Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-17
TEMPERANCE COLUMN.


The first society called into existence in
New England by that reaction against
the " excessive use of spirituous liquors
which may be said to have begun with the
century, was organized in the State House
in Boston, in the year 1913. under the title
OF " The Massachusetts Society for The Sup
preston Of Intemperdnos. The object to
which its chief efforts were at irst directed
is indicated by the name. They sough,
rather to regulate, than to abolish, the
use of ardent spirits. But their success,
Tor some time, seems to have been SO small
as greatly to discourage many OF its mem
bers, some of whom temporarily gave up
the cause in despair OF effecting anything
Nevertheless, they doubtless prepared the
way for the more vigorous efforts that were
TO follow. The feeling was slowly spread
ing that more radical principles and more
energetic action were necessary, if the
country was to be delivered from this fear
full incubus. The practice of using in
toxicating Liquors at funerals called forth an
effective remonstrance about the year 1914
in consequence of which the custom be-
gan to decline Soon after this the prac-
tice Of furnishing them as an article OF
entet re- inment, :" especially to ministers OF
the gospel, twas attacked. and with some
good result An anecdote from the pen Of
Rev. VIM. Goodell may illustrate, not only
the embarrassment which the habit in
question was likely to occasion. but also
the seeming stupidity OF good. and other
wise, intelligent men. when this subject
was in question.
" A very godly minister, he say, who
lived il an adjoining town, had occasion TO
pass my father = door several times year i.
and as our house was about the bali way
house Tor him, he often stopped and passed
an hour with US. One day when the good
man called, our family physician happened
in. Very soon. before the door of the
house, where was sitting, | heard him
consult our physician on the following very
difficult problem (lt should be here pre-
missed. that both the physician and the
minister were above reprsach, neither
the one nor the other having ever given oc-
caslon to be suspected of too Tree use Of
the glass; The minister said he had to be
around among the people every day. visit
ing the sick and dying directing inquir-
ing minds 10 Christ, and comforting mourn
ers praying with the aged and Inhrm.
and explaining 10 the simple minded those
things that were difficult to be understood. =.
etc /; that wherever he went, liquor under
some form and name was offered him to
/ drink which, in order not to give offence.
/ or be considered guilty of breach OF good
manners. he felt bound to take Moreover.
that, after calling at number of places,
/ his head invariably became affected, and
| he felt himself in danger of saving or do
/ ing some foolish things Would the good
| doctor. therefore. prescribe something for
him to take, or give him suitable advice as
to what he should do IN this emergency.
'' remember Just where the good min
| ister stood, and how he looked. remem-
/ Der Just wnere the good doctor stood, and
| bow he locked. lie had in his hand a
cane, with the end Of which he kept dig
{ gIng IN the ground and the more earnest
| lY he was questioned, the more earnestly
and the deeper be dug. At length he
{ Strengthened himself up, and, standing be-
/ fore his questioner with his arms crosse d /,
/ be uttered the following advice, viz. that,
after he had called at several places, and
/ had begun TO feel the effects of the liquor
taken, he should 90 straight home, while
| he was yet able to walk, and, entering at
once into his study, should sit there in 81
lence and solitude, till the dizziness should
pass away and then, taking some food, with
a cup OF tea, he could go out without fear
I to finish his pastoral visits. The idea OF
total abstinence from intoxicating bever-
ages seems not TO have entered the mind Of
either one or the other That he must
drink was taken for granted II he would
not be guilty Of an objectionable offence.
! iha nnIv thing W drink Wlrh0ur feel
ing the effects OF it and on this point the
good physician was sadly perplexed. In
those days." DR.. Goodell adds, 'efery body
drank. old and young, rich and poor, male
and female and our whole country seem
ed rapidly descending on the steep and
slippery side Of the hill towards ruin. But
New England at length arose in the great
ness OF her strength, and, in the trmness
OF her principles, signed the temperance
pledge. and the land had rest Tor tJr,y
years
Two fearful accidents by which men un-
der the influence Of intoxicating liquor
were suddenly deprived of life. furnished
the occasion OF two discoGrses in which the
wretchedness of the drunksrd was set
forth, and also the duty of preventing
/ sober mel from becoming Incorporate. !"
| The ground was taken that the only safety
for society was in abstinence from IA eiise Of
/ in,0ucafing liquors. The doctrine seemed
/ to IN any TO be a strange one. and occasion
/ cd much discussion Some felt the truth OF
/ it. In other cases conviction came bot
slowly. The following Instance will prob
ably illustrate the working of the question
/ IN many minds.
| q A man distinguished tJr sobrety and
/ influence said, " When | first heard the
doctrine of abstinence, | did not believe
1t. thought 1t was going so much too
| lar that it would only do hurt | was op-
/ posed TO intempersnce as much as any one,
| but thought that the temperate use Of
ardent spirit was, for men who labor in hot
weather, necessary. | did not believe that
men could work without it. My father
used 1t, though | recollect, when | was
/ about fourteen years old. two gallons would
| carry him and his workmen all through the
/ business of the season and, when | lett
/ him ct twenty-oDe, 1t took twelve or fifteen
gallQAs to do the same work. However,
| begahin the same way, and continued, TIL
| heard that sermon. And | then thought
that the man who could say. that all men,
/ in all kinds OF business. would be better
without the use Of ardent spirit, did not
understand the subject. However, |
| thought Of it as | went home. | thought
| of it the next day. 1t kept in my mind 5
| and, seeing its awful effects among the
poor, said to myself. if it Is true that
men can live without, and would be better
without, it would be a great improvement.
and would save property, character. life
and soul. to g great amount. So | resolved
to know whether it was true or not. |
resolved that | would not use any myself
| for three months. | said nothing, however.
/ to others. lest they should think | was be-
coming wild bat before the close OF three
months, began to suspect that it icaS true.
| certainly felt better than before, and
resolved TO try it three months more. At
1 the end of six months, | was as perfectly
I satisfied as | ever was of anything, that the
idea which | had, and which most men
have, that the use of spirit does good. Is a
/ delusion. Oh, il is one OF the greatest
| decisions under which sober men ever were
| afterwards mentioned it to my workmen,
and We agreed that we would not use any
| for year. And now. for almost two years,
We have not used a drop; and we are all
persuaded that We are vastly better OH with
out it.
Some now began to ask themselves wheth-
er the minds OF men throughout the coun-
try might not yield to the force of the
same arguments that had already proved SO
convincing to many. VINO KNOWS, they
said, g should the subject be presented
kindly and plainly throughout the United
States-be illustrated by facts, and pressed
on the conscience-but that it may. through
the divine blessing, change the habits Of
the nation ? Who knows, but that our
children, and ehidren's children, may be
raised up free from this sbominstion, u be
instrumental in perpetuating the blessings
of free institutions-to be themselves made
FREQ by the Son of God-and to spread the
light and glory of that freedom round tho
globe ?" 1t was determined to attempt the
formation Of an American Temperance So
ciety on the basis of abstinence from strong
drink, its object being" by light and love
to change the habits of the nation with re-
gard to the use of intox icating liquors. :"
Some of the reasons given for this deter
mination on the part OF those who met to
take counsel together on the subject, are
worth quoting in this connection.
l. Ardent spirit. which is one of the