Year: 1859

nave you Dech Since iass On"


Framk-"I am very we'll l thank you.
am just going down to our lodge room'
and wish with all my heart you were go
inc with me. We were talking when We
last met of your joining us-have you
como to any decision on the subject yet 2"


Harry" Well, Frank, l can assure
you have thought good deal on the
subject Of temperance, since last saw
you, but am as far from decision as
ever, and perhaps moro indisposed TO join
your lodge, or, in fact, sign any temper
ance pledge. TO tell the truth, number
of objections have started in my mind
against it, and until l am satisfied they
are without foundation you will have to
do without me-"


Frank-" Indeed, Harry, am very
sorry to hear you say that"


Harry-"I In fact, l can not imagine
why you make such fuss about temper
ance. II appears to me that if you would
only consider the matter, and were not
carried away without reflection, you would
never commit such egregious folly"


Frank-" Why, Harry, am really
surprised at you! I thought you were
almost persuaded to be Good Templar,
and here you come charged to the brim
with objections TO our doctrines, which,
after serious thought, you style 'egregious
folly Now, have thought somewhat
about the temperance movement, too, and
as l have arrived at a conclusion the very
opposite of yours, l should like very
much to hear what those veighty objec-
tions are, and perhaps shall be able to
assist you in removing them"


Harry-(Smiling) II think there is
much more danger Of my shaking your
opinions than you mine. The first OBJ
lection | have to join your lodge, is, that
l am temperate already, and it is not at
all necessary for me to join; there is no
utility in it; SO | am better as am"


Frank-"Oh, is this one of your fatal
objections? To me it seems very trivial
If you do not need to join for your own
sake, which / will not admit, at least
you must feel some interest in the welfare
of your relations, friends and neighbors,
or perhaps your example may influence
some poor drunkard and be the means of
saving him from ruin. We sign the pledge
or join the lodge, first, for our own good,
secondly, for the good of Others"


Harry" But l can do more good
without signing the pledge, or joining your
Good Templars than with. If l join |
shall be viewed as partizan. Now l
can mingle with those who drink, induce
them to abstain, and thus keep in with
both parties"


Frank-" Indeedl Well, that is
something rich, and sounds very plausible
indeed, but it can't be carried out in prac-
tice. If you do not say boldly you are
a teetotaler, you will be considered mean
and unsociable, by your associates, when
YOU refuse TO drink with them; and if
you do drink, your efforts to induce 9TH
ers to abstain will come with very bad
grace, and will not be likely to produce
much good, as your sincerity may well be
doubted. But as you have only tried
one side of the question you are there
fore not qualified to judge. Many per-
sons have lived for years with these prin-
ciples, who now admit that they have
accomplished more good in one month af
ter they joined than they ever did before.
If you would induce Others to go forward
in good work you must go forward
yourself"


Harry" You are right there, Frank;
perhaps 1 am not in a position to judge
fairly on that point, but l believe tho act
of pledging to be wrong; men should be
governed by principle, and not require a
pledge to guide their conduct"


Frank-"We are not talking about
what men should be, but what they are.
Pledges are necessary in variety Of trans
actions. For instance, you buy horse
of your neighbor, you understandingly
pledge yourself to pay for him at a given
time. If you are entrusted to do a job
Of work you do not think it wrong to give
your pledge to finish it by certain day.