Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-10-30

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Rev. Prof. Mex. Petty.
Mr.. Huntington in introducing the frs
speaker, Capt. Ii. o. Wheeler. said that i
was as impossible to suit every one, in thi
matter, as it was for the man in the fabl,
who went to market with his son and hi
ass. So they should 60 along, trying to d.
as nearly right as they could. and sowing
! seed beside all waters
CAPT. wHEELER's ADDRESS.
| Ny. Wheeler said that if any ask what
more can be said on this subject? we may
also ask what more can be done? As long
as any good remains unaccomplished, and
anV person whose influence is not cast in
favor of temperance, so long We must agi.
! tate the subject. Ii is one which comes
near to every household. There are thost
in this city fitted by nature for distinction
and usefulness, whose characters and lives
are worth saving, and to save whom nc
effort is too great For effective effort we
need the power of conviction. Simple
assent amounts TO little. Never before has
the temperance reform occupied such high
ground. Many who used 20 be doubtful
are now strong, and the strong are stronger
than ever. Prayer for the cause is more
frequent Temperance Is now part of the
creed, and it Is impossible that the cause
shall ever fall back to its former stationary
position. The work Is not 50 much for this
generation as for the next. IL is not 50
important that saloons be closed now, as
that there shall be no occasion to open
them hereafter. The subject involves the
question of absolute right and wrong. Such
considerations ought to affect the class who
make saloons and drinking habits respecta-
be There is still such a class in the com
munity. There are men among us whose
parlorS are, in fact, drinking saloons and
their tables counters, though lacking the
coarse surroundings of the saloon. There
arc among Us wrecks Of men, stranded on
their own hearth stones Sell-protectIon in
this matter is not enough We are our
brothers keepers.
\ year ago man fell a corpse, in this
city, by blow from brothers hand. The
weapon used was knife, and men called it
murder. \ week ago a man lay dead upon
the railroad track. killed by bottle. and
1t Is called an accident Buchanan sleeps
in 4 ielon : cell; bat what of the murderer
of Robert Nash Has any punishment
been Inflicted On him? Which i the
most dangerous criminal - the man
who in sudden passion draws a knife,
or he who deliberately puts the cup 10 his
brother lips?
There should be no clashing of common
interests in this work There should be
union IN the object, though there must be
diversity in the means used. The work IS
large enough for all Not moral suasiOn
alone, or law alone can accomplish the end
The speaker, in abiding TO associated eff
fort, spoke OF the success of the Good lem
plars' organization. We should bid all
who viii work with u-, Godspeed Let the
Law receive itsdue. Having for its primary
object the good order OF society, it seconda-
riiy Is "A valuable agent in temperance re
form. No one claims that our law i per-
iec:, Dut the great mass of temperance
people believe in such a law, and the ten
dency of temperance legislation everywhere
Is towards such a law. No man Is a good
as his idea. 1t We object to the pr0hibitory
law because it l. in advance of public
opinion. what shall We say of the moral
law Do We object to the Decal0gue be
cause il Is too good a law ? Let each Of
the three great agencies-morai suasl0n,
law and prayer-do its share. and the final
triumph Is sure - Since Right Is Right.
and God is God, the Right is sure to win. "
Capt Wheeler's address wasan excellent
one. presenting familiar view, in fresh and
interesting aspects, and commanding the
close attention Of all his hearers.
The next speaker was Rev }. Z. Wright.
Of the Church Of the Messiah, Montpelier
Rev. Mr.. WEIGHTS ADDRESS.
Ia opening, Mr.. Wright expressed his
qualification at such evidence Of interest in
tao cause of temperance rs was presented In
this crowded and intelligent assemblage.
Abiding 10 remark of Mr.. Huntington
in introducing him. TO the effect that We
had heard of great things done in ten
perlnce work in Montpelier. Mr.. Wright
said that the only great thing there had
been was the maintenance FOR over two years
Of very steady and earnest pressure, in
public and private. for the promotion OF
temperance. The work there had shown the
persistence which l. the earnest of victory
THIS l. not the work of a day or year.
lie had thought it was an error 10 divide
men in this matter into tempters and
tempted, holding up the rumsellers a. the
malicious and cOyetous tempters, and their
customers as the dcludcd unfortunate tempt
ed. We NAV pity the wretched drunk
ard, in whom the appetite has become an
uncomfortable desire. But why should
those who sell be les pitied than those who
with minds strong and faculties unlmpaired,
call on them for drink These moderate
drinkers. not yet beSotted not bounded on
by lnt0lerable thirst, must face the truth.
The moderate drinker voluntarily adds one
to the class from which drunkards are 10
proceed, lie adds one to the chances that
the next crop Of drunkards will be up 10 the
previous average. The drunkard- OF to-day
were the respectable and moderate drinkers
of ten years ago. and the sots Of ten years
hence will be the moderate drinkers who
to-day know they shall never drink to ex-
cess.
The moderate drinker also encourages
those VINO deem Themselves to be moderate
drinkers, when they are not. They are the
stumbling blocks over which then weaker
brothers fall It is not the miserable
drunkard whose example leads others to
exces-. but the man who can control him
-elf-who can drink and maintain his equi-
librium. The moderate drinker who would
throw his influence On the general side of
temperance, subtracts from his influence
over weaker men. lie cannot warn the
lruukard. Men will not accept advice
OF admonition from those who do not
upon the railroad track before a coming
engine, whispers in the ear OF deal man
a warning TO leave the track. At best the
position OF the occasional drinker must
be one of neutrality. like that OF Ken
lucky in the war. Yet he Is not neutral.
lie supports the rumsoller. lie Is the
tempter of the rumseler, who i upheld by
him in his business. and who points IN jas
tifcation of himself to his respectable Gus
toners
As an example of the danger in which such
men aye, who, with clear intellect, and re
lying on their strength of will, indulge IN
drink, Mr.. Wright instanced the case OF
poor Dick Yates o. Illinois.
But some tell US that Gods plan Is not
to relieve men from temptation, and that
/ for a strong man to pledge himself to totaI
abstinence IS like entangling stout swim
mer with life preserver. But climbing
/ over our PROSTATE iellOwmen is not develop
inent. No man liyeth 10 himself. We
shall not lack opportunities for self
| control, though We guard against
| this temptation, and the strong swim
mer should wear tine life preserver, because
/ other are with him whom he may save by
/ it, aid. So let all practice total abstinence
/ lie who takes this position will never be 3
] urunkdTu ne Will not tOunIeudnce uTluh
ing customs; ne will not be misunderstood
in time when every man should pronounce
for God or Baal. The Pope, the other day
sent his bcnedction to q body of men il
this country who had pledged themselves tt
total abstinence. and a Higher than IN
Pope gives Lis divine benedictiOn to those
who, Tor love Of their fellowmen, deny them
selves oycn the least indulgence.
Mr. Wright spoke with great carnestness
and effect saying many good things whicl
our space does not permit US II report
Gustavas Austin, Ed, was next invite
by Mr.. Huntington to say something O
what he had lately seen of the Temperance
movement in the west. Mr.. Austin re
pouded briefly. saying that he ha
travelled some SIX thousand miles since h
last attended temperance meeting i
Burlington. lie had been IN tn
places where liquor Is sold at whole
sale and at retail in the West, and b