Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-05-25
Wednesday Morning, May 25, 1881.
A NEW TEMPERANCE SOCIETY,

Wednesday Morning. May 20, 1881.
NEW TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.
| Church Temperance Society has been in
| existence 10 the Church of England for sew
| eral years, and its labors have been attended
/ with gratifying results. On the 18th of last
| March the formation of such a society in the
Protestant Episcopal Church of this country
was unanimously agreed upon at public
meeting, composed of both clergymen and
laymen, held in New York city. A commit
| tee, comprising some of the best known
| clergymen and laymen in the Church, was
formed, and after much careful consideration
and after taking the advice of prominent
1 churchmen in various parts of the country
| organized the society and adopted consti-
| tuition
The society is to be called s'The Church
| Temperance Society," The s'basis of the
| society," recognizes temperance as the law
of the Gospel, and total abstinence as a rule
l of expediency in certain cases, "and fully
and freely accords to every man the right to
| decide in the exercise of his Christian liberty
| whether or not he will adopt said rule. " ''Su-
| preme above all Others the committee say
/ @NOOSA~O
| through our Lord Jesus Christ, as the means
/ by which the reform of the Incorporate is to
| be sought We therefore recommend to the
members of this society daily prayer for the
| Divine blessing upon our labors." AS sec
| ondary means, they adopt systematic teach
| Ing on the physical, social, and moral evils
| OF 1ntemperance, by means of sermons, lee
lures and the press; the formation of dio-
cesar and parochial societies on the general
plan of this society and in affiliation with it
counter attractions; the promotion of coffee
houses, workingmen's benefit societies and as
sociations, reading rooms, with social gath
ering for amusement as well as instruction;
total abstinence from all Intoxicating bever-
ages.
The presiding Bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States is
ec-0bfcio President of the society. The Vice
Presidents are to be those of the Bishops
who are willing in this way to express SYM
pathy with the objects of the society, and
those laymen who shall be elected at the an
nual meeting of the society. Fourteen of
the Bishops have already accepted appoint
ments as Vice Presidents There are also to
by the Executive Committee. The manage
ment of the society is to be in the hands of
council consisting of the President and
Vice Presidents, the Executive Committee,
and one clerical and one lay representative
from each diocesan branch. Tie Executive |
Committee is to consist of clergyp.en and
laymen in equal numbers. A declaration of
Iyit1, he oh of o%1 o1
the payment of So year will entitle any
person to membership. And the same dec
laration and the payment of $100 will entitle
to life membership. Persons contribut- |
ing not less than $500 will be entitled patrons
of the society.
For the use of diocesan and parochial soci- !
cites the committee have prepared forms, |
which, however, are only intended to furnish |
suggestions, as it is their desire that the full
est liberty of organization shall be left to the |
several branches, provided the general prin- |
ciples of the society are maintained. In the |
parochial societies any person over Is years
of age may be admitted to membership upon
subscribing to one of the pledges The Off
GERS of the parochial society to consist of
president-the rector of the parish-a vice
president, secretary, treasurer and a committee
of twelve. 1t will be seen that membership
in the general society requires only subscrib-
ing to the objects of the society, but to join
one of the parochial societies pledge must
be taken For this purpose six pledges have
been prepared adapted to the requirements
it is believed, of everybody. The first pledge
is that 81 will, by the help of God, which I
will seek by prayer, abstain from all intoxi-
eating drinks, except under medical order or
for religious purposes" The second is "to
abstain from all intoxicating drinks in public
houses OF bar rooms.'' The third says moth
ing about drinking. but is to- do my utmost in
the name of the Lord Jesus, both by exam
pie and precept, to promote the objects of
the society," The fourth is ''to abstain
wholly from the use of intoxicating liquors.
except under physicians order or for sac
ramental purpose" The fifth is to ''abstain
wholly from the practice of drinking intoxi
eating liquors at public bars or anywhere
when I am alone" The last, s'neither to
treat nor be treated, whether in public in |
private, and never to indulge in solitary
drinking" Each pledge concludes with the
sentence ''This promise is to bind only SO
long as retain my card of membership in
this society"
The Presiding Bishop of the Church, the
Right Reverend Benjamin B. Smith, will, it
is said, send out an address this week setting
forth the Importance of the movement and
calling upon the members of the church ev-
erywhere to engage in the work of the soci-
ETY.. Much may reasonably be expected from
this new and powerful, and also temperate,
attack upon intemperance.