Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-03-10
w. C. T. u.
WHY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NEEDED
In TEMPERANCE WORK.

|
Who runs may read. Consequently,
very society, every organization.
ms to fill its ranks with young men
I'D young women. Not only are they
needed to take the places of the older
| nes. VINO, in little while will have
,assed from the stage of action, but
| ecause of the faith and enthusiasm
! hat characterize youth and early life.
| Herein lies the reason why so many
churches demand young preachers
Invariably they bring to their charges
a surperabundance of courage and OPP
timism. No matter how difficult the
| field, no matter though dozen older
and experienced men have failed to
bring things to pass there, these young
| fellows always paint, IN fancy, glow
ing picture of the wonderful result of
their labors. Not having struggled for
ten, fifteen, or twenty years against
the Indifference, the faithlessness, and
the pessimism which obtains to a
| lamentable extent in far too many
churches. but which is especially de-
dressing in nearly every rural commu-
| 1ity, the young minister brings to his
ask spirit of hopefulness and ardor,
which has been chilled, perhaps frozen,
in the hearts of his older colleagues.
It is fortunate that this is SO. for not
infrequently men have actually RIDDEN
to success on waves of faith and enthu
siasm. Many a church, many cause,
moribund, paralyzed, have sprung into
newness of life by the infusion Of
youthful blood and youthful vitality.
happily the temperance movement
appeals, very forcefully, to our young
people and their services are easily en-
listed Within a comparatively few
years the leaders in this cause have
adopted many new and wiser plans and
better and more effectual methods of
work. At one time 1t was supposed
that it's most important province was
among the adult male classes. Hence,
It focused it's efforts almost entirely
upon men.
The fallacy of this, however. soon
became apparent. The magnitude of
the task of reforming men upon whose
shoulders rested the chains of habit,
welded, perhaps, by years of indul-
gence. was realized. Then the light
broke in. The nation must be re-
formed, if reformed at all, through the
rising generations. Upon the children.
the men and women of tomorrow, the
TEMPERANCE cause fixed its hopes. Let
them be taught the principles OF sobrl-
ETY. and right living; let the harmful
effects of alcoholic liquors be I'M
pressed upon their plastic minds; let
their eyes be opened to the bllghtlng,
blasting power of intemperance lead
them into the army warning against
king alcohol, and the work OF retorma-
ton would be complete.
The day that the new and brighter
vision burst upon the view of the tenn
perance forces marked new era IN
their history. While it has never re-
Taxed it's efforts to reclaim men and
women, it has bravejy and boldly gone
! into the realm of childhood and youth
to educate and enlIighten along it's own
specific lines,
A few generations have passed
through the training process and, 10
what a marvellous transformation has
been wrought Gradually the attitude
toward intemperance has changed until
TODAY the rising generation is its sworn
! enemy, ready to fight it tooth and
nail.
Young people are needed not only
because of the inspiration they BRING
to the older ones. but because OF the
fact that their children will soon be
| the teachers. physicians, nurses.
statesmen. judges, w-makers, voters.
In their keeping will rest the interests
1
tant is it that they may be men and
women of the highest type.
Some one has said (and who will DIS
pute it?) "The training of child
should begin twenty years before It's
birth" Then to make the coming
| generations pure, noble, true. means
that the future mothers and fathers
must now be taught the great respon-
sibiIity that is theirs. Their progeny
| and alcohol should be carefully eX-
| planned, since the taste for the accur-
sed stuff may be inherited.
Let the temperance forces build q
wall around the parents of tomorrow.
| It can be done by tactful and wise in
struction.
Again, young people are needed IN
temperance work because of their in.
! fuence How this silent, unseen force
J is moulding and shaping human des
3 tiny! Every life that touches another
is either helped or hindered. If only
the influence of the young people car
be directed Alright. scores of lives vii
be blessed and frightened and led into
the Kingdom of Heaven.
Still again. young people are needed
in temperance work because. as | have
already said, they will be the voters
tomorrow. both the hoys and the girls
for equal suffrage is only a question
of few years, and if the effects Of
alcohol upon their own bodies and upor
their unborn children are clearly under
stood, they will vote it out of the state
and nation
Victor Hugo says: "He who has
seen the misery of man only. has seer
nothing; he must see the misery O.
. woman; he who has seen the misery O
woman only. has seen nothing he mus
see the misery of childhood.
The father drinks and the light O.
intellect is snuffed out in the brain O.
the child. The father drinks and thu
child shivers through the streets in tn,
rags of penury. The father drink
and the child, terror cursed, cover
and cringes in the corner The fathe
1rIpkc and tho IpC,1ici fioy liuoc in III.