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HISTORY

OF THE

TEMPERANCE REFORMATION.

CHAPTER I.

Eras and Epochs of the Temperance Reformation--Alarm of the First Epoch by the encroachment of an Enemy under Banners of Intemperance and DeathOrganization of the First Temperance Society-Time, Place, Number, and Names of Members, Constitution, Pledge, First President, First Address delivered before the Society, and by whom-Remarkable Report of a Member of the Society on their First Annual Meeting-Deficiency of the Pledge, but was the best that could then be obtained-Feebleness and Trials of the little Temperance Band-Second and Third Epochs, comprising a Period of more than Twenty-five Years, marked with extensive and increasing Influence of the Temperance Cause, evinced by the Organization of various Town, County, State, and National Temperance Societies, comprising both Male and Female Members-Total Abstinence American Pledge, adopted at Saratoga Springs, A. D. 1836-The American Pledge of Total Abstinence subsequently adopted nem con by the Parent Society-Addresses on the occasion, and Resolutions adopted on Reorganization-Important Question settled-"Who is First and Greatest?"-Answered by an Ancient Rule of Judging.

THE Temperance Reformation, up to the present time, has had its origin and progress under what may be denominated three eras, comprising five epochs.

The first era comprised a special alarm, occasioned by the approach of a formidable and destructive enemy, and measures adopted to arrest his progress. The enemy was INTEMPERANCE, in all its grades and forms.

The second era produced a more general alarm, and extensive combination of effort to extirpate the use of intoxi

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cating liquors, as a common beverage, from the land of freedom, as an enemy to the peace, interest, happiness, and safety of mankind. But the enemy claimed the right of inheritance, till, by wiles and stratagems, he intrenched. himself in the fortification of the license law of the land, which he had the audacity to invade.

The third era, which is now pending, comprises the history of the commencement and progress of a war of extermination, to drive the enemy headlong from the land by LEGAL POWER, or abide the degrading consequences of stacking arms, and subscribing the capitulating terms of vassal submission to the sovereign and destructive reign of the powers of INTEMPERANCE, though millions of human beings are degraded, and their souls forever lost by the surrender!

Reader, pause, and think awhile, till the last sentence above is well digested in the mind, and understood in all its important signification and tendency!

The five epochs, comprised in the foregoing eras, will now receive a more particular illustration.

FIRST ALARM.

The alarm produced under the first epoch, was made by Dr. Billy J. Clark, of Moreau, in the County of Saratoga, and State of New York, in the month of March, A. D. 1808. The doctor, at that time a young, enterprising physician, is entitled to the deserved honor of being the first man on earth known to have suggested the idea of organizing a Temperance Society, in opposition to the prevailing evils of intemperance. He had read something from the pen

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of Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, on the prevalence of intemperance, and the approaching desolation following in its train. Alarmed at the prevailing custom of the region of country around him, teeming with lumber in all the towns and counties in the vicinity of the ever-rolling Hudson, in all which, intoxicating liquors of variety and plenty were considered as commodities of necessity for the daily use and comfort of all, or almost every family, and indispensa ble for the treatment of friends in social life-alarmed, we say, at the prevalence and results of such a custom! after having projected the plan of a Temperance organization, the doctor determined on a visit to his minister, the author of these memoirs, who was then the pastor of the flourishing Congregational church in the said town of Moreau. The visit was made on a dark evening, no moonshine, and cloudy. After riding on horseback about three miles through deep mud of clay road, in the breaking up of winter, the doctor knocked at his minister's door, and, on entrance, before taking seat in the house, he earnestly uttered the following words: "Mr. Armstrong, I have come to see you on important business." Then lifting up both hands, he continued, "We shall all become a community of drunkards in this town, unless something is done to arrest the progress of intemperance!"

This alarming address of Dr. Clark (like the grain of mustard-seed alluded to of old), contained the seed, the origin, the first principle, and the first practical development of the PROVIDENTIAL TREE OF TEMPERANCE, the root of which is found in the revelation of God's eternal purpose, by the predictions of His prophets thousands of years.

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FIRST TEMPERANCE ORGANIZATION.

ago-the trunk of which now stands on the earth, with its top towering up toward heaven, and the fruit of which is now blessing all Christendom, and the world, with the knowledge of Satan's devices to destroy the Church of God, and the method of infinite wisdom, and divine efficiency in rearing up a standard, and appointing instrumentalities to defeat the enemy by the annihilation of his flood of alcoholic water of death.

On that ever-memorable and eventful visit of Dr. Clark to the house of his minister, after the aforesaid introduction, he proceeded to develop his plan of temperance organization, which was heartily responded to by the pastor. And, in conformity with co-operating subsequent arrangements made at the house of Peter L. Mauny, a Temperance Society was organized in a school-house near to the door of Dr. B. J. Clark, on the 30th day of April, 1808, in Moreau, a town in the County of Saratoga, and State of New York, bordering on the Hudson river, in the vicinity of the villages of Fort Edward, Sandy Hill, and Glenn's Falls. The pledge was total abstinence from all kinds of distilled liquors, unless required by medical authority, and also retrenchment of wine, with some exceptions, as may be seen in the Fourth Article of the Constitution, ratified by the signature of forty-three pioneer male subscribers, a transcript of which will be found in these memoirs.

The By-Laws of that Society required annual and quarterly meetings of its members, one of whom, by the previous appointment of the presiding officer, should deliver an Address on Temperance at each meeting, and

REMARKABLE REPORT OF A MEMBER.

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made provision also for the establishment of a library; all which were observed with unanimity, and a good degree of punctuality. Col. Sidney Berry, formerly of the State of New Jersey, then ex-judge of the County of Saratoga, was elected President of the Society for the first year of its existence; and the author of these reminiscences was by him appointed to deliver the first quarterly temperance address, the copy of which, verbatim, is preserved in this book.

REMARKABLE REPORT OF A MEMBER.

On the first annual meeting of the Temperance Society aforesaid, members present were required to state the ef fects of said organization on the custom of his household, or family to which he belonged. The author of these reminiscences was present, and witnessed the following report from Captain Isaac B. Payn, an extensive farmer and lumber dealer. Addressing the President, he thus proceeded :

"During a series of years past, before signing the temperance pledge, I have uniformly made it a rule, annually to purchase a hogshead of rum for the year's consumption, among laborers on the farm, and business of lumber. Sometimes, before the year came round, the hogshead would be emptied of its contents, and require a few gallons more for necessary use. At other times, the year would come round and find a few gallons in the hogshead; so that, on an average, a hogshead of rum each year has been consumed in my business concerns, to say nothing of the wines, cordials, and other liquors consumed by the family, their parties, and visiting friends.

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