Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-04-01
NeMbury VI. lntemperance.

uccn uTui UuNocNtc TOT temperatures,
aud In words rather than deeds, has
denounced with fervor every form
of intemperance, yet there remains
to he accomplished u very impor.
tant work. We have Temperance
lectures and organizations; after
having listened to one Of these lee.
lures, contributing a few cents for
his or her support, signing the
pledge, speaking in high terms of
his or her merits AZ a speaker, we
have made no mighty charge against
the adversary. How does this pre-.
amble effect those whom we would
rescue, as strands from the burn
ing" Consult the riotous mob that
walk our streets at night, who with
blasphemOus Oaths and bitter i'm.
precautions, disturb the quiet Of our
peaceful rest. Consult the young
men who attend our public enter
tainments, and even the house OF
God. In the former places they will
drink whiskey with as much freedom
and ease as though they were beyond
the reach of law. In the latter
place, they will, by their disorderly
conduct, disturb the harmony of the
meeting, aud have thought, grieve
away the Holy Spirit. Ask those
young men that lounge about our
public places, whose eyes are red
and swollen, and whose minds are
being destroyed, by the use of alec.
hOL Ask them what temperance
lectures and societies have done for
them with u curse and snaar You
will get reply that would shame
the Inhabitants of the lower regions.
Such, as regards morals in our lit.
tie village, is far too true.
l wish not to infer that we have
no good morals, or that all morals
are corrupted. When we consider
that men, some of them scarcely out
Of their teens are frequently drunk,
disturbing the peace, using tobacco
and profane language, with a relish
far superior to their years, openly
and boldly violating the "Remem.
the Sabbath day and keep it holy"
when we have seen this state OF
things we have seen no picture OF
inauguration, but a panorama OF
startling facts, of almost every day
occurrence. Tho question then
arises, what is the best remedy for
this diseased state of society With.
out attempting discussion we will
offer few suggestions. After such
u demonstration, of the evil influ'
ence Of alcohol, as occurred last
Thursday night, the Indignation OF
our citizens seemed to be up to Il
boiling pitch, and in their Temporal
ry wrath, cried out, Lao aohere is
the lao. A few others less interest.
ed ,say we have a temperance league,
with the first men in town at it's
head, and an executive committee
composed of men who have made
themselves identical with the tenn.
perance movement. This league,
they say, was instituted the 10Th OF
last December, and what have they
done to promote the cause, since
that time7 Still another class OF
men say, zoe have tried lao but
it avails us nothing. Now let us
look into the nature of our subject.
The officers of organizations are
quite powerless to make SUCCESS
of the labor they undertake, with
out the harmonious cooperation of
each individual member. Gin unity
there is strength" Of the two
modes of suppresslng this great evil,
which shall we adopt. 1t may be
claimed. and that, with no small de-
gree of truth, that our safety de.
mands the rigid enforcement Of the
law. When we take RETROSPECT.
tive view Of the case, we shall find
ourselves, as a church and cOmmu
nifty, as parents and instructors in
f,ult. Can it be possible that young
men are SO hardened, that they will
not listen to the kind counsel of a
warm hearted friend. Do they not
look upon us, the church, as being
proud and aristocratic I never deign-
ing to notice them, or even dropping
a kind word to alleviate tn e intensi
ty of their remorse, or lending ii
helping hand to make life's journey
seem pleasant. They have come to
look upon us as a different grade of
beings, and curse God because they
were born of low estate. l believe
there are poor souls in our very
midst that are dying, yea starving,
and thirsting, for little crumbs of
sympathy, and drops Of consolation.
Are we not then, as followers of a
Divine Master guilty of these little
why then do we bar the
door of our hearts aud cry out, law
and vengancef Ask one who has
been so lately picked out of the