Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-26
Two Views ofDrunkenness.

To the Editor of the JoUENAL COURIER:
 At the annual meeting of the General Asso-
 citation of the Congregational ministers of
 Connecticut, held at Middletown in June
 last paper was presented by the Rev. Dr.
 Todd of Now Haven, entitled ''Drunkenness
 Vice not Disease,'' in which the reverend
 essayist expounded the philosophy of drunk
 enness in a manner which, to many, brought
 welcome relief from the sickly sentimentalism
 so prevalent in many quarters in regard to
 ''victins of the terrible scourge." After
 brief discussion the paper was endorsed by
 the association and ten thousand copies were
 ordered printed and distributed at the ex-
 pense of the Congregational churches of Connecticut. The theory of drunkenness
 thus promulgated for Christian guidance was
 widely at variance it's author confessed
 with the prevalent opinion at the present day." Indications are not wanting that it
 will continue so at variance for some time to come. To very many who had reason to
 suppose that they had made the matter 8
 subject of earnest thought to some purpose, and who withal are not given to senselessly coddling the drunk ard as the helpless victim of somebody else's | crime, the dictum of Dr.. Todd seemed to l the last degree harsh and uncharitable. In | fact, had this theory not been put forth as distinctively and avowedly Christian, it would have seemed to them most conspicu ously unchristian. The doctrine of Dr. 1 Todd's paper would seemingly absolve all right minded people from anything like per 1 sonal solicitude or personal effort in behalf | of the drunkard, for he lays 1t down as an | opinion that confirmed drunkards, except l those otherwise insane, drink only of free consent and choice that to the last as at | the first, they are able to resist the craving for liquor; and that so to the last their drink l ing is only of the depravity and never of the l helplessness of their wills. He says, to quote l his precise words: sI consider it certain
 that the great multitude of common drunk ! ards could stop drinking to-day and forever | if they would, but they don't want to and 1 they wont. Aside from the acknowledged 1 difficulty of permanently reforming drunk ards, doubt whether, as class, if they could
 be reformed, they are worth the powder | The drunkard is poor creature, not only | when he is drunk, but when he is sober. No doubt their worthlessness has been greatly l increased by indulgence in vice, but it existed from the beginning.
 sDrunkenness merely develops and mani fests natural traits and infirmities. The man | who beats his wife and children when he IS drunk is the man who, before he was drunk,
 deliberately preferred his own self gratifca- | tion to their happiness. There is no conf dence to be placed in such 8 mans profes- sions or manifestations of love to his family. 1 All QrunKArQS are 1ncOrrlg1Die nars 1ney are snivelling, slobbering, slavery, sappy,
 and this they call-love! I tell you that the men who really love their families don't l get drunk. Drunkards invariably have some weak streak, some radical defect, some screw l loose, some moral perversity. I don't think much of drunkard timber.
 eff there is any relieving feature of the l case in regard to drunkenness among us 1t is that, as war among barbarous tribes, so in l temperance among civilized nations is 8 great provision of nature, by means of which an I immense amount of worthlessness is elimina- l ted from the. human race, and the survival of 1 the fttest is secured. By the provision that reduces by two thirds the increase in the 1 families of drunkards, nature has secured | the obliteration of the worthless breed"
 Thus much as showing the an1mus or Dr. l Todd's paper. That theory of drunkenness based upon such premise should be formu- l lated by New England divine IS perhaps 1 less matter of surprise than that 1t should | be formally adopted and officially pronauI- | oated by General Association of Christian I ministers.
 l7 And new we have twenty eight page l pamphlet from another New England divine l evidently not having the fear of Todd in his | eyes, in which the logic of the reverend doc l tor is handled as mercilessly as it had previ-
 ously handled the drankard. The pamphlet 1 is from the press of the Case, Lockwood &
 Brainard company, 1883, and is entitled t.Drunkenness Curse, not Blessing,
 review of paper by Rev. John E. Todd on Drunkenness Vice, not Disease" by
 Connecticut pastor. And the pastor certain