Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-06-27
MODERATION ENCoURAG-
ED.
MIR. Beecher's Temperance Lee
ture Before the Society with
the FOur Pledges.

Mr.. Beecher's Temperance Lee
ture Before the Society with
the Four Pledges.
The large dining-roOm OF Earle's Ho-
tel. at the corner of Centre and Canal
streets, was well filled yesterday alter
noon by a well-dressed audience of mer-
chants and merchants clerks. 1t was
a meeting called by the Business Men 5
Society for the Encouragement OF Mod
Grafton" and il was presided over by
Mr.. f. B. Thurbur, who sat upon a
raised platform with the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, Mr.. L. NJ. Bates, of
Bates, Reed & Co.; Mr.. Joseph Scott, OF
Scott Bros, and several other gentle
men. Witha single exception the au-
dience was male. The exception wore
an old-fashiSned bonnet and sat c'ose
up under the platform.
In opening the meeting Mr.. Thurbur
said that it was called for the purpose
of strengthening the good resolutions Of
business men, and especially TO call
their attention 10 the evil Of drinking
during business hours and Of inviting
Others 10 drink. Mr.. Hadley, the So
cietv's Secretary, was then introduced to
explain the somewhat complicated sys-
TEN of pledges furnished by the society.
ain the first place." said Mr.. Hadley,
1--WE have the red ticket, or cast-iron
pledge, which reads (Mr. Hadley read
from a square red card:
81 hereby solemnly pledge my sacred honor
not TO drink, as a beverage, any Intoxicating
LIQUORS for the unbrOken term OF -- from
the day Of - Is
The signer of this pledge, it was ex-
planned, is expected TO wear a badge OF
the same color as the ticket. Then, ="
continued Mr.. Hadley, producing a
white card, "we have the white pledge
for those who haven't the courage to
take the red one. This pledge reads:
81 hereby solemnly pledge my sacred honor
not 10 drink, as a beverage, any Intoxicating IL
quoIs until after the hour Of O'Clock Al any
day during the full term OF -"
The signer of this pledge will wear a
white badge and may eventually be
brought to the peaceful and beautiful
dream of "total abstinence"
The audience was next shown the
"tri-colored pledge" which Mr.. Had
lev explained was made after the image
of the flag .of the mos: highly civilized
nation - France. The 'tri-colOred
pledge" read as follows:
II hereby solemnly pledge my sacred honor
not to drink, as a beverage, any intoxicating IL
duors stronger than wine or beer and these
only In moderation, for the full term OF =.
The fourth and last ticket OF bright
blue color, and read
81 hereby sOlemnly pledge my sacred honor
not 10 drink, as II beverage, any lhtoNlGIuhg IL
uuorS at the expense OiHny other person whom
sOever, nor to invite another to drink, for the
full term of -.
Mr.. Beecher was then invited to adj
dress the meeting. He was received
with prolonged applause, which enthu
siastic reception, coupled with the TACT
that more than half OF the audience
rushed to the doors rs soon as he ceased
10 speak, suggests that perhaps it was
more for the purpose of listening 10 his
address than TO take part in the tenn
perance movement that these several
hundred merchants and clerks assem-
bled. "a vast difference began Mr..
Beecher, "eXists among honest and in
telligent men on the subject OF temper
ance, but there is not the least differ
ence among them concerning intcmper-
ancc. Everybody knows and admits
that il is an evil. For myself, ] have
been brought up in total abstinence
principles, and | am still OF the opinion
that the best policy after all is touch
not, taste not, handle not" This motto
was received with terrific applause
from the corner of the room in which
the solitary female was seated. Mr..
Beccher was not, however, led by the
applause into a desertiOn ofthe modera-
ton platform. He had, he said, OF late
wears learned the taste OF lager beer, and
on few occasions had found it COM
Portable to sleep upon; "but, " he added,
81 am over sixty and have gone through
perhaps as much cerebral excitement
i'm nv time as any man, and | declare
that / have never used or felt the need
of using one drop of a stimulant for my
brain or body. We know, however,
that as the race grows strong in BRAIN
power and man becomes farther remov-
ed from the brute the need or fancied
need of stimulants increases, and so 1t
is almost hopeless to expect that man
will give them up entirely. | wish to
be understood distinctly as being in IA
yor of total abstinence, but hail this
moderation society as being worker
for the same glorious cause OF temper
ance, and therefore hope that there
will be no split between the two par
ties" Mr.. BeeCher then went on TO
prove from a scientific standpoint that
stimulants taken with the meals were
less injurious than il taken at other
times. Passing next to consideration
of the 'no-treating' pledge, Mr.. Beecher
said that he was forced to admit that
the custom OF inviting friends to- social
glass, pernicious as it is, had its origin
in good motives. For all time an invi-
tation to break bread or to feast in ones
house has been the token OF amiCability
and good-fellowship. "Now, a man
cannot be expected to take a dozen din
ners with a dozen friends in the same
day. That is beyond the Capability
of the human stomach. And
so the well-disposed friend says
10 his neighbor, Come and
take something Let's go and take
nip CLaughter). But just look at the
consequence. A man by this system
drinks four times as much during the
day as he needs or even desires. linen,
TO make matters worse, the man who
is treated becomes suddenly hospitable
himself. 1t is horrible. ] ask you as
merchants and as confidential clerks If
this system is not ruinous to business
as well as to your bodies and souls? Be
brave; say that you won't treat, and re,
member that he who gives a cup of cold
water only shall have his everlasting re-
ward"
At the conclusion of his address a
vote of thanks to Mr.. Beecher was pass
ed. and also one to Mr.. Earle, who IS
said to be one of the most earnest work
ers for the cause, for the use of his room.
There was no attempt to obtain signers
to any of the pledges, but the audience
was told that the office OF the society