The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-02-08

The Woman's Christian Temperance
Union was organized to form q bulwark
against an evil 30 patent that the little
children could name it, il asked what
was doing the greatest harm among us.
The sale and use Of strong drinks have
become 80 common that the moral sense
OF their enormity has been deadened
And Christians who realized it, have
submitted 10 necessary evil" that they
must endure as well as they copld. But
lntemperance had so overpowered the
land that like Egypt, "there was not a
house in which there was not one dead"
Then the mothers and sisters said
What can wo do to stay this destruc-
ton that wasteth at MONDAY, and that
resteth not in the darkness Of the night 2r
And they gathered themselves together
to pray to the God OF heaven that He
would in His mercy and power reach
forth and save the people from this great
evil.
When Christian, in the Pilgrims Pro.
gress, entered upon bis conflict with the
powers Of darkness, he was met at the
outset by pretending friends, who proved
TO be his worst enemies. Tmorous,
Worldly, Wiseman, Despair, and Mr..
Legality, impeded his way (Among
the these, e. Legality has been most mischicv.
Jus TO us.) Rat rL-;a.;-- rn-snrora5
gaining strength as he fought. He took
unto himself "the whole armor Of God -
"the shield of faith" "the sword Of the
Spirit" and praying always with all
prayer and supplIcaton. Sometimes he
neglected to use these powerful weapons
until, hnding everything else useless in
the combat, he took, as a last resort,
what he ought at first to have employed.
When he was walking through "tho
valley of the shadow Of DEATH" Bunyan
says "Absut the midst of the val.
ley, perceived tho mouth Of hell to be,
and 1t stood also hard by the wayside.
Docs not this describe our grog shops p
Now, thought Christian, what shall do?
And ever and anon The fame and smoke
(of .obacco) would come out in such
abundance, with sparks and hideous
noises, (things that cared not for Chris
tian's sword as did Apolyon before that
he was forced to put up his sword, and
betake himself to another weapon, called
Ill prayer SO he cried in my hearing,
i . Lord, | beseech thee, deliver my
soul. Cherishing this precious, but
long forgotten weapon, "he resolved to
90 on" yet the fends seemed to come
nearer and nearer; out when they we're
'ren almost al him, he cried out with
most vehement voice IL will walk in the
strength Of the Lord God )" so they gave
back and came no further.
We must learn from Bunyans Pilgrim,
md not neglect tho all potent weapon of
prayer. Do we not all bear it about hid
len in our bosom as he did. and are we
lot apt to forgot to draw it forth until
all other means fail /? All some say, we
10 not know how to use it. We believe
n its power, but zee arc not the ones to
handle the flashing blade. Do we not
Ill feel too much Of this putting off our
responsibilities upon our neighbors d?
Let ut each look to it to Keep our ar.
nor bright by constant use
We surely hare the power to close ev.
'ry whisky shop in the town! Ignor.
lnce and forgetfulness are our strongest
Toes after all. Even Legality is power
ess opposed to the gospel, for .'if God be
IN our side who shall be against uss
We have not accomplished as much as
We hoped since our organization, but
'hough good has been done to encourage
IA to hope for more to follow"
Several have renounced forever their
'ad habits and companions. Now if but
ne had done this, one son or brother. or
ather of family, who shall say that we
lave not even now, a reward that shall
us to renewed and persistent
fiorts against intemperance
Let US, then, set forth on the years
ampaign with increasing courage and
tand, as We have thus far stood, shoulder
o shoulder and heart determined not to
,ilvo up tho struggle until we can rest as
ictors Let US induce our friends to
DIN us. The membership of fifty.eight
hould be thrice that number And let
IS help each other by prayer and word
nd deed, so that our love toward all
may more and more abound" In all
auses, "Union is Strength" in Gods
ause, Christian Union must be irresist.
bic