The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-01-27

grandly In this direction by teaching
tie boys the principles of total absti-
nonce. They are not allowed to sign
the pledge until they can do so inteli-
gcntly. "a - p I
i Thus far / have spoken only Of Jail
work, and this especially interests only
the Unions In those towns where the
jails are located, but h ,re Is a branch |
Of the work which should enlist the ac-
tive interest and cooperation of every |
individual Union and worker In the
state, viz; Alms-house visitation. Al
most every town in the Commonwealth
| has its poor. house. Some of the in
mates are brought there by misfortune
for which they were in no ways to
blame, and they are the proper object
of our tenderest care and sympathy.
| But without doubt by far the larger
number are brought there by tlives of
dissipation and recklessness. Intern
perance and sin in other forms has
blunted their sensibiliies aud deformed
their bodies, so that they nre but the
! recks OF what was originally dlc tied
/, in the image of God. But they la G
} souls for which Christ died, and as
} Christian Temperance Women of Yer.
mont can we, dare we, let them die
like the brutes that perish, without
4 one effort to carry TO them the offer OF
8 salvation? earE
!. Our poor-houses are always situated
Q remote from churches and the public
y means of grace, so that the inmates
o could not avail themselves of them II
r they wished, and alas, too often they
IS have no desire to do so. Persons in
l. charge of our poor houses are employ
!, ed to care for their bodies only, and
} get what work the inmates may be able
t to perform, but there is no provision
e for their spiritual welfare. am aware
5, that In some places alms-house vista
r ton has been practiced by Christian
is Association workers, but in by far The
'e larger number of our alms-houses, the
l. inmates might as well live in heather
II land as in christian Vermont. ] know
= that In the past this has not been al
l. error of intention, but of thougbtless
!. ness. The inmates of our poor houses
l. are to most Of MS "Out of sight out o
IS mind" But / ask the w. c. I. Z. o
J, Vermont, shall it be so in the future
II This is an open field for Gospel TEN
/ perance Work, and should be occupied
= by earnest workers. Let me urg,
70 every Union to take it up. Go to thu
o1 alms-house, one or more, on weel
ct day or Sunday, as may seem best; asl
Is permission of the superintendent; gath
le or the inmates about you, read care
L. fully selected passages of scripture, ex
plain and make personal application o
er the offer of mercy through Christ to thu
~ penitent sinner, and 10 matter how
in degraded the object, show him by re
to pentance and laying hold on Christ h
In
such labor of love will bear fruit. ]
of you do not see the evidence of it, vol
ar will have discharged your responsi
n bility. Such visitation would be
as priceless boon to those on the verge @
or the grave and to the young and profit
y gate who may be there Temporarily
4 :; might be by the blessing of God, III
means Of reforming lives bliehted b
z. intemperancc and other forms of sill
no l would urge you to pledge those {
y, whom you have hope that the pledg
3. will not be broken. AS you becom
lie acquainted with individual cases an
or needs, ways and means will suggel
ds themselves to earnest workers. N
It's fixed rule would be of universal appl
IL, cation.
by In large proportion of our Unior
re the active work is done by few, BIT
~ this field will furnish ample scope ft
CHI those who complain that the Temper
'r- ancc Unions do nothing. Let them 81
re on example worthy of imitation. Ma
ne we not hope that the coming year wi
Cd show greater vigor in this branch {
lis the work of the Vermont W. B. T.. u
mt ion, and may your committee anotht
at year have to report glorious achiev,
IL nents for humanity and religion.
lat Mrs. SARAH G. Cole,
r Superintendent