The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-14
A CHARGE
OF Sensational
Order
MADE IN CLINTON
Rev. A. NJ. 0sgood Says
Rum Killed Many Soldiers.

Mr. Osgood charged that a large pro-
portion of the deaths during the late
war, in some of the regiments We're
due to the use of drink. He made this
statement largely upon the authority
of Chaplain f. L. House Of the Fifth
Massachusetts, and particularly
charged to drink the responsibility for
The large numbe. of deaths in the
Ninth Massachusetts, of which Com
Rany X of this place is a part. This
is regarded as almost directly a charge
that large proportion Of the deaths
OF Company X (which suffered more
heavily than any other company in
the regimenD We're the result of the use
of liquors, and hence the sensational
interest with which the sermon has
been received.
The title OF the sermon was an
nounced in the papers, yesterday as
why | believe in total abstinence for
the individual and prohibition for the
town 1t was understood that the sub
Ject would be discussed strongly. At
1880 o'clock the church was crowded
Mr.. Osgood took for his text, Mat
thew vii:l2, Therefore all things
whatsoever We would men should do
to you; do We even so unto them. for
this is the law and the prophets"
Before the text was announced Rev
MT. Osgood asked the congregation to
sing hymn dealing with the subject
OF lntemperance. Choir and congrega-
ton sang with great spirit four verses.
OF which the following IS one:
Mourn for the ruined soul.
Eternal life and light
Lost by the fiery maddening bowl
And turned to hopeless night.
Mr.. Osgood then said that. having
ascertalned that it was possible for
any person to obtain liquor in Gin
Ton the person was not living up to
the spirit of the Golden Rule who did
not endeaVor to prevent this tenlpta-
ton being placed before other men.
The use of Intoxicating liquors
said the speaker, 'impairs health ana
strength in times of peace and m
times OF war; among civilians and
among soldiers
Quoting from Chaplain House. he
said: ~
There is no doubt in my mind that
me sale of Intoxicating liquors has
done more to contribute to the sick
ness and death and troubles Of camn
Ire than all other things combined.
Quoting from the same source. he
Went on; In fact, / haze been told
py the most trustworthy source. that
the great disaster and deaths that
came TO one Of our regiments-and you
-i'S' " iiiSh iSS4iilcil lndI 3S---MdS due.
not to the fighting in the trenches of
santiago. but to weakened condition
ana disturbance of the stomachs of the
men. brought on by the use Cf intox-
lcatlng liquors before arriving in Cuba.
which, with the extreme neat and ex-
posture, brought fever to many men.
All the language Of this last quota
ton is the language Of Chaplain House.
except the words land you know which
regiment, which are the language of
Rev. Mr. Osgood
The responsibility for this" said the
clergyman. rests not so much upon the
soldiers who patronized the army cam
teen as upon the officers who tolerated
the canteen in the camp
Mr. Osgood then referred in terms of
praise to the action of Col w TT
hreps of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania
in refusing the offer of an association
Of brewers to furnish beer to his regi-
ment' and to the fact that Sir Horatio
kitchener would not permit his SOL
diers to use liquor during the Egyp-
tian campaign
Soldiers have no need to use LIQUOR
and what is true of soldiers is true of
any class Of men in any line of BUSH
ness. No man in any business WHO
drinks is worth more, but is always
worth less
He closed the sermon with a general
inquiry If. from a financial standpoint.
the sale Of liquor is profitable. and the
special inquiry, IL the sale in Clinton
is profitable
He said: There is a very practical
class OF men in Clinton. who ask if one
knows how much money comes to the
treasury of Clinton from the licenses.
These men say that if we don't license
Il men at $1,000 each to sell liquor. we
Will have to put our hands into our
pockets and pay that $4,000 ourselves.
q To- to. /. -
$4,000
The advocates of license, Mr.. Osgood
said, reminded him Of the man who
endeavored to keep u strong wind from
blowing away his dimes and his
nickels, while the wind whirled his
greenbacks out of the window. I'm
Clinton he said handouts and gin
go together.
He closed by appealing to every per-
son present to stop the traffic in elm
ton by voting for no-license, and to
victims of the habit to be saved by
faith in Christ
He announced that within brief
period copies of a pamphlet dealing
practically with the question ''Hov to
carry town for no-license." would be
ready for distribution
In an Interview with the Clinton cor
respondent Of The Spy. Rev. Mr. Osgood
said that, in his opinion the sermon
was the first blow Of an earnest effort
that will be made to carry Clinton for
prohibition this spring. He said that
little later union temperance meet
ings would be held and various meas
ures employed to create temperance
sentiment He said that in the words
you known what regiment that is" he
meant to refer to the Ninth regiment
and he asked particularly to have it
stated that ] do not blame the SOL
diers because they drink, but the Off
GERS. whose discipline made il possible
for them to obtain drink"
Rt Rev. William Lawrence bishop
Of Massachusetts, visited the Church Of
the Good Shepherd today AT the morn
ing service he administered the rite Of
confirmation to large class and made
touching and interesting address
after the laying on of the hands The
morning sermon was preached by the
rector Rev. Victor NJ Houghton A
large congregation was present and the
sermon was one Of unusual interest.
not only to the class. but to all of those
in attendance. The following CON
stituted the class: Mary Ellen Lee.
Fanny Cynthia Ellis. Evangeline
Greenwood Ellis. Bertha May Thomp-
son, Alice Isabella Williamson. Ina
Bertha Barrows. Lucy May Barrows.
Alfrida Katrina Kramer. Mary Ellen
Johnston, Lizzie Hannah Owens,