Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-11-12
Boys and Girls Temperance Meeting.

City Hail, Tuesday p m. under the auspice:
OF the Women's Temperance Union, wa,
very largely attended by the boys and
girls, with sprinkling of children of an
older growth. The boys and girls were
quite as orderly as could be expected, and
as in the case of the similar gathering some
months since, showed great interest in the
object of the meeting. Shortly alter seven
! o'clock, the audience was called to order by
Mrs S. c. Cole. President Of the Women 5
by the Rev. NJ. A. Wilcox. \ musical Sc
lection was then rendered by the chOlr-a
| quartette under the leadership of Mr.. Phil
lips, Ii. II. Scribner, organis.-after which
the first speaker, Henry Ballard, Esq was
introduced to the audience.
Mr. BALLARD's REMARKS.
Though this meeting is more especially
intended for the boys and girls, am glad
to sec some children of larger growth
here also. and it may be proper for me to
| speak a word to them first. | remember
years ago when was in college. in con-
yersation with me in regard TO a certain
rule, President Pease said That rule is in
tended for the good Of tho boys; we rust
/ take care of the boys" And we. too. must
take care ofthe boys, and when they are men
they will take care of themselves. In this
matter We cannot begin too early with the
boys and girls. There is not a gray-haired
man in the audience whose memory cannot
! 90 back to his boyhood : days and recall
I some words of advice or warning or counsel
/ then impressed on his plastic mind, to bear
! their fruit in future years. Even in the
cradle the child j. learning that which will
mould the character of the grown-up man.
| True it is that the hand that rocks the
/ cradle rules the world.
1t is our duty to take care of the boys.
Teach them right and wrong, and educate
/ them to love the right and shun the wrong
| If every mother in the land knew her duty
and discharged it, the world would soon be
/ rid of the monster intemperance. II every
| father set good example, intempeTance
/ would soon be banished from the land.
Boys and girls. you all know that drink
/ ing strong drink will make you drunk You
] have seen drunken men. Sometimes you
! laughed at them sometimes you pitied them,
sometimes you were afraid Of them-and
/ drunken man Is indeed pitiable, terrible
/ object Come with me to the State : prison
at Windsor. There you will see two hun
/ bred strong men shut up at night in mar
row, gloomy cells and working in silence
| throughout the drearY day, month after
month, year after year. Talk with one Of
them men. lie committed some grave crime.
Bat he Will tel you that the crime for
which he was sent to prison was rot the
J first step in the downward career. Nine
out of ten began by learning the habit Of
drinking intoxicating liquor brought
them there You cannot be too early in
making up Your mind to avoid strong
drink. la a few years You will take
the place Of the men of the pres
ent generation. 70 succeed in business,
to grow up strong, healthy, active men you
must shun intoxicating liquors. Is tenn
perance right ? II it Is, do ~ the ladies
wish YOU. tonight Sign the pledge. form
a temperance army. You will never regret
it, | assure you. Ii viii detract nothing from
your happiness-lt i to make your life
happy that you have been asked TO come
hcse tonight. Again promise you that
yUu will never regret that yOu have begun,
tonight, IN thi- way.
Mr. Billiards. addres,-t0 which our in
perfect abstract does but sc4nt justice was
rece j with prolonged applause.
After mu-ic bY the choir, Miss Bradshaw,
of Montpelier, spoke in explanation Of the
pledge which the children were to be asked
to sign We cannot over-estimate the IN
portance OF instilling correct principles in
the minds Of the Young. Cannot child
understand what truth and love and purity
are Cur Lord suffered little children to
come unto Him, and shall We not lead them
in the path of right and duty? Children,
| begin right. Do not use tobacco it dead
ems the -ensibiutie- and Injuries the health ;
shun intoxicating liquors and remember
the sin of using wicked and profane words.
Mrs Bradshaw spoke Of the nature Of the
pledge at considerable length, and conelu1-
ed by asking those who intended to sign it
to rise, and large number responded.
The last speaker was the Rev L. o.
Br.stow, who spoke briefly OF the inpor-
lance Of the action the children were about
to take and the s,lemnity Of the pledge. At
the conclusion of his remarks, the ladies'
circulated the pledges among the audience
and obtained 4 large number Of the little
ones signatures Subsequently the meet
ing was dismissed with the invitation to
those who had signed the pledge, and those
who wished TO do so, to meet at the rooms OF
the Young Mems Christian Association, at
; clock, Saturday afternoon.