Year: 1878

|


In entering upon the important duties of this Office
I wish to saw while nv field NAV appear limitless


yet it must of necessity be very limited and while
| feel nv utter inability to do the work devolvinc
upon me- yet feel eomplimented by the preference
thus shown me- and the confidence nv brothers and


sisters have reposed in me and before entering upon


these duties, will pledge YOU that what little OF
time and talent and influence / may have, shall be


used TO further the cause we have espoused, and


which is dear to every one of the Sons of Temperance
However, that the world may more fully under.


stand u.s. will give some of the objects and aims Of
our society While we shall wage a ceaseless war.


fare against the use of Intoxicating drinks in our
midst our weapons will not be hatchet and hammer.
and with conduct not very unlike the inebrate him
self march into those sinks of iniauity forsaken by
God, women, and respectable men, and apply these
indictments of destruction TO the receptacIe of the
venomous worm and subject ourselves to the insults
of the ebauchee who feouents tbes. baunts of vice
even though we might have cause to rejoice that
mother earth received the fiery serpent into her bosom
unharmed, and threw n mantle of charity over its
deformities Neither is it our purpose to institute
crusade. The combined presence of the sluices of
tobacco spit. bad whiskey. and unprincpled men.
would seem to render the place unfit for ladies and
prayer God forbid that we should ever cease to
pray for the DOOR unfortunate trunkar and his FAM


y; but is our faith in God so weak and in ourselves
so strong that we must be driven from our closets
where God has promised TO hear and answer us. to
the filthy confines of the saloon,


While these are not orr purposes. dear friends
hear with me- and will tell Won what are so,, os our
purposes. Mt least The monster is in our midst and
we must meet the enemy face IN face Tn conouer or
he copouered il the question. And notwitbstand;np
what have already sad. some valuable members of
sciety are lost to all that is useful and when once
bitten Inv this sernent seek its nresepce far the sole
purpose of being bitten again. Ave worse this fell
DESTROYER crosses the tbreshbold Of many a bannv
home and snatcbes from the loving embrace father
husband. son and brother Irpon the nrinc;nle of
strength in unon.- we have combined ourselves to-
,etber to the more effectually throw a nrotection
around the vounp man. n mothers hone. n fathers
ioy. sisters pride. We will seek him ont and saw
IN him ,r;va,alv and kindly .youu, man vou do
not know n motbers anguish. nor sisters wounded
nr;de as sbe hears in upiertoncs .ber brother ia
druntar5,- n sban he our aim IN bu,t ont sucb
and sbovr them that evil and notbiny but evil ca,
urovv ont of spcb life a dsprace IN their friends
and sbupned bv all youny ladies whose society is
worth the having. and whose future bappiness il n
part of their present contemplation.


We hone. too. through the instrumentality of the
mystc ties of our own noble order, he able to in
iuee even tbose who have grown pray who carry the
sipps Of the red nose and boated face
wbore dimes have been taken from his own family to
rear fine houses and furnish costly apparel for the
rumseler and his family to forsake his ruinous prac
tice and make home where no drunken father stig.
matzes and b,iyhts the homes and of daue
ters lovely and beloved and no drunken husband
ever blancbes with shame and sorrow the cheek of
her whom he has sworn bef,rc God In lave bopor
and protert