Religious and educational aspects of temperance / by various authors.

Date:
[1874?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Religious and educational aspects of temperance / by various authors. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    moderate drinker and the voluntary abstainer. Many of us could drink moderately if we chose, though we prefer to abstain for the sake ol our fellow-men. (Prolonged applause.) I dare them to say that their con- duct is nobler than ours. Our conduct is the conduct of Christ and ol Paul and of all the martyrs and the host of men who have borne testimony by self-denial and self-sacrifice for the sake of others from the be^innin^ until this good hour. Let the question be fairly stated, and there caiTbe no doubt as to where the nobility and betterness is to be found. “ The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath : it is twice blessed : It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes : ’Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown : His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings, But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings : It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God’s When mercy seasons justice. Consider this,— That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy ; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy.” (Loud cheers and prolonged applause.) Votes op Thanks. Mr. Samuel Bowly : It would not only be bad taste, but bad policy, to attempt to keep this meeting at this late hour. I think we have had as much food as almost any of us can properly digest, and what I desire is that those who are here should digest that food, and ask God to give them light upon their judgment upon it to-morrow. Every man who drinks says to all around him, “ Drink is sale and drink is proper.” You cannot escape the position of exercising an influence by your example in some condition of life or other ; and I am therefore desirous that everybody should feel whether it is not his duty in the sight of God to set an example which will be safe to himself and for all around him. When I adopted this principle forty-one years ago—(cheers)—I believed I was making a little sacrifice of my enjoyment; and I do not know anything, I trust, of the patriotism, or benevolence, or duty, that is not prepared to make some sacrifice for the well-being of the human family ; but, instead of making any sacrifice, I find I have reaped nothing but benefit. (Cheers.) After forty-one years of total abstinence I stand here, at seventy-five, as well able to do my work as I was then. I have saved largely in pocket, and I am quite sure I have lost nothing in true enjoyment. Beyond that, I have had abundant satisfaction in the good that God has enabled me by my example to