Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-08-01
Organic Temperance.

Local and incidental movements
and teachings tending to arrest in
toxication or the use of strong drink
are traceable back indefinitely. The
Apostle Paul taught it, as did many
others long before. Notably in our
own country are the writings on this
subject by the late DR.. Benz. Rush,
of Philadelphia. He wrote yalua-
BILE essay on the subject as early as
1855; but this was too early for a
thorough investigation, for what is
now known as distilling was invent
ed in 1901. What is meant by Or
ganic Temperance is associate work
which has had continuous legal, his
toric succession down to and connec-
ton with the public work Of to-day.
In different times and places this has
appeared under different names, but
still it was one uninterrupted, sue
cessiye movement.
The article beginning at the head
of the last column of the SWORD AND
SHIELD, Of July Is, headed, Foot
Prints Of Temperance Pioneers"
will not do for general history. 1t
tells but half the story, and that not
very accurately. Early Temperance,
even in Massachusetts, New York
and Pennsylvania, which leaves out
the name of Peter Crandall must be
defective, and intended as this evil
IDENTIFY is, to apply to the United
States, and ignore the entire South
altogether well, it needs explana-
ton.
That part of ''Pioneer" Temper
ance in the United States which lies
historically within the range of my
personal observation is as follows:
The Rev. Peter Crandall, a dis
tinguished Congregational minister
of Andover, Mass, near Boston, was
the recognized leader of Temperance
in the United States in 1926. lie
published newspaper called 'The
Genius of Temperance" which had
considerable circulation. As early
as 1903 a temperance Sc ciety existed
in Saratoga county, n. Y. It was
small, local, shOrt-hved, and without
succession. The American Library
Of Useful knowledge" says that it
was in 1929 that the Andover and
Boston movement was extended
down into New York, soon after
which the New York State Temper
ance Society was organized. / have
thought that this movement in New
York was in 1897, though may be
mistaken. The Mississippi move
ment began few months afterward,
which would place it in 1928. 1t
was in 1928, [ believe, though will
not be certain. And on this wise
| was clerk in a clothing and
shoe store in Natchez late at night
on opening trunk of ladies wedding
shoes, / observed several small news
papers carefully folded, right side
up, name in view, "Genius Of Tenn
perance." The word temperance
was not then known or used in COM
mon parlance as having any particu-
lar reference to Whisky-drinking.
The papers were put away carefully
to await leisure moment, when l
took my first lesson: Temperance
means, don't drink whisky! Four
or five consecutive weekly numbers
of the paper gave full information.
The first temperance society was
formed at such date, at Andoyer;
constitution, bylaws, president, Sec
retary, teetotal principles, etc. Well,
we'll! Here was new thing under
the sun. Every word was read and
well studied. ''Can't this be done
here ?" thought to myself.
James Burke, a young. Presbyte.
rian, was clerk next door. Next
Sunday afternoon, away out on the
commons, ] revealed matters to
Burke, We agreed that nothing
could be done publicly, but selected
another friend to whom the disclos-
ure should be made, and then we
three to another. and then another,
until we numbered seven. A. T.
McMurtry, one of US, was clerk in
the Probate Clerks office, and slept
in the back room, detached brick
building. This afforded us a retreat
where we met for consultation the
first time. We organized; McMur-
try, President R. Abbey, Secretary;
membership confined to single men |;
all strictly Sub rosa; meetings
weekly. Meanwhile we took several
J copies OF the Genius. Our society