutely tremble
He utterly coniounded the sophistry of the
legion of do nOthings that exist in society
He made short work and awful havoc col
tile temperance principles Of such men rs
Elder Apathy.
He described clnss of spiritual shepherds
| who sit contentedly in their folds expecting
the lost sheep 10 come home to be found
| He showed up their Inconsistencies in such q
light that Elder Apathy very soon became
greatly ashamed Of his whole course in re-
gard to the temperance cause. Then the
speaker described II class of PharIsees who
were too pure and holy to pray. for wicked
| people, too afraid OF contamination to pray
in the presence of sinners. He said sucl
pastors had no business on earth. The,
ought to emigrate TO some place where they
would be safe from pollution. His words
were received with such applause. that I
cut Elder Apathy to the heart. Oh, how h,
wished then, that he had prayed Mt thu
opening of the meeting.
After recalling the tragedies that has
taken place in Harrison so recently, he wen
on and told the story OF his own downfall
from the first glass Of sweet cider, down Il
the time when in the fury of delirium, HI
|
into the winter night whore they perishe'
from cold aud starvation.
Then he described IN the most touching
tones how they were buried from the poor
house while he was still IL ruvIng maniac
How, when he had recovered from his fren
~, and learned Of the double murder h,
liad committed, he wens back to his cup
more desperately than ever, determined L
destroy his life ms quickly us possible.
Finally he told how the Good Templar
found him, maniac just kicked from
den of infamy; how they took him hom
and locked him up, and when he hecam
sober, Initiated him into the lodge; hov
they stood by him, year after year. AM
finally made II man and Christian of him
Then no sat down.