Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-10-19

at the recent mcetngo u the women's Christian TEN.
perauce Union at st. Ahans.l
What measures should be taken with chill
dren to establish them in habits of temper
ance To this great question, Inspiration re-
spends, Train up child in the way he should
go, and when he is old, he will not depart
from it," This training in relation to tenn
perance, involves TO large extent appropriate
instruction. There is much to teach children
on this great subject, and much too, that
they are capable of understanding. They
should. of course, he early and thoroughly in
structtd as to the diversih d and terrible evils
Of ihtemperance This melancholy picture
cannot be too fully and faithfully presented
before the minds of the young. They should
be taught that the major portion of the evils
that Gfilct society has its origin in intemper-
ance. These evils should b. opened out be-
fore the young mind in detail and as extern
sively and as clearly as possible. Children
should be made to understand, for example,
that intemperancc injurvs, prostrates and de
stroys the physical system that it is fruitful
source of disease, while at the same time it
aggravates almost every disease to which hu-
manity is subject, and if persisted in, is sure
to end in premature DEATH
Let children understand, also, the sad inllu-
ence of intempelunce on the intellect as well
as the body that it benumbs all the glorious
or to draw down many an imperial intellect to
n condition Of debased and degraded idiocy.
But train children, further. and especially. 10
understand that these evils. dreadful as they
are, are yet but trihmg when compared to the
| influence of intempernnce upon mans moral
nature. Let them sec that it destroys the
| soul-that IT burns Cut all the beautiful affec-
| tons, and crlishes out all elevated and noble
principles, and tends TO reduce n man to a
lI.A1 l..
any and every evil work-to rush madly upon
| the trausgression of every law of God and
man, being ever ready to lie. gamble, profane
the sacred name, quarrel, riot, plunge into all
wicked debauchery, murder his dearest friends
and kindred, and i'll general to make himself
| the worst creature in all Gods vast universe
In their training let children see this dread
full picture in all its hideous deforlnty and
horror also let there be unfolded TO them
some of the sad concomitants OF these evils
such ms broken hearts. crushed hopes. wives
worse than widows, children worse than or
phans, sqUalid poverty. degraded beggary.
murdered reputation, the jail, the peniten-
tiary, the scatfold Yes, instruct the children.
instruct them faithfully and well Uncover
| before their eyes this pit of destruction, and
let them look down and take warming. Nor,
in juvenile instruction and trimming. relating
to this great subject. should the opposite pic
ture of a perfectly temperate life he hidden
from the eyes of the children. Let them be
shown that the fruits of temperance are pre-
cisely the reverse of those of intemperance; that
its results are health strength, sprightliness
comfort and beauty of the physical man that
it is conducive TO a sound mind as well rs
| sound body adds to clear understanding
and good judgment, steady view, retentivC
memory and healthy intellectual discipline
LIT the children be taught further. that
temperance is one of the great monl virtues
is, in fact, enumerated by the inspired apos
tie as one of the fruits of the spirit" against
which, he adds, there is no law" Impress
it upon the young mind that it is indspensa
able to good and sound character-that there
can be no true moral goodness without it,
while with it, on the other hand all righteous.
ness and lovely principles and affections may
| live and flourish, and the child may grow VI
| to posseSs n noble character, and to WELD al
influence in his generation that shall be a,
genial and healthful as it will be pure and
widely spread.
And, AS a feature of this picture, you may
tell the child of excellent reputation. of ex
tended and growing knowledge, of joyou,
days and years of fiourishing manhood, of {
long life, of a green old age, adorned ant
cheered with ''the gay remembrance of a lif,
well spent'-al of which excellent things arl
likely to accompany the golden and beautiful
virtue of temperance.
Then, in the course of this trimming let the
appetites of children be properly watched and
guard d. Let them be early and forever pre-
vented from acquiring taste for anything
that intoxicates for it is "A happy provision
that the vitiated appetite for strong drink i,
unnatural and if possessed must be acquired
Let such an acquisition on the part of a child
be prevented as you would prevent his de.
struction Let the children be kept pure
their tastes and appetites preserved simple,
natural and healthy. Let them not even ''lool
upon the wine when it is red, when it gvetl
its color in the cup. when ii moveth itseli
Alright" and remind them that 'at last. it bitetl
like serpent and stingeth like adder.
Yet further to assist in the training of chill
dren to temperance, let them be associated
toge ther for this purpose. Children have al
early liking TO be leagued together with on,
another for some object and the influence o
such combinations tends to magnify in theil
minds the interest and importance of that OBJ
ject and to render il more sacred in their esti
nation. Thus. let there be formed in every
town a temperance organization for children
let every Sabbath school be made also II tenn
peIHnce society embracing every child anC
pledging every one to taste not and toucl
not the unclean thing" All this would be en-
tirely germane to the great purpose and gen
with the strictest propriety, be embraced il
the efforts of that noble institution of thu
church.
Finally, and rs the foundation of all propel
training of children, whether to temperanc,
or any other good way in which they shoulC
60" teach the dear boys aud girls to fear thu
Lord and keep his commandments. Let thu
sacred and beautiful influences of the Gospe
breathe upon them to the greatest extent pos
sible; accustom them as they grow up t.
make practice of reading the Holy Scrip
lures regularly TO observe daily prayer; t.
mingle in the assemblies of worship; to reaC
useful and appropriate books; to avoid wick
ed associates, and to form and cherish higl
and noble purposes of life. Thus shall the.
tread along pleasant paths, instead of such a
are doubtful and dangerous, and as they grow
up the ways of temperance will be as attrac
tive and fascinating as they will be natura
and easy, and they win go on to inherit il
their lives the blessedness of ''the man tina
walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sittetl
in the seat of the scornful but his deligh
shall be in the law of the Lord, and whatsoev
| er he doeth shall DrOsper"