Year: 1859

you, but by hundreds who afterwards fill
ed drunkards' graves. 1t is based on the
pride and vanity of human nature, and is
as fallacious as it is fatal in its conse-
qences, If persevered in. Uniting in the
temperance movement, in some form, is
now considered an avowal of principle on
the subject, declaration of what your
future life shall be, and is assuming what
under Providence may be a protection
against an evil all are liable to-"


Harry" Nonsense, Frank, you really
are Too serious about it, and talk to me
as though 1 was a drunkard, or nearly
becoming one. There is no danger of that,
l am certain, even if do not parade my
name before the world as teetotaler,
which | regard as at least piece of un-
necessary ostentation."


Frdnk-"That is certainly an original
idea of yours, Harry; but l doubt if you
attach much Importance to it yourself
So far from there being any ostentation,
or anything likely to make you conspicu-
Gus, your signing the temperance pledge
will have the contrary effect. In these
days of total abstinence, and the Maine
Law on our statute book, to refuse to iden-
tify yourself in the movement is to place
yourself in opposition to the spirit of the
age, and TO the efforts of the most estima-
bic and wisest portion of the community"


Harry-"I see, Frank, you seem TO
think light of my objections. | think it
better to postpone our discussion to some
future time, so good day."


Frank" Come, now, Harry, don't
give it up SO, unless you are persuaded
you are wrong. l can not consent TO let
you off on any other terms, for


'He who fights and runs away


May live 70 fight another day.


And as my object IS more to convince
you of your false position than TO refutc
your argument l beg you will have the
matter settled at once and forever"


Harry" Oh, you need not begin tC
crow so quick; assure you, Frank, | am
not beaten yet--in fact | have not mem
toned half the objections l have TO your
system. l think that signed pledge
creates constant disposition to dowrong
/ now feel little or no desire for liquor,
but were / so bound down | am sure il
would produce perpetual craving for it.
for the sake of being free, if for nothing
else; and it would no doubt produce the
same feeling in others"


Frank-"I can't believe, Harry, il
would cause such desire for liquor q;
you imagine; and suprosing it did, sure
ly you have enough resolution to resist
such temptation until it gradually
loses its force and becomes powerless. W.
may sigh and pine for freedom wher
bound by others, against our desire
but the case is very different when W.
voluntarily bind ourselves from principle
A Judge does not incline to be partial be
cause he is sworn to be just; debtor il
not tempted 10 repudiate just deb
merely because he has become bound {,
pay it; nor is it to be supposed that thos
who have entered into the bond of matri
mony ever feel the yoke irksome merely
because they have become bound"


Harry" That is all very fine, Mr.
Plausible; but l consider that if drinking
intoxicating liquors is the gigantic evi
you represent it to be, moral means, alone
should be employed to eradicate it. You
signed pledges on the contrary is an un
necessary and merely mechanical means
of keeping men sober, and is in my opin
ion an attempt at being wiser than God


Whew, Harry these ar
sweeping charges indeed, but let us ex
anime them q moment: We hold it l.
be an incontrovertible truth that we ma,
engage in any enterprise that has for it
object the good of our fellow men; an
that we are at perfect liberty 10 emplo.
any means that does not infringe upo
the laws of God to accomplish our object
Admitting then that the pledge is me
chanicaf means, what then9 Is it wroni
TO uso such means for the benefit Of man
Kind, and particularly where moral mean
have not succeededi Is the signing OF