The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-07-13
Temperance Work Among Children.
BY HARRY vANMETER, sUP'r COFFEE
HOUSE WORK, PTIILA.


Much greatly needed attention ha,
been very justly given Of late by the
friends of the temperance cause In this
state 10 the reformation of confirmed In
cbriates, and the rescue of those who
are already on the downward road to
ruin, while but comparatively little has
been done TO prevent the young from
following the evil examples of fathers
and friends, and incurring the same fear
ful curse which is running so many older
ones.
| No noblcr work can be accomplished
than the rescuIng of the drunkard from
the sure and eternal destruction that
awaits him body and soul, but while we
all acknowledge that great good is done
by lifting up the fallen from their low
estates, none will deny that the work Of
preventing others, especially young and
innocent children, from falling into the
same terrible snares and temptations
which are running so many IS still
greater and grander work of good, and
one in which all true hearted men and
women should unite.
1t was q wise as we'll as noble senti-
ment which inspired the noble Spartans
of old to answer their conquerer when
he asked for fifty children as hos
tages, 1--WE would far rather give You
one hundred of our ablest menn--for LET
men live and labor as they may, vet the
forming of the future lies in the hearts
and heads and hands of the babes of the
present.
| With this thought i'll view. and fore
seeing that the great hope of the tenn
perancc cause i'll the future was 10 train
up the children of the present genera
ton TO habits of total abstinence, the
friend- Of the work in England have
long been engaged in gathering them
into the numerous Bands Of Hope all
over the United Kingdom, till their
membership to-day numbers tens OF
thousands Of those who will soon be the
men and women Of that land and the il
resistiblc power of this good cause
throughout Great Britain.
| While the temperance workers be-
yond the water have been wide awake
to the Importance of this branch of the
work, in some states of our Union there
have also been earnest efforts for the
formation of Just such an active and ef-
ficient army Of young temperance re-
cruits in this country. In Maine espc-
cially have these efforts been most sue
cessful, while in the other New Englsnd
states, New York and the West the
ladies OF the Woman's Christian Tenn
pcrancc Union have been banding the
children together in temperance organi
cations under the title Of the 'Cold Wa
ter Army" and other names, already
numbering many thousands, who prom
ise TO be most important adjunct to
the great army of Gospel Temperance.
In the city of Philadelphia this partic-
ular branch Of the work was begun some
time ago. and has since been very sue
ccssfully carried on at the Central Cof-
fec House Lecture Room, where the
youths temperance meetings for boys
and girls have been held every Friday
evening for several months, with large
attendance and very gratifying results,
great numbers having already taken the
pledge with perfect appreciation OF the
plan and purpose of the work, being
pledge not only to abstain, by Gods
help, from all Intoxicating drinks as
beverage, but also to do all in their pow
er TO persuade others TO abstain like
wise.
What the Sabbatl-school movement
has become TO the Christian church: its
nursery, training-school, and recruiting
ground; this juvenile temperance work
must become to the cause of Christian
Temperance if It's ever TO triumph over
this great evil, which we hope yet by
Gods grace to conquer.
And in these same schools with their
thorough organization throughout the
length and breadth of the land is the
stronghold for such effort among child
rem.
Taking warning from the fearful
wrecks of the past and the bitter exper-
ieuces of the present, remembering how
many have fallen from the very inf1u
ences of our classes through the seduc-
ton of strong drink into poverty, and
prison, and death, and saddest of all,
even eternal destruction, let us be
true to our trust and point out clearly
TO the children in our care the only safe
course for them to pursue.
And to our s. s. teaching should be
added all the auxiliary aids we can COM
mand, in short, the same means which
we use TO reach older ones should be
adapted to and adopted for the young.
Every encouragement is extended to us
as temperance workers in this line of
labor.
The comparative ease between
Strengthening the tender sapling and
bending the gigantic bough, affords but
faint picture of the difference between
the work of training the child Alright
and the difficulty of reforming one with
! fixed habits of intemperance.
The time and labor and mcans il may
take are never lhely 70 De iost 10 us, a.
lhey are 50 apt 10 DC ~ illIio easeS ou'
oil ten among cohilrheu lheprlates.
Inc expense ol tilis e,uSatl9h Is
much &c less tnali the .rililnhg oil tle Iiouse
OF oorreetloh aiter career oi crime, OF
tne courl-room ana tle lali WIN its iohs
weeks ana ihohtns ana years ol ioS' use
iuiness ana iaDor.
but lhere Is iar better ahd Drighter
side TO ms question, wmch VIII give us