Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-22

Temperance Meeting.

After the adjournment of the Grand Lodge
of Good Templars at Northteld on the af-
ternoon of tho 18th, u public temperance
meeting WAS held in tho hall in the base
merit of the Congregational church. The
children had been specially invited to attend
this meeting, and a very large number Of
them were present. The hall was crowded
to overlooking.
Col Mead called the meeting to order.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.. Hazen, of
Mortified.
Good Templar odes were sung ut nPpro-
pirate intervals during the meeting, Mrs.
Altha Richmond presiding ut the organ,
which, by the way, is the property OF North
field Lodge.
The first speaker was DR.. +. ID. Bradford,
of Mortified. lie said II little moro than n
year ago the ladies of this place instituted
series of Sunday evening temperance meet
ngs, which have not ceased since, except
during series of protracted meetings. lie
thanked the grand lodge for the support
Mortified Lodge had derived from this
meeting, and, as the official head of that
lodge, pledged TO the grand lodge a continue
ton of earnest labor in the temperance
reform until that breathing place of hell, the
grog shop, should not he seen in the land.
Col. Mead was suffering from a severe
cold, but would say few words TO the
children. lie had two boys and three girls
Mt home, and he loved children. lie wished
to impress upon them an idea of the magni-
tude of the temperance cause, and the great
ness of the need for reform. lie would Of
for them n pledge to take before the meeting
closed lie told the children several ancc-
dotes illustrating the foolishness of men
when under the influence of liquor. Made
strong appeal to the boys against swearing.
lIo repeated total abstinence pledge, and
asked all those children who were ready to
take it to raise their hands, and the way the
little hands went up sent n thrill Of joy to
the hearts of the parents and temperance
people there.
T. T.. Brownell, of North Pownal, spoke
next. It was admitted that intemperance
was great evil, and that it exists in the
state TO an alarming extent. The only rem
edy for drunkenness is total abstinence.
And this same remedy was the most effective
rs n preventative. If the moderate drinEer
would take himself the remedy he recon-
mcnds to the drunkard it would greatly de-
crease the number of drunkards. Moral
sunsion, without the sanction OF law, will
never remove from us this curse. We do
not attempt to abolish theft, murder. &c, by
moral sunsion, and why should we undertake
to abate thus evil by method that fails in
other cases. Why shall VIC not work to Sc
cure prohibitory legislation. If all acknowl-
edge that total abstinence is the remedy for
the evil, why not establish total abstinence
enforced by law? If tho prohibitory laws are
disregardedA the moderate drinkers are ro.
sponsible for their failure
Rev. f. Folsom, of Waterbury Center, was
next introduced. lie attended the Goth an.
nual session OF tho Right Worthy Grand
Lodge at Boston, last May, and when he
looked back Mt tho state of the temperance
reform twenty years ago, and then looked
ut tho representatives Of this order from ev
cry quarter of the globe, lie felt the cause
was moving grandly onward. lie looked
upon that delegation in Boston rs the nu
clous around which should cluster nationa
party which should in time grow rs had tn,
abolition party grown from still smAlle
nucleus
w. II. S. Whitcomb, of Burlington, sal,
he thought as he saw this gathering, and es
pecially children, that perhaps they swer
like Prometheus, whose Vltals were catcl
out by the vulture and grew again as fast a
eaten. These children were the flesh an,
blood of our people and ms they grew up tn
vulture OF intemperance WAS dcyouring them
while the ranks were regularly filled Rgai
from the infant ranks. lilo did not want tn
children taught that sometimes they Nigh
be president, but that now, no'O they migI