Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-12-12

bid appetite and an impaired will, the range OF
prohibition must be extended yet further. For
them the individual duty Of temperance Is the
duty Of total abstinence While they have
right to demand that no temptation shall be put
in their way, they have no right 10 expect that
the entire habits Of the great mass OF their fell
low-men who are normally constituted, shall be
changed to conform to the exceptional and un-
fortunate state in which they find themselves or
have put themselves But for the great mass of
men, the individual duty Of temperance as far as
their immediate obligation to God is concerned,
consists in preserving their sobriety, and, as con-
nected with this, in abstaining from the use Of
strong drink and strong wine, except for special
and exceptional purposes. II men believe that
further abstinence is necessary to security whether
to all men, or to themselves in particular, then
further abstinence is duty for them But it
does not become 80 for all men unless there can
he shown to exist normal connection between
any use Of alcohol in the smallest proportions and
the formation Of drunkard's habits.
And now, secondly, comes up the question Of
what one owes to his feow-men. II we have
the spirit of love to man in our hearts, we shall
be studious of our brothers welfare; willingly
abate somewhat of our natural rights; go be-
yond the limits Of our individual duty, and gen.
erously suffer privation for the sake of helping
our feow-men Paul lays down the principle
in the oft-quoted PASSAGE " It is good neither to
eat flesh nor to drink wine, do anything
whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended,
or il made weak It IL noble principle, and
It's practical exemplifcation is the glory and the
grace of the Christian life. There is no feature
Of Christian morality which more distinguishes
it from all Others il better sign of it, genu-
ineness Our Lord gave il AS a sign that all men
should know that we are his disciples II we have
love one to another Having this love tn our
fellow-men in our hearts, my Christian friends
we shall be studious TO prevent their being mis-
led by our lawful ndugences. We may totally
abstain from everything but water; we may alb
stain from lawful alcoholic beverages when our
example will lead Others to indulge in stronger
potations, or where a weak brother is exposed
to temptations by our personal example; or we
may abstain where our Law full act il likely IN be
misunderstood, or do injury to the cause of
Christ. But II we defer to a weak brother in
whole or in part, let us do it cheerfully, and
knowing we have a right to do the contrary ex-
cept Christian love constrans us, and not stink
into it like whipped dog into his kennel Let
a duty in public what we do not practice in pri-
vate; nor be strict in laying down ny rule for
other people what we think has not strict APP
plicaton for ourselves. All the good effect OF
our example, aud all its value a Christian grace,
depends upon its being free-will offering, aud
not an unwilling and insincere concession to press
ure from without
There are two cautions in the application of
this principle which deem it necessary tn make
d. not let 1t tyrannize over YOU This principle
has sometimes been strained till it has become an
infringement upon Christian liberty. Your exam
pie will more often be made the excuse than the
real reason of your brothers offending And
especially if you really need for your health an
indulgence which you would otherwise cheeruy
deny, take it without fear or concealment, being
careful only not to tempt any weak brother who ha,
adrunkard's appetite, by taking it in his immedi
ate presence. Any one who perverts your ex
ample in such a case to his own ruin, would 60 tC
ruin any way He has the disposition, and wants
but an excuse, and that he will not be long il
finding. man who wants to drink may max,
an excuse Of summers heat or winters cold
But God does not, therefore, annhate summer
or winter in Difference to such so-called weakness
for he knows the man will drink any way
And secondly, remember that in your conces
sion of lawful indulgences to the exigencies o
weak brethren, you are the sole judge of how ia
you shall 90. The same Paul who said he woul,
never eat flesh while the world stood il it mad
his brother to offend, gave the further exhorta
ton, " Let no man judge you in meat or in dcink.
And it is currently reported of man who in thi
generation has more Of the spirit of Paul THAI
any with whose life am acquainted, that whei
it was proposed in his city to make total alb
stinence pledge a condition of church member
, ship he threatened to go To the most public spo
Of the city, and there the steps Of a sanctuar,
drink Of wine as n vndication OF the principle o
Christian liberty. And whether the story is tru
in it, dramatic particulars not, at any rate
= accurately expresses his well-known principle
and character
From this point the preacher proceeded to con
slider what aggressive means might be properl.
used to check the evil Of intemperanee, In til
way Of legislation, he said that sound principle
would Justify the licensing of special places wher
liquor could be procured for legitimate purpose
by proper persons, aud the stern prohibition of al
tipping shops of any character whatsoever. Thi
E might rightfully be done in the interests of 50
ciety, quite apart from the question of the right
fulness of ones individual habits Surely Chri-
tians might support such n measure ON the groun,
' of Christian morality
He also advocated the establishment of nebr
: ate asylums as state institutions, where drunk
e ards should be put, and made to work till thei
5 systems had become habituated to the disuse q
= stmuants lie would have three public appear
ances in state of intoxication, or well-grounde
O.
! with the option of going IN a semi-private inst
e tuition, and thus relieving the state of any Pc,
sible burden of expense Legislation to this enc
' which events seemed to foreshadow, he hope
might be first adopted in this state, and be know
e in the history Of legislation the Vermont Law.
b lie considered, further, the influence of 70
= untlry associations, showing how they migl
be useful in procuring and enforcing legislation
! in informing and rousing public sentiment; an
in giving special help to the degraded Of the elias
= to which they were especially devoted. But I
4; have long-continued usefulness they must 1
: earnest in their character and decent in the
= methods. They must not conine themselves I
1 mere aimless, random talk nor be made "A COW,
nient rendezvous for persons not interested
: their objects; nor perverted into AN engine of al
I tack upon Christian institutions and Chrstia
. workers; nor allowed in any way to interior
t with the efficiency and work Of the churches
h their proper sphere they were capable Of grea
Y good; out Of their sphere they were worse tina
: useless.
: lie concluded as follows: But after all, III
+ great agency for the conquering Of intemperanc,
+ of other forms Of evil is the church Of Chris
r and our surest reliance is upon the grace of Go
e working through Its appointed channels lnten
: perance is Il sin-a sin no less because 1t ma
k have passed the limits OF self-contrul-and it ca
= only be effectively and generally cured by goin
70 the root Of the matter, and treating it Ms sii
IS II is too commonly looked upon the cause Of a
n evil character, instead of manifestation of it,
il is too often treated ground of sympathy il
e stead Of blame-not such II sympathy as Chrii
Il sorrowed with over Jerusalem, but a maudli
It sympathy which denies the individuals respons
; bility for his condition, and sences the voice
u conscience which summons him Ia higher thing
e suppose ii were possible that ntemperan,
h could be specifically cured without touching III
g sin at its base-how much would such cul
avail except as the abolition OF social nuisance
Evil would he Just rampant in other direction
n The Turks are temperate-tOtally abstemious i
u profession. and generally so in practice. So al
o the Chinese generally temperate. But do we fin
n a heaven in Turkey or In China? II we hay
It cured man of ntempennce, and left him utterl
e depraved in all the other features of his characte