The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-11-25
WOMANS TEMPERANCE COL
UMN.
Report of the Woman's Ma
tional Temperance Con-
v6ntiOTi, -

resday, Oct. 23, Mrs. Wittenmyer, the
president, in the chair. Mrs. Hall Of
Newark delivered an address Of welcome
to all the Unions. She said there we're
two hundred churches and 100 rum
shops in Newark. The work of the Un-
ion was not ono Of self seeking or Office
seeking. It was no worldly policy. Mrs.
Denman welcomed the state delegates
and introduced Mrs. Lothrop from Mich.
igan, who said that politicians had turn
ed away from the temperance question
and it has been turned on to woman
The committee on credentials reported
delegates from eighteen states. Mrs
Oliver Cotter spoke of the work done in
Brooklyn there were now 1904 saloons
where before the organization of the I'm.
ion there were 5000. Mrs. Wittenmyer
read paper upon the work Of the UuioD.
1t was better she said to educate than to
reform. OF ten children who take the
pledge eight keep it, while Of ten men
only two would keep it. II the children
could be gained the liquor traffic would
be overthrown in ten years. Young
ladies' leagues had a great influence il
teaching young men. Such leagues should
be more resorted to. Tho treasurer's
report showed S871.48 in the treasury
The disbursements during the year we're
s723.S2. At tho evening session Mrs.
X Nj. Luther, who was elected as speak.
er from Vermont at the woman's state
convention in Vermont, was introduced,
and she said that American missionaries
in Burmah took the ground that total
abstinence was the only principle to prac.
tice and teach. The reason why the
Americans do not stand the climate as
we'll as did British soldiers and other
foreigners was not that they did not use
liquor, but that they worked harder and
were not paid enough to secure the same
comforts. In Burmah the women never
drank, and the men drank only OCCASION
ally and then made regular preparation
for it and became terribly intoxicated.
She prayed that God might give the mo-
theirs Of the land grace to teach their
children to touch not, tasto not, handle
not, and to teach our physicians, who
make such free use of liquor, that there
was such thing as remedy worse than
o disease. Mrs. Holyoke, the president
Of the Chicago Woman's Temperance
convention, said they should congratulate
themselves that the coming woman had
come, and that she was not to be q but
teraY for mans pleasure, a drudge, nor
q woman of society, but the help or man,
to stand beside him, not as a rival, but
to share his work. Intemperance vas
the problem Of the day, and had 10 do
with tho vitality of our republican gov
ernment. The remedy was total abati~
nence, willingness to sacrifice liberty
lest it be stumbling block to another.
She believed in the pledge because it was
a decision and an act. 1t called in pride
to keep it. 1t was an enlistment in the
cause OF temperance, and safe example
for others. In the past twelve months
1900 pledges had been obtained in Chi
cago. Individual labor was the chief
means. However low man or woman
might have fallen, they would respond to
sympathy when they would to nothing
else. Women shonld be Gods messen-
gers to bring wanderers home, but .hey
could not perfect their work until meu
helped them with with the ballot.
During the second days session Miss
Willard, corresponding secretary, gave
her report. 1t showed that number of
new auxiliaries had been formed. The
report among other things treated Of iu.
venile unions, young ladies' leagues, work
among the sailors, homes for inebriate
women, reformed clubs, camp meetings,
petitions in Congress, friendly inns, etc.
The report, which contained many prac.
tical suggestions as to work, was accepted
by tho convention, and ordered to be
published in the form of an extra.
There were thirteen resolutions pres>
ented and adopted; they pledged the
Union to circulate pledges against
"treating;" to care for women. waiter.
girls, etc. to call the attention of pastors
to the subject Of unfermented wine; to
establish auxiliary unions in every town
and village Of the land; to stir up each
church to look after temperance in its
own neighborhood; to sympathzo aul
cooperate with the National Temperance
Camp Meeting Association to circulate
temperance tracts and literature more
widely than ever, and to recommend the
multiplication Of prayer and Gospel
meetings.
A committee was appointed to stir up
the medical profession on the vile uses Of
alcohol as tonic and stimulant.
The third day of the convention was
opened with the usual morning prayer
meeting. Mrs. Hudson the leader, gave
as keynote "The following of God. '
One of the interesting features of this
days business was the report which
followed the committee on Bible wines
This with the resolution and discussion
which followed formed one OF the most
animated and striking scenes OF the
convention. Miss Smiley and Miss
Smith, two of the ablest Hebrew scholars
in the country, assisted Mrs. Witten-
myer in its preparation, and their
investigations and arguments tend to
prove that fermented alcoholic wine is
utterly condemned in Scripture as q
beverage, and only tolerated as a medi-
cine in case of extremity, and also that
fermented wine is not mentioned at all in
the institution of the Lords Supper.
The resolution which followed was to
the effect that ministers should be urged
to discontinue the use of fermented wines
in the communion, and that the sisters
be urged to pledge themselves not to
approach the Lords table when they
know that alcoholic wine is used. A
long, exciting and instructive discussion
ensued. Several amendments were sug.
gested and Divine direction sought, both
in silent and vocal praver-all feelino