The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-02-15
Woman's Temperance Column.
An Ugly Fact; whnt to do About il
ny EEv. THEODORE l.. CuiLEK.


do not suppose there H. church Of
any considerable size in our country
which does not contain some members
who are to-day cndangciing them
selves by tampcring with strong drink.
"Jfsomc of our members do not stop
drinking VIC shall have to discipline
them" said the deacon of a prominent
church. That ensnaring cup (Which j.
q mockcr," upscts n christians brain
just as soon as any other mans. Some
are cndangering themselves by using
ale or wine every day as u medicine.
Others are tempted to take II In the
chop-houses and restaurants.
And so drinking usagcs, and the
curse of drunkenness, are eating their
way into our congregations, and too
often into the ranks of the COMMUNE
cants at the Lords table
II Christs' church is unequal to the
task of graphing with popular sins,
then let the church retire from the
field, and confess her failure. But the
church of Jesus is equal to the task, if
she will but carry out the principles of
her Divine Leader, and do all the work
He has committed to her.
This work of saving men and women
from drunkenness belongs to the fol
lowers Of Christ. They have no bust
ness to leave it entirely to outside or
ganizations than they have TO leave
the care of all Gods poor to policc-ofii
ccrs or keepers of almshouscs.
Every christian church ought to have
a temperance wheel in its machinery a,
much as Sunday-school wheel.
Every minister ought TO preach and to
practice abstinence from the social
glass. If alcoholic drinks poison the
body and endangcr the soul, then the
physical and spiritual effects Of strong
drink ought to be carefully explained
from the pulpit. Teachers ought to do
this, too, in the Sunday school. TIE
temperance pledge might be wiseI,
used in every class whore the childre,
are old enough to understand its force.
and binding consequences. | have al
ways thanked God that | signed total
abstinence pledge in childhood. II
kept me from tampering with the "hot
toddy" in college, and from taking
'.just little" when I went toa wed
ding or dinner party.
a young man-the son ofa godiy
mother, now dead--came reeling into
my house, and wanted me to "du
suthn' for him." Now, it was just II.
much my province to take hold of that
man as if he had come an anxious in
quirer, seeking the way to Jesus. Aud
if il was my duty as christian minis
ter to labor to save that youth from
drunkenness, it ia equally my duty to
endcavor, by plain preaching and BY
practice, to keep young men from be-
coming urunkards
1t is prodigiously hard work to save
an inebriate. But christian effort, rely
ing on Divine help, will save many
who will yet strike harps in glory.
a temperance association should be
organized in every church.
Such society would be rich spirit
ual blessing. Their labor might be the
seed-corn ofprccious reviyals. But no
pastor should delegate the solemn vital
| work of preaching temperance to 9th
ers who should be invited from abroad.
Let him take the lead! Every christ
| ian pulpit should be battery against
drinking, drunkenness and dram
shops .-fChrstian Standard and Home
Journal.