Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-22
North PoWnal.

1891, we called public attention to an or
ganization which was TO be an expert
ment in our community; not intending,
however, that any one should infer by
this that we then received the idea at its
first inception. Since that time, al
most every Christian church in the State
had already an organization of the Y. p.
S. G. E. OF what we then said in view
of this movement we shall recall nothing,
and now allude to it only by way of OBJ
servation, that the experiment on our
part is not yet abandoned, fact in itself
to be esteemed an achievement in the re-
ligiOus history of our people. But to
save this expression from an appearance
Of irony and to enlighten strangers to
whom these presents shall come, "Be
it known" that we constitute a village
in Southern Vermont; which fact, with
previous knowledge of the political
characteristics of the inhabitants of that
State, will sufficiently imply that changes
anywhere among its people, introducing
innovation in religious methods and
ideas, must, on that account, be of slow
growth and of uncertain duration. And
to obviate an unfair inference which
might arise from a casual comparison
with some of our neighbors, we may add
further by way of extenuatiOn on our
part, that if our shire town possesses an
excess of enthusiasm, to which the 10th
of August yearly supplies a safety
valve" if her public institutions are
more numerous and imposing 1--WE mean
to include among her ''public institu-
tions" the jail and opera house, if her
religion is more vociferous, if her culture
is more varied and her manners more
antique, the picture is unfinished unless
also we add its complement, that this
town has, also, more saloons, more Sab
bath dissertation, more lawless violence,
more miscreants, more cranks and more
sports in proportion to population,
than even North Pownal 1--WE leave out
POwnal in this comparison, because that
viciniage, by act of the Legislature was
transferred to the jurisdiction of Massa-
chusetts) We choose this style of COM
parison and this form of illustration be-
cause the relative conditions of good
and evir' in society can better be ascer-
tanned in this way, than by observing
only one side of the dilemma. We are
aware that wrong inference is often
reached by overlooking in externals facts
that lie beneath the surface. Because
saloons exceed in number the churches
and school houses of place, we must
not infer therefrOm that its "drunkards"
are more numerous than its worship
ers," before we first visit the churches
and religious gatherings and learn what
proportion of its people are there.
Those who frequent saloons are seldom
churchgoers: and men and women who
are regular in their attendance upon Di-
vine worship are not often the patrons
of drinking houses. 1t may be that the
saloon has its place, just as the topper
! has his place in society, and the mimi
mum of evil from the use of strong
drink will be reached when we succeed
in keeping the saloon in its place. That
result society will best accomplish,
through its ordinary Legislative channels,
by giving a proper regard to all of its
complex interest and necessities. The
moral aspect of temperance as virtue
when intensified into a religious senti-
| lie Il tlHyt hn oh
their correlated institutions in the legiti-
mate and organized efforts. That work
belongs to them and not to the State,
which they are to accomplish tn :ough
the human conscience, in the same way
as Roger Williams insisted in regard to
the moral keeping of the Sabbath Day.
The true balance between evil and good
in any community can be ascertained,
not by observing only the number of its
saloons and their patrons, but also by
observing the number who attend its
churches, and by learning how effective
are their influences in training and
strengthening the consciences of their
religious votaries. Their Office is not to
! join IN "hue and cry" but by their
own peculiar and quiet Christian ways,
instill true principles of action and cen
duct into the hearts of men. Therefore
the moral conditions of North Pownal
need not be hopeless one so long as an
organization like the Y. z. S. G. E. main
tains even a continuous existence among
its public institutions. Nor shall the
strength and efficiency of the temper
ance sentiment in Bennington be ascer-
tanned by noticing only those who join
the clamor of the "hue and cry'' against
saloons, etc., without taking into &C
count the power of its churches, ETC., in
instilling into the hearts of the people
true principles of temperance living.
A communication from the eastern
part of the town, said to be an express
sion of the popular feeling there concern
ing the town system, is printed below.
1t is to be hoped that the people are not
looking at this matter through the eyes
of prejudice, owing to an unfortunate
affair that happened recently in that part
of the town. The correspondent says:
| GUTown meetinp heinO close at