The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1892-01-01
HIGH LICENcE.

more. In times past, / have ridden all
the various hobbies of the temperance
reform and l rode them so hard that they
all broke down under me; and SO now L
have no hobby horse to ride.
| believe in using every good and prop
er means for the restriction and regula-
ton of the horrible abuse of alcoholic
drinks; and | can but regard it as hope
full indication of progress in the princi-.
pies of real temperance reform that such
a meeting as this is now possible.
We need broad and comprehensive
basis for temperance work in these days;
that all good and wise people, with all
their good and wise methods, may make
a more earnest and united effort for larg-
er success in this great cause.
The mistaken zeal of morbid con-
science will not do the real work that
must be done. Mere prejudice against
anything is not sound basis on which
to build moral character.
The reformer loses more than he gains,
when he goes beyond the natural limits
of the question at issue. Temperance,
purity and all virtues must be based on
the righteousness of God and inculcated
in the mind and heart in accord with the
laws of Nature.
In much of the talk we hear about tenn
perance, it seems to me that the real
question at issue is often very obscure,
or, indeed, lost sight of altogether.
Now, first of all, what is it that We
wish to accomplish, if we can?
Do we wish to Danish all Intoxicating
drinks from the world? Is alcohol SIM
ply a device of the devil and of no good
to mankind? Is stimulation the forbid
den fruit of this life and the cause of orig
inal sin? Is all stimulation sin, or only
that produced by alcohol? Is all stimu-
lation sin, or only an excess of the
same?
What is it we would cure the world
of? Stimulation or excess of stimula-
ton, which is intoxication; or do we
wish to rid the world of every means of
simply cannot get drunk?
If all alcoholic drinks are evil and
nothing but evil in this world, then there
is no temperance in their use and there
is but one thing to do; the evil thing it.
self must he banished, totally and for
ever.
p,It oil iY1i tic rirrh nd
uses, is good, then it is one of the things
which the Lord of Life came to redeem
from the curse of sin and the power of
the prince of darkness. In that case, it
is the alcoholic abuse we have to consid-
er.
Now, the cure of the alcoholic abuse
is the same as the cure of any other evil E;
it is the cure of souls. The cure to be
effected is in the heart and conscience of
the man who abuses it.
A temperate man is one who is self
controlled. He can drink or he can let it
alone. He can drink and not get drunk.
He knows the proper use of stimulation
and will not abuse it. With the help OF
can live in the midst of temptation and
not be seduced.
Such is the standard of Christian man
hood. All true temperance reform must
aim at that; all other effort is worthless
Evil is part of the moral experience
of This life. Every soul is made subject
to the power of temptation, in Gods
Providence and it is the glory of man.
hood and the beauty of womanhood that
we learn to love all that is good and to
hate all that is evil and to overcome evil
with good.
God, no doubt, might have made a
creature that could not get drunk; but it
would not have been man. The Crea-
tor might have kept man in a garden,
shut in by high board fence, where he
could not have found anything to get
drunk on, but He didn't.
1t is said that every country produces
a stimulant which was intended for the
good of mankind and hence it is claimed,
that these stimulants are used in accord
ance with natural tendency which be-
longs to the economy of Nature.
1t is estimated that chickory is used by
40 millions of people; so millions drink
cocoa 300 millions use hashish 400 mill
lions take opium; 500 millions drink tea ;
600 millions use tobacco; 800 millions
drink coffee and 900 millions drink al
coholic beverages. Moreover, it is well
known that many kinds of ordinary food
are more or less stimulating. Indeed,
anything is stimulant, (which produces
an increase of vital activity in the organ
ism, or any of it's parts.'' Stimulation,
in medical phrase, is san exaltation of
organic action.
The temperance question, then, can
hardly be made a question of stimulation
or no stimulation. As matter of fact
in some degree are necessary to the health
and happiness of mankind. The natural
inertia of the physical life must be over
come. The WEAKNESS of toll and the de-
pressing effects of heat and cold the I'M
healthy conditions of many necessary
occupations the exhaustion of disease
and the decay of age; the misfortunes
and cares of life, all seem to call for in
creased vital action in the human system;
and stimulation within certain limits is
both necessary and wise and good. 1t is
both scientific and benefcent to give a
man a stimulant when he needs it; and,
it is wrong to withhold it from
him when he does need it.
The wise man said ssGive strong
drink unto him that is ready to perish
and wine unto those that be of heavy