Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-03

The prelude Of the third lecture of Mr..
Cook course in Boston, was on the sub
iect OF temperance. He took the ground
that drunkenness. except in few inherited
cases, isa vice to be reformed by the church.
The theory that it is a disease is, he said =,
dI5prOved by the highest medical authOri-
ty, and has gono generally out OF fashion.
The system of inebriate ssylums, on which
the United States Obo5 pridcd itself, has
been practically abolished. OF late years
the upper classes have become sober. Sixty
years ago Lyman Beecher attended an
ordination at which sac worth of liquors
were drunk by New England ministers
To-day Mrs. Hayes-whom may God bless
--expels intoxicating beverages from the
Presidential mansion. So far as drunken
ness as q vice leads to drunkenness as
disease, the Church, under the modern
training of theological students, is likely to
know better than ever before how to en-
phasize the truths of science for the warning
of the middleaged and young. Numerous
professorships on the relation between
sciences and Christianity now exist, and
excellent school textbooks containing in
structions on the natural laws OF health in
their relation to intemperance have been
prepared by experts. Science shows that
alcohol has local affinity for the cerebral
tissues, and the great fact that it is brain
disorganzer gives the government the
power to pass laws on temperance. So
far Gs drunkenness depends on open temp
tatlon to it, the interest Of trade and
politics require the shutting by law of all
public doors to vice. and in furtherance
of this work the Church may well put forth
its best energies and invoke the aid OF
woman vote. The financial loss sustained
by the sale Of drinks amounts every IL years
to a value equal to that OF the property
destroyed in the five years of the civil war.
The ministry Of the United States, without
going out of their houses of worship. have
opportunity to reach with the living voice
%, 900 900 people. That is the number Of
sittings in the churches OF this country.
The Church should at least be as stern with
offenders as the law is else the world is not
likely to be deeply impressed with its tenn
persnce addresses. Some of the best women
OF the East and the West are asking Tor the
right OF suffrage on the question of
local option. The speaker was not
woman snffragist-he was meditating on
that theme laug hter but she should have
that right. Her interests are among the
chiet ones concerned and as to family divi-
sions they come largely from temperance
laxness. The speaker read a letter which
he had received from Chancellor Crosby,
giving the results of years work in BOs-
ton, - through the blessing OF the Lord and
81 ,O00," These were a shaping Of public
opinion in tho right direction "a yerte-
brating" of the officers OF the law: forma-
tion of q centre OF law and order, and the
closing of ,739 rum-shops Mr. Cook call
ed down Gods blessing upon Howard Cros-
BY, and also upon Francis Murphy. He said
he had great respect for all such efforts as
Murphy is making because the means he
employees are Just the ones most needed in
cases where drunkenness is no. hereditary.
Personally. he WAS a prohibitionist, and
would always vote on principle against
the liquor sellers might favor.