Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-06
SCIENCE or 1NrEMPERANoE.
An Interesting Lecture by Mrs. Hunt OF
BoSt,n.

An Interesting Lecture by Mrs. Hunt OF
Boston.
Mrs. Mary Hunt, OF Boston, representing
the Christian Temperance Union, delivered
two addresses in thls city yesterday, one at
the jackson street church In the forenoon on
the subject of the religious and moral claims
of temperance and one at the Opera house
Yesterday afternoon, her theme being the
sScience of Intemperance." In both instances
large and attentive audiences were present
and the subjects were treated in an able and
exceedingly eloquent manner.
Below ia an abstract of the services at the
Opera house.
The services vera commenced by singing
'!All Hall the Power of Jesus Name" followed
with prayer by Rev. DR.. Dana. Mrs. Mary
Hunt, of Boston, was then introduced by DIR.
Dana, who briefly stated the object OF her
work and mission.
Mrs Hunt commenced her address by
stating that the present was an age of humane
ideas. The broad view was alone the true
one, as compared with other ages, this was
prominently an age OF new doctrines. Inc
new doctrine had worked its way down the
dark ages opposed by passion and ignorance
of warning factions,
There never was q time when the subject OF
al mems veal was so powerful as to-day.
Selfish ambition and greed still lived, but their
power was limited. Russia is writhing under
the scorn and contempt of chrlstendom,
England was being taught good lesson
by the friends of Ireland, and even
Egypt was about to liberate her age. Our
nineteenth century philanthropists, searching
after Causes, see the monuments OF good work
ON eve hand. The question Of how to pre-
vent causes is what the humanitarian Is
graphing with to-day. lie beholds, with
the love of humanity In his heart,
institutions for the blind and idiotic and
asylums for the inebriate. Searching for
causes he sees that most of the evil Is attrib-
nted to the influence of the saloons. Going
further in his investigation he sees poorhouses
and hospitals. Again seeking for causes,
he sees that poverty and sickness Is largely at
tributed directly to the saloons. Proceeding
still onward, he sees another institution OF
the present day, the police court. Again look.
ing fer causes, he sees that ninety per cent. OF
the vice and crime of the age is
The vital issue of to-day concerned the solu-
ton of this great evil. OF fifty millions of
people, not one believed in drunkenness. 1t
was the great question of to-day; it threat
ened the government, and struck at the re-
hgion of Christ itself.
Mrs. Hunt then spoke of the terrible results
of intemperance. She alluded in eloquent
language to the pernicious and widespread be-
lief that little alcohol was good thing. In
this connection she illustrated by analYzing a
glass of the best beer. The charm OF beer, she
said, was in the captivating presence OF al
cohol.
A glass of the best beer contained from to
10 per cent. of alcohol, without which the
most devoted patron of .Gambrinus could not
be induced to drink it.
Science showed that alcohol created a ficti-
tious thirst and sucked the vitality from the
tissues and poisoned the system. Wine was
mocker, and science showed in what respects
it deceived.
Decision of character or frmness of will
had no power to resist the tempter OF drink.
God had made the brain to be responsive to his
own still, small voice; to culver and pulsate
with every tender emotion and passion; the
brain required water, and the thief alcohol
sucked away its sustenance and put
ruin into the mechanism that was
the seat of consciousness itself.
Gods law was that.of total abstinence; written
in the blood, the brain. the water. Alcohol
had been described by an eminent scientist as
"Satan In solution The brain was largely
composed of water, and alcohol was thirsty
for matter and thus covered the brain.
For the fiscal year ending June S0th, 1881,
the sum of eighty million dollars had been
paid into the treasury as taxes on liquor. This
amount represented the destruction of char
aCtcT duu iOSS vi ulduuOOu, Ouly Gudt, Uut
it represented a heritage OF disease to unborn
generations Eighty million of taxes for IL
quor aud.hardly healthy woman in the re-
public. The vices as well as the virtues Of q
people appeared in the legislatures of rebub
lie.
In Illustrating this remark the speaker re-
ferred 10 a visit to police court, where she
had St en- man tried for drunkenness. He
had bought the liquor at licensed saloon; it
had beeu legally huugbt legally sold and le-
Gally drank; which made the case one of legal
drunkenness. Reference was then made to
the power of drink in cOrrupting statesmen,
legislatures and politics Allusion was also
made to the power and influence Of the press.
which the speaker described as beng the eX-
act reflex Of public sentiment.
In alludiDg to the evils associated with the
emigration bureaus of the New York and the
east, the speaker demonstrated how the ignor-
snt foreigners were made the plant tool Oh
designing tricksters and demagagues who
frequently packed caucus with such material
for 81 25 ot whisky. A glowing tribute was
paid to the public school system as offering
the means for reform of intemperance. What
was wanted was better intelligence concerning
the laws Of hygiene and physiological books
that should teach that alcohol was deadly
poison. When taught that alcohol was
equally az poisonous as strychnine a boy
saloon. Upon the conclusion Of the address
DR.. Dana asked all in the audience in favor OF
placing textbooks on hygiene and physiology
in the schools and having lessons on the de-
.trllctive influences OF alcohol and tobacco
become a regular part OF thu school cOrricr.
lum, to signify it by rising. Wherenpon the
entire audience rose to their feet. This con-
eluded the service.
A Thing If Reaufv