The Portland daily press., 1881-03-21
Very Intemperate Temperance.

10 the Editor of the Press:
Your correspondent Friday denies the state
ment of Prof. Swings excellent journal, The
Alliance, that the temperance men who have
replied to DR.. Crosby's lecture, were intem-
perate in their language and unduly excited,
and closes his communication with an extract
from the Independent. I do NOT remember
seeing any such statement in that paper. but
for the benefit of your readers and especially
your correspondent, make some additional
extracts from the Independent, all issues of
the present month:
The manner in which some of the adyo-
Gates OF total abstinence are dealing with DR..
Howard Crosby on account of his Boston lec-
ture, shows zeal, but is immensely lacking
ailKe In good manners and good sense Some
OF them would max , first-class prosecutors"
The Rev. W. M. Thayer in the National
temperance Advocate says, that a man who
drinks wine is thereby SO prejudiced that he is
disqualified to translate the Bible. 'Dr. Cres
~, ne says cannot be trusted to translate the
Bible with an unprejudiced mind'- Non
sense!
When DR.. Crosby made his attack on the
total abstinence system the Star and Covenant
said the reason was, that DIR. Crosby himself
was drinking man. For this statement it
had no proof, but simply imagined and then
asserted it. Now we know whether or not DR..
Crosby is total abStainer, but we won't fell
the Star and Covenant. 1t is none of its bust
ness to pry into DR.. Crosby's private life. 1t
is enough that it knows that he is distn
gulshed champion OF temperance and his pri-
vate life must be presumed, there being no ey
ldence to the contrary, to be consistent with
his public professions That he is a lover of
drink, in the sense indicated by the Star and
Covenant is presumably contemplate SLAM
der"
After publishing three abusive letters which
prominent temperance men had sent to DR..
Crosby, the Independent thus refers to one of
the writers:
"He wrote intolerantly aud he did this
not wholly out of the depths of his own lust
and burning hatred of drunkenness, but be-
cause he had imbibed false, :. asorous and in
tolerant notions from better E, ucated men. who
ought to have taught him better"
In addition to these rebukes of the intoler-
ance of temperance advocates, the Indepen-
dent, while favoring the pledge and total alb
stinence, says:
Our position in reference to Dr. Crosby's
Calm view of temperance" is Just this: that
DR.. Crosby is teetotally right in his ridicule of
those who pretend that the Scriptures definite
ly forbid moderate use of wine, and in his
rebuke of those who undertake to make it a
damnable sin to drink wine abstemiously
Inc christian Union has very appropriately
replied to some of the abusive attacks upon Dr.
Crosby. Not long ago you published one of its
excellent articles in your columns. The Chris
tian Mirror of March Il, thus remarks:
we are sorry to see the personal abuse that is
heaped upon Chancellor Crosby because of his
late Calm view of Temperance in Boston,
We do not like the sentiments of that address,
but we know that DR.. G. is not rummy nor
wine bibber. Pity that men cannot dissent
from the views of another without vilifying
him.
am glad to find myself in substantial accord
with such reliable and influential journals as
The Independent, The Alliance, The Christian
Union, The Christian Mirror, and scores of
others. The cause of Temperance has suffered
much from indiscreet advocates, and it has
most unfortunately happened that against some
oil these Incorporate zealots final resort to the
courts has been necessary for the protection
OF person and property. B.