The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-12-11


thought to which | wish to call your at
tention on this morning of Thanksgiving
is the progress already made toward this
uch-to-be-desired contamination,
|. with the exception of the gospel a
comparative pause has come to every
other public question: and this. of saving
the world from intemperance. has the at
tcntion as never before. Whatever the
sectional bitterness, inherited from old
and retreating issues. the country is unit
ed as never before at least for gem
erations, and probably as never before.
There is not single issue which runs a
clear line of distinction between political
parties. In business circles there is more
of pause than for many wears; the few
err of wild speculation is largely abated.
Machinery has vastly multiplied the
worlds leisure.
2. Dillused education cultivates and
equips human faculties, as never before,
Tor the solution of any practical problem.
Not only are common schools open to
girls, but colleges and highest UNIVERSE
ties as we'll Educated women increase
the audience before whose qulckened at
tention and trained faculties public ques-
tions must come, at least in the forms of
reason and conscience.
An increased proportion of boys are
equipped with liberal and technical
training. A jury of practical men and
women is being trained to discover from
afar any agent of destruction. Our age
is practical. Books are kept by double
entry. Policies long held are changed
in twinkling when there is plain occa-
sion.
A vast accumulation of recent, special
knowledge is directly helpful to the
temperance reform; the sins Of the
fathers proved to be visited upon the
children of the third and fourth genera
lions; alcohol, as a medicine, almost
wholly dethroned; nearly every improve
ment in the science of human existence
brings new and important revelations of
ravages by alcohol.
3. The worlds best pursuits lead di-
rectly to the temperance reform as indis-
pensable to their further progress. Rail
way end steamship corporations of Chris
tendon will soon be cOmpelledsby self
interest to copy the example of the Chi
cago, Burlington and Quincy railroad.
with its more than 1000 miles. and every
one of its 10000 operatives required to
be total abstinence in practice, whatever
his theories. The great host of life in
surance principals and clients is in the
army of temperance advocates to some
valuable extent. No drunkard can Sc
cure policy. and moderate drinkers, or
even dealers in alcoholic liquors. when
not drinkers, are Disseminated against
by many companies.
The worlds army of good Samaritans
in city lanes and prison walls find out,
all too readily, what causes and mocks
at their toll. The vacant faces and IN
natural eyes of insanity and idocy are
eloquent upon the same theme. Modern
enthusiasm for physical vigor is not pa
tient with It's chief destroyer. The cold
figures of arithmetic set the loss in dol
lars and cents caused by the liquor traffic
over against all income gained by licens-
ing it. The church feels more response
bility for living problems and finds her
best work steadily baffled by traffic
which uses the Lords day as its golden
opportunity and stains both body and
soul with usts.
/. Recent events. in most significant
quarters. are sure and encouraging cyl
dences of progress in the work of rescu-
ing the world from alcOhol's rum.
In the pastoral letter ISSUED BY the
Archbishop and Bishops of the Catholic
church of the United States, ut the close
of the Third Plenary Council held in Bal
timore in December, 1881. is an appeal to
Catholics for the love of God and of
country. never to take part in the dram
traffic nor to continue or patroniZe it,"
This appeal is the echo of formal DEGREES
adopted by that council and forwarded
to Rome for the Pope's infalible sanction,
which will not be withheld.
In America alone the Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union is an organiza-
ton 1000 strong and that organization
is fast betting the world. At the in
stance of this organization thirteen of
our sovereign States, nine of them since
the last national election. have enacted
compulsory education rules for their
common schools. An unceasing galaxy
of leaders. in every noble walk of life put
on record their whitening Judgment
against the business of dram-selling and
its commodity.
The last encouraging feature of the
stream of progress, to be mentioned now.
is its eddies. Eddying waters are not
lost. They soon merge in the on-rolling
mass. The dram traffic dies hard. Too
many wicked interests thrive by its aid.
Government recognition. by excise taxes,
gives it standing. and has brought inn
mense capital to its support. Political
parties court its alliance. What wonder
that it buys legislatures and city councils !;
that it boycotts honest trade which dares
protest against it-that it has IA corrup-
ton fund to pay its agents in all the
length and breadth of the land-that il
maintains newspaper organs in its inter
ests-that it burns homes and mutIlates
the dumb animals of temperance apos-
ties; or that, here and there. legislation
may take Il backward turn. These. and
more like them, are the price of any re-
form--nay more, they are sure signs
OF its progress.
Brethren and sisters, We may know
something of these eddies. There may
be signs of large one within our Dor
ders; but be of good cheer, Look out
and around upon the whole field. The
army is mastering, the field is clear.
Heavens sunlight kisses our banners
with loving benedictiOn ;the last hundr ed
years of slow preparation have gathered
an onward momentum, through both fail
ure and success, which hastens the day
of emancipation.
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