Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-04-12
WkMpRtAMEg.
MORAL SUASION AND
PROHIBITION.

any alcoholic drinks. Circulate the to-
tai abstinence pledge. Strengthen organ
izations of reforming and reformed men
and women. Never cease work for drunk
ards. By every agency of enlightened
Christian philanthropy seek to reclaim
the fallen. and to help those who have
turned from the evil. Pray for the
drunkard and the dunkard maker. Teach
them to pray. Persuade them to seek
renewal and strength in Christ. Show
them the shame and the sin their lives
are given to- Win them to feel the joy
of holiness and the glow of faternal SYM
patty. Give the children and youth
systematic instruction concering the
evil effects of alcoholic drink. At home
let parents. in school and college and
university, let wise teachers, by exam
pie and lesson train their children and
their pupils in ways of self-control, and
instruct them in every branch of the
Temperance reform. Sunday schools
and churches should lead the forces that
battle with drink curse. All these meth
dds may be included in the term, moral
suasion. They embody as far as they
operate, prevention and cure. Every
man or woman who really studies the
whole subject understands that all these
agencies are essential.
Meanwhile there are other forces to
be employed. Suppose. reader, that
your boy is brought home drunk. Your
boy not neighbours not street Arab,
but the dear, favored child of your pray
ers, and hopes, and tolls. You love
him, and would give the best of your
life for him. You agonize in prayer
that he may reform. Tender, sweet,
holy persuasion that Christian parent s
heart dictated, you continually employ.
Yet, in spite of your pleading and tears,
he steadily goes down the drunkard'a
way to ruin.
You learn who sells him the liquor
You beg the liquor seller not to sell
your son any more. He might dare re
ply, but he would mean: So long a.
your boy can pay for his liquor, ant
makes no trouble on my premises he may
have all he wants.
You induce your boy to take the pledg
and he joins a Reform Club. Anc
by the garce of our God, he gives him
self to Christian life. But taste 0
intoxicating wine at the communion ia
BILE, fierce craving for drink, an invit
ing display of liquors in a parlor, or
respectable" licensed dram shop. in
moment of weakness may be too stron
i, for him, and he yields; he becomes
: drunkard again. The liquor seller fur
nishes him drink again and again in spit
of your pleadings and your tears. Wha
will you do? If you have good sens
and are determined to reclaim your boy
you will demand Law to prevent the lie
uor seller supplying him with drink
!, That is prohibition. That is legal sus
sion: that the streets may be made sa
, for your boy and others, weak and temp
ed. Many man with bleeding hear
and, stern purpose, has been forced
demand legal suasion for the safety {
his son, for the peace of his home. VIVA
you would do for your son for the peaa
of his home. What you would do 70
your son, you should be glad to do fo
your neighbours son for any home ours
ed by drink. Give up moral suasion
No sensible man or woman who is real
working to destroy the drink curse. eve
thought of it. No intelligent prohibition
=, ist ever did give up moral suasion. BIZ
as fast as reformed men, as philanthopi
Christian men and woman, become rea
" ly intelligent concerning the whole SUI
= ject, they acknowledge that moral SUI
sion must be supplemented by legal SUI
sion. The Temperance Reform imper
lively demands steady, wise use of bot
:, forces. No sensible person ever thoug
=, of securing property interest from thew
by moral suasion; by preaching al
prayer and precepts, merely. N
can business and homes and schools al
- churches be protected from the destru
y tive agencies of the drinking system,
~ pledge and prayer and preaching alor
Moral and legal suasion are lndespens
~ bic in the warfare against appetite, gr
:, and custom that uphold the drink cur
~ There can be no success in this contt
without total abstinence and prohibitie
80 Req. Geo. II. VSibbert.
I'd
On WHAT BREWERS THINK