The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-12-15
What 1 Think About Temperance.

| ribbons are TO De seen too on the coll
lars of nearly every man and child we
meet. 1t is good thing no doubt to
be temperate. 1t is undoubtedly an
excellent virtue, and 1 am in favor of
the cause. 1t is certainly good for
those whose appetite is Unsuitable once
they taste the soul-inspiring drug. |
never heretofore thought there were
so many of this class in Ridgway. L
never thought the ladies of our town
needed the restraining influence of II
pledge. Too bad, there are so many
ladies and gentlemen whose appetite
for stimulating beverages is so un-
manageable as to require the curb! We
will henceforth, [ am sure, have a
sober town. No more drunken men
and women. l believe temperance is
also good for some young men who
may he exposed to the danger of con
tracting the opposite vice. Our land
lords also profit by it, the converted
bummers now pay as they go for fear
they may be exposed. But the ques
tion arises in my mind, are we all
obliged to sign pledges? Must all be
bound to be temperate? Does the
Divine or human law oblige us to be
absolutely temperate? have read the
Scriptures from cover to cover, from
Genesis to the Apocalypse, and can
find the moderate use. of wine no.
where condemned. On the contrary,
st. Paul tells us, "a little wine is good
for the stomach" | have never
found any obligation in the human or
Divine laws to be totally temperate.
Does science condemn the use of
stimulant? Far from it, on the con-
trary, wine as II restorative, as a means
of refreshment, where man has to
struggle with days of trial and sor-
row; as means of correction and
compensation where misproportion
occurs in nutrition; and as Il protec-
ton against transient organic disturb
anccs, is surpassed by no product of
nature or of art. Why then this con-
|
ON compulsion in many cases. of all
indiscriminately, young and old, to
bind themselves by pledge? Many
indeed know not the nature OF the
obligation they are about to contract,
or have contracted. TO many | be-
lieve Il pledge should not he given for
! the simple reason that they are too
weak-wil,ed to persevere i'm its fulfil
ment. 1t is 50 serious an obligation
that no man should bind himself by
it except after cdrcfW uRL cool dcLib-
| Grafton. 1t should tLen not he taken
| in Il state of excitement. The length
of time for which IL person binds him
self or herself should be expressly
understood. 1t should never be given
to children not having arrived at the
age of reason, for they understand
not the nature OF the obligation, and
to administer it to such is an outrage
oil common Christian decency. How
many of the latter class have signed
the pledge of late in Ridgway? While
/ admire the virtue and the motive
| Il believe they mean good) | must
condemn the mottus Opcrd,,tti Of our
late crusaders.
The though sometimes arises in my
mind, having constantly heard moth
ing but temperance lately, that it is all
that christianity has to offer poor sut-
fering humanity, that temperance is
in fact christianity, body and soul,
root and branch. Are there not other
virtues that would make up as bright
Il gem in Il nIortal's crown us temper
aucc? Are there not other vices as
sinful and wicked us intemperance?
| Why not raise crusade against
blasphcmy, intidelity, divorce, and
immortality, which latter is for Il well
known fact, sapping the very lile's
blood of society and filling our lunatic
asylums with inmates. l make this
assertion above board, and without
fear of contradiction, with great profit
too, there might be a crusade raised
against injustice, and probably we
would not have so many bank robber-
les, &C., by which thousands of poor,
industrious people, are swindled out of
their hard-earned savings. A great
many of those who have defrauded
the poor by downright robbery were
high up in some good temperance
christian union.
AS long as a man is not deprived of
his memory, will or understanding he
may drink all he pleases and never
violate the laws of God. Not so aOitll
other Vices. The slightest act OF
blasphemy, of injustice, of immortality
or intidelity to marriage vows, &C.,
&C., is Il direct sin against God, and in
many instances so grave that it cries
to Heaven for vengeance. Why not
raise a crusade against those vices.
Witness the number of applications
for divorce all over the country, on ac-
count of, in most cases, infidelity to
marriage VOWS, and this too, by par
ties pretending to be christians, men,
bers of some good church, and prob
ably temperate people, wearing blue
ribbons, who would send man to
perdition for taking a glass of beer.
| This looks a little 1)h0riS0tc(,L IN Sov