Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-03-21
The w. C. T. L. meeting in Middlebury

-Hc w =. L. l. meeting in Middlebury
on Saturday, March 8, was interesting.
1t was opened by prayer and reading
Ezekiel iii 1920. This passage of scrip
ture seemed like a commission to speak
against license of the liquor crime. Miss
Phelps lecture is only the beginning of
the warnings which this faithful society
hope to sound forth. Four new members
were received at the close of the lecture
and one that day. A resolution indoors
Ing the stereOpticon entertainment by
Mr.. j. f. Crane was passed to be sent
to Home Guards. Mrs. Bell and her mis-
sion to the prisons of our State was
spoken of. The secretary read letter
from Miss A. G. Park of Bennington liz
yiting the union to secede from the n.
w. c. L. U. and join non-partisan Or
ganization. The letter came under cover
of one from Vergennes lady who seems
to be the chosen instrument to "work it,
in this county. The secretary was in
structed to reply that the union decline
her overtures. An article in the Home
Guards for February pertaining to this
subject was read. The following is a
short extract:
"The work of disintegrating the sew
eral State w. G.. +. US. has begun. In
Vermont, Miss Park has assumed the
task of calling upon our unions to take
immediate action She speaks of "a re-
turn to first principles, and closes her
appeal with: will you now assist in
setting Vermont right? | feel so ash
AIMED to think we allowed our State to be
captured by the partisan element. What
we have now to do is to make an effort
to set her free
"Comrades, beloved, will you take lit
tie backward look with me: Take your
State minutes of the year 1883, and see if
the record of the work compares with
that of 1888. What first principles
have you left out as you buided? You
are more studious, more capable, better
Informed, than you were then. Had you
any such army of children gathered into
the temperance work as you have now?
How was it with the Young Women's
work? Compare the organized bands of
young ladies under their skillful and de-
voted leader, with the few then enlisted.
In these years you have made a systema-
tic and thorough study of hygiene and
heredity. Take as an object lesson to
show your advancement, the county in
stitutes of last year. Had you ever as
good? And not single discordant note.
Almost any one of the seven was as in
teresting as the stale convention of 1888.
Neither is the comparison meant for de-
probation of other years. but you have
grown. You could not be put back to
exactly the carrying out of first princi-
pies, any more than an oak tree could
be pressed into the shell of an acorn.
meeting at Burlington, and stood with
me in the aisle, looking up at the circles
of our workers, the noble superinten-
dents, the devoted county presidents,
and the blessed early workers, and joined
with you in, 'Blest be the tie that
binds she could not undertake this
dividing work. She would say, 60 on
in other states if you must, we will keep
our band compact, so help us Cod
Are you ashamed of your record, dear
w. c. L. e.? If you are, one who knows
and loves you well, is not ashamed, but
devoutly thankful. And there is yet
ln xt.1n
Rutland and Burlington, remember how
the Spirit of God filled the house? How
despite things that might, humanity
speaking, have made discOrd, heavenly
that holy seal, sunder the bonds of our
work? ask you as Christian women.
"But it is the partisan part of the
charge that most needs reply. 1t is
true that the annual meeting has several
times declared its sympathy with the
National party of men-a great and
growing temperance society-that stand
by our principles. But beyond the re-
solutions, no partisan work has been
done. No money from State treasury,
no time by State officers. We did not so
much of partisan work as the Methodist
conference of our State.
"The National w. C. L. L. has done
more to awaken the consciences of men
than all other temperance agencies COM
bined. The fact that politicians are cast
ing up The great bulwark of high license
proves they are yet afraid to meet King
. pun, nd throttlo him,