Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-01-11
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dinatiln v)ws which ought tn cover tenn
re-ance as well as all other kin Is Of IT.
linpss and rthprs thr he htd intro lus"d
sch SIN in'o the church w i,ming IN ont.
silp society And the pIor plstOr. self
di>irnsifnl az nsnll. wert rornd wi h his
head bowed like hulrush. vain'v hemotn.
ing his Inability tn un 10 the work of that
pn'hutsil tic impulSe.
It was when the hard cider. which AL
wavs proceeded appl,.. trk. perrvl and
'her wnll known compounds at the
Thanksgiving fesrIvals u those days WIS
passed first tO he minister. who refused
it with painful fl1~h that he added TO his
tremuous denial the phrase so familiar to
his hearers:
ut was the greatest mistake Of my
| life "
How a mistakePn said one present,
who. hnv ng recently returned to his
home which he had lpf, during the excite.
mpnt of The temperance mnvenent, was
not acquainted with the present ion
in public sentiment. ~ remember hear
ing yon say. plrson, that when you put
your signalure TO that pledge it WAS the
happipst moment Of vOnr life, and that
Won felt as thongh vnur influence with this
people would he rednnhei nv this act"
Did saw thrt? Wall, I WIS rxci' ed
and an husias,ic. II WIS gred mlsrake.
have lost all my ind lance the b ~ pso-
pie don I come To the service rs they used
to. nv elders are estranged. and ! fear
there will he trouble in the church before
we are through with this thing
"Whv not put an end to it then, and
break that foolish pledge once fr al ?"
aid his host. courtpously Offering the
Thanksgiving cider.
Il have gwen my word" said the
nas or. family but FIRMLY; mars word
is as good as his hond they say. and The
pledge of minister Of the II ,ly Glspnl
ought to he rs s,crnh ss the immntIb
word Of J"hov III himself. Fjrg We my
seeming discourtesv; | am Piled gel 10
total abstinence rs long as nv life shall
lrst. an thouvh the promise he u foolish
one. Col helping me-. IN keen it
or course. courtesy forbid that more
should b" said; he conversation drifled to
aher things; full Justice was done 10
'u,keys. pies and her good things, and
dinner being over. the )mpanv all Durnpd
20 the seld IN used &" best room where
here were NUS and apples more hard
older and plenrv Of New England rum,
then. at the " glopming,' horses were
hitched" " and the whole company set
forth towards their homes.
The minister was III at ease. He had
mi crirved those Thanksgiving festivities.
His sing ,ariiv had. he felt. thrown what
;s familiarlv known "a a wet blanket npon
he company; his Influence with those
vonng pnonle was gone; they woplI no
niger look upon him as "A GENIAL. friendly
nistnr. on whose cvmpa'hv they might
depend. as he attempted TO draw them into
he fold and The eld, r men considered
MIN "a an enthusiastic fanatic whose dq-
ment was unreliable. Somehow in spite
nf his morning sermon on 'hn text. I'm
every thing give thanks" the PASTORS
Thanksyiving htd not vet hngun,
"A he neared his home he preceivod
some dark Object 4 rcctly across his own
front dor anl hasfening on to see whit
il c,ul1 he. fonnd = cart. which two roroh
looking men were hrsv in unfolding On
The top fine turkey, attended nv two
pairs of fat chickens, all prepared for
rolsting. and sure to keep in this 90,
weather Then came three barrels of ap-
,los. GOLDEN fall pippins and SDi'z 'nhnrgs
md B ,ldwins hard AMI sound for w nter
use. Next came Ave hnahpls Of po' rnea
and underneath Law in sqnerp ended logs,
laf a load of o )od hard firn-wood
"It's present. plr4On. from the neoDle
'nwn to the mills" said one Of the men,
s having fnishPd unloading, and pnt all
the thing. where the minister's one servant
suggested. he first becamn aware of that
gentleman himself "an' I was ter sav.
| hn nrfl
hat its Thrnks9ivin' present 'c,n.e yer
got the men to sign the p'edgo Y see
we was that given to the drink that we
didn't have nohin', not hardly pnongh TO
put in the babies' months, an M shoes
mr. nothin' nice TO send the childer 10
Sunday school in. and nv onld 'Domrn
md me- we felt bud ahOnt It. because in
the ond counh hrv thev always went to the
school where the gPnthrv was, regular,
m whin the temperance spaknr crme
plong. Mike, that's the bhoy that lives
forninst me seq:
"'PM' srz he, if ye'll soign the pledge
| will shure'"
"Tnin. sez |, No shnre. | wont, ths is
a free conn'hrv. an if the rich men is free
to dhrink their wine an their cider. I'm
free to have nv whisky mn NV rum,
Shure.' But we wint to the ma'in'' and
: when we saw vOu parsNn. stip up an
: sign the pledge, Mike sez:
90 Thar. now. Pat, there's one Of the
genthrv signed away his ihor,v. inst TO
>et an example for sure the minister isn't
fond of the dhrink, so lets Won an me SIGN
tOO;' an we did. an we g)t lots Of other
y fellers in the mill Ter sion. too. We've all
KEEP our pledge, for we're lacpnt ppop'e
. from the north. an we'd bp ashamed to
,, 90 back on orr word, an somehow the
moneys stuck to us iver since The homes
, look clane an tidy now. and the childpr's
cot enough to ate an nv ould 'Oom n
, thought it would he nice lika flr rs all To
put together some q our Sqvins an send
We a Thanksgivin' present, 'r,nso we'd
never "a signed hut for you"
"Mv dear fellow, I am very mrch
= obliged" said the impulsive minister,
touched in his innermost sensihliies
, = but do know any of von, are vpu nv
people, do v0u come to ray church,"
{ 1--WE didn't uSe to 90 ter mae'in' much.
3 we men went to the tavern Slndlvs. and
! the women staid at home an clarod M
But we were we'll hr night mn At home,
D and af'her givin' m drinking we GOT Ter
e thinkin' q the old times an somn on ns
e have tended pretty reglar. yer might =
d. seen nS all together in the hack seas.
4 But it's a long wav ter come, n nattor ri
!. over two miles. an the wmir an children
= can't walk so far; besides we haven't al
!, cot COOL clothes tO come among qont'e
e folks. So we thonght If we might ho 90
Y bold, we'd AK yer to coma over somatime
Il an preach to us in the drvin' rnor, If 4
" Sunday afternoon; the ovprseor soz we
K nav have the nse of it, an we bhovs will
J. fix no the seats.
;. "Comei nf course I will. every Snnday
u aft 'rnoon. If Won want me-" said the pas
e tor. his Thanksgiving anthem swelling nr
d at this opportunity for extended work in
u his Masters vineyard AMI he kent his
It word, finding most attentive and dnv mt
n congregation, trained in the rovoren
e churchliness Of the Scotch PRESBYTERIAN
II ism Of the north Of ireland He wen
y again and again. and God greatly blessed
'i his ministrations. pouring ont larg