Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-22
The First Temperance SocIety.

It was founded by Jonadab son of Re
chdb the rider. Brave, far-seeing chieftain
that he was, he noted carefully the growing
intemperance and consequent immortality
and idolatry of the Israelites and fearing
the demoralizing effect on his small tribe
pledged them solemnly to certain rules and
usages of life, to which they had in the
time of the prophet jeremiah, adhered for
centuries. -
The study of the Old Testament Scrip
lures brings out in bold relief the fact that
intemperance and gross drunkenness is not
peculiar to modern times. During the reigns
of the prohigate kings of Israel and Judah
there existed no enemy to good morals and
true religion so dire and deadly as the drink
ing usages of society. The voices of the old
prophets were often lifted up against it in
warning and imprecation. Woe to the
drunkards of Ephraim, that are
overcome with wine. The priest and the
prophet have erred through strong drink
they err in vision, they stumble in judgment"
Says Dean Stanley, speaking of the time
Just preceding the tall of Samaria : "One
of the most widely-spread vices was drunk
enness in its most revolving forms. The
gross intoxication of the Israelitish priests
and mobiles almost resembles that which I'M
happily prevailed amongst the English aris-
tocracy and clergy in the last century"
Jonadab, chief of his tribe, was quick to
see the ruin that menaced his people, and
adopted prompt and stringent preventive
measures. lie instituted the first temper
ance society of which we have definite rec
ord, albeit there were Nazarte abstainers
few and far between, in the olden time.
The society included old and young-men,
III IL H. 10
ginning, endured for ages, and it is thought
to be still vigorous and thriving. 1t has
fairly proved its right to live. 1t has re-
ceived distinct and emphatic divine APP
proval by the mouth of his prophet In fact,
we may fairly infer from the sacred nara
tive that temperance organizations were
needed as early as the days of Noah and Lot.
THE PLEDGE.
The prohibitions were at once command
and pledge, for in those primitive times
the command of the patriarchal chief was
law to his descendants. The pledge is sum.
married. in these words Ie shall drink no
wine, neither you nor your sons forever
Neither shall We build house, nor SOW seed
nor plant vineyard nor have any" Jonadab
was radical. He sought at once for the
bottom facts He not only prohibited the
use and manufacture of wine, but he would
not permit the raising of the raw material
They were neither to plant vineyards mol
own them, in whole or in part. Jonadat
would doubtless have forbidden to own stock
in Sunday newspapers or liquor-selling es
Establishments, however genteel or respect
able. Moreover, he bound his people to th'
most simple, abstemious and nomadic habits
and they had religiously adhered to thes'
rigid rules for three hundred years whel
driven into Jerusalem by the Syrian hosts
| All this involved no small amount of sturd,
self-denial.
THE TEST AND ITS OBJECT.
The prophet jeremiah brought the Recha
bites into the temple and "set befor
them pots full of wine and cups, anC
said unto them, Drink We wine;
but they said, We will not drink wine.
They stood the test bravely. They were as
sembled in the temple, and in the presenc'
of priests, and princes, and mobiles. The,
were offered the flowing bowl, and com
manded to drink it, by no less person thar
jeremiah, whom they all recognized as I
prophet of the Lord. Let their heroic ex
ample be commended to the youth of GU
day, so often tempted to become victims O
broked pledges and unkept VOWS.
The object is obvious. The prophet die
not intend to induce these brave sons o
Rechab to break their VOWS. He designed
rather, publicly and conspicuously to illus
trate their fidelity to principle, and the ODE
dence to their tribal chief, on the part o
the Rechabites, as contrasted with the apps
tacy ar2 49,. lack of allegiance TO God OIL
the part of his chosen people.
Such is the simple tale of this rude, hall
civilized pastoral tribe. They were warml,
commended of God, and the commentator
is accorded prominent mention in the in
spired record. These things were writer
for our warning and instruction, and the les
son applies to all ages and all peoples. 1t i
well that in our time this story, which illus
trates so many phases of the Temperance
question, is to be carefully studied by 81
many millions of the young people of thi
and other lands. Parents and teacher
should not fail to emphasize points of prac
tical significance and value.
We find in the Scripture lesson ample au
thority for the most stringent Of temperate
pledges. That of the Rechabites was no
only expressly approved of God, but di
vine benedictioh was pronounced on tn
pledge-keepers and their posterity forever.
Let us pledge the young people at all wis
and proper times. Not so much, perhaps, OF
occasions when the thoughtless and the sc
date, the wise and the unwise, the old an,
the young, are borne relentessly forward OF
some huge wave of popular excitement, a
amid quieter scenes and more sacred associa
tions. Pledge the children at the mother
knee, in the Sunday-school class, and at tn
affairs of the church. Pledge them solemnly
and with the sanction of religion, and b.
the authority of God, and nurse them in tn
simplicity of faith, and train them to tn
heroism of answering fidelity The mothe
of Thomas III. Benton made him solemn
promise, at very early age, never to drink
or smoke, or swear. Long years after tn
gray-haired man was heard to say that h
had never violated the vow made to hi
mother in his childhood. Why may no
Christian parents and teachers, who wisel
pledge and faithfully train the young peopl
committed To their charge, rely with certaint
on like happy resultsY--Presbyteridn.