The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-10-01
THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.

address by sohn j. Cornell, OF Mendon,
n. ". Delivered at Friends Meeting
House, Fifteenth and Race Streets,
Philadelphia, Fifth MO-, IIth.
1856, af the Annual Confer
eDce Ofthe Yearly Meet
ing's Committee on
Temperance.
The Conference held by the joint Com
mittec of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting on
lntemperancc, on Tlird-day evening, Fifth
month, II, 1886, i'll Race Street Meeting
house, was one of tho largest meetings
ever held in that house; every available
seat was filled, and a large number were
standing.
The plan of operation adopted by the
general committee five years ago was to
have the members on it from each quarter
ly meeting form a branch committee, and
TO ask the quarterly meetings to appoint
committees to cooperate with them. Near
ly all the quarters have done this, and
some have appropriated funds to aid in the
work. Brief reports were received at this
conference from all the quarterly meetings,
showing in almost all of them increased
interest and labor during the past year.
Following is a report of the address de-
livered on this occasion by John j. Cor
nell, from photographic notes by DR.. II.
I. Child:
All great reforms AVE their small be-
ginnings, their different stages of growth
until they reach completion.
The beginnings are usually the presen-
tation to the public mind of the right of
the reform. The next stage may be called
the necessity of the reform, and lastly the
use of the proper means to make it effec-
tual.
Thu first two stages are ofnecessity edu-
cational-a few minds convinced that a
practice in any community is an evil, or it
may be a single mind, finds a necessity Of
bearing a testimony against it. So far as
they may convince others of the right of
the reformation they operate upon other
minds. This is the first stage in its growth.
lniS Has Dttu tit Cast IL ali SuOCtSsiu
reforms. 1t is equally true in relation to
this great subject which has called us to-
gether. | apprehend that so far as this
audience is concerned, we have passed the
first and second stages, II are prepared
to meet the third, and to answer the ques-
ton, How shall we eradicate the. gigantic
evil of intemperance? In what manner
shall We concentrate our efforts to effect
this object? There are three lines Of
thought presented to the public mind to-
day, as the means by which it is to be
effected, and | propose to present to you
my thoughts in relation to these different
methods.
Tho first is that which is called moral
s~uasion, the work of individuals to con-
vince others of the need of abstaining en-
tirely from the manufacture, sale or use
as a beverage of all intoXicants.
This is in fact really an enlargement of
the first stage of the reform. 1t has been
regarded by some as the only proper means
in which society can engage in this work.
1t has long been regarded as emphatically
the work of the church to use this method
for the Advancement of mankind, and for
the remoya of all evil. | acknowledge it
to be a truth that we should endeayor so
far as we can to influence others and bring
them under the government of Christ with
In them, and through that government en-
ahlo +1,a,n fn oopfpol oil tbn anpnfitac md
passions of human nature, and when this
is lone our object would be effected. Put
such a scheme is not practicable; there are
individuals continually being brought into
being who have to go through the necessary
stage of enlightenment, and the church has
not yet the influence over all the family OF
man sufficient to operate upon them so as
to produce the results desired.
Senator Blair, in addressing a temper
ance convention laid down this formula;
''The clements of moral reform to be sue
cessful must be confirmed by legal enact
ment.'' When | heard the remark it
struck me forcibly, and have given it no
little thought, and am satisfied that it is
true. Looking at the history of the Soci-
ETY. of Friends | find this to be SO in rcla-
ton to all reforms in which they have
been engaged, for instance, the subject OF
slavery.
First a few minds became convinced
that to hold human beings in bondage and
deprive them of their rights was wrong.
These bore their testimony against that
wrong, endeavoring to show that it would
be right to give these slaves their liberty.
This reform grew until the body of the
meeting became convinced of its truth, and
| of the necessity for the Society to abolish
slavery within its borders. This was fol
lowed by an enactment of your own yearly
meeting first, by which its members were
required to liberate all their slaves, and tc
abstain from all traffic in them. This
could not be lone until the reform had
gained sufficient strength to enable the
body to back it by legal enactment, in or
der to have its full effect.
The same thing is true with regard tt
the temperance movement, and it has re
suited in the establishment of discipline
making it a disownable offense TO be in tn,
habit of using intoxicants.
The same principle will hold good Will