Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-05-06
THE TEMPERANCE MEETING.


THE TEMPERANCE MEETING.
The union temperance meeting held at
the Congregational church last Sunday
evening was refreshing service, being an
honest, straightforward dealing with the
great question from different standpOints,
without the introduction of those side is
sues which often swallow up the real mat
ter of interest.
Rev. c. O. Day, through whose efforts
the gathering was brought about, presided
over the meeting. The service opened
with the reading by Rev. +. W. Sprague
of part of Pauls letter to the Ephesians,
followed by prayer by Rev. A. II. Webb.
In his Introductory words Rev. Mr. Day
spoke of the need, even in a town of such
high moral standing as is ours, of constant
vigilance in the great matter of temperance
and the need of stirring each other up to
greater activity and better appreciation of
the vastness of the question in our own
country and the whole world. He urged
the need of harmony Of action and inter
change of strength, and the bringing to
bear every influence to save the boys and
young men from the danger of which the
world is so full.
The first speaker intro luced was Hon.
J. NJ. Tyler, who spoke of the general
features of the temperance law of the state.
He traced the law through its various
changes since 1850, when the right to sell
liquors was restricted to the selectmen of
the towns, with fines imposed for the viO-
latiOn of the law, until the time of the en-
actment of the present law, with its penal
ties of fines and imprisonment, which was
described at some length, with an explain
nation of some of the terms used and of
certain interesting provisions. prohib-
itory law against any crime has always
proved a failure so far as absolute restraint
is concerned, but in the restriction of the
liquor traffic prohibition has in great meas
IRE proved effective making both liquor
selling and liquor drinking unpopular. A
marked change has taken place in the gen
eral condition of affairs within the remem-
brance of many, not one open bar to be
found now in any hotel in this county
where formerly every inn boosted one. In
closing the speaker said he sometimes
feared that good people, whose earnest de-
sire is for the destruction of the evil of in
temperance, abated something Of the Wig
lance they ought to exercise and relied up
on the law to accomplish all.
Rev. +. J. Parry, the next speaker. pre-
scented the gospel side of the question. He
pronounced the drink habit and traffic not
like slavery, an evil which could be eXter-
minated by proclamation and legislation,
but personal matter, so closely interwov-
en- with mans nature that the struggle to
subdue it will be long and hard. Moral
suasion and moral uplifting alone can do
it. The sale of liquor may be restricted
but the destruction of the habit must come
10y rOusing the better and nobler side of
man : nature. The wonderful change i'm
public sentiment in regard to this habit
which has come about in the last 40 years
is encouragement for hope for the future.
The call of the hour is for work along re-
ligious lines. The great principles which
underle the temperance movement are the
fundamental principles of Christianity.
and the heart and hand of every sincere
Christian should be in the endeavor to eX-
tend the temperance agitation. The drink
habit is one of the mightiest obstacles in
the way of Christian progress. The true
Christian should be a total abstainer.
Principal Horne was called upon. and
gave it As his opinion that every good per-
son and especially every educator of youth
should be found on the side of temperance.
He referred to meetings of the same ma
ture as this which he used to attend in his
boyhood days and whose influences had
been rarely strong and helpful Some sta
tistics were given, showing the immense
sums Of money wasted every year through
intemperance. Other means than legisla-
tive action is needed to work a cure for the
evil, and most important one is the edu-
cation of the young. A long step in the
right direction was the act which made
compulsory the teaching in the public
schools of the effects of alcohol on man,
physically, mentally and morally. To
successfully bring about any great reform
wise men do not choose those of mature
age, who are always ready with counter ar
guments, but youth is chosen and trained
up in the nurture of the new teachings,
and having imbibed the spirit of the move
ment they are ready to bring about the
great changes sought. Here is the strong
est, safest ground upon which to build the
hope for the future.
Rev. +. l.. Phalen added a few strong
words of approval of what had already
been said, expressing himself as heartily
in sympathy with the movement. He be-
lieved the time would never come when the
force of the pulpit is not needed in back
ing up opposition to evil in every form.
He emphasized the need of work at home
and the continued watchfulness and unit
ed effort of the entire community against
the common foe.
1t is understood that other meetings of
similar character will be held later on. and
the movement is surely one to which the
the entire community can we'll afford TO
al haa mi agf