mittee of the New York State Temperance Society, in Albany, after thorough investigation, decided, and so an nounced in the Temperance Recorder and Magazine, that, after an ancient example of judging-namely, that a little child, in a certain sense, is GREATER than a full grown man -so the little band of Temperance brethren in Moreau, although least in number and influence in the outset, yet were FIRST in organization—for this reason only, that their credentials of organization were PRIOR to any others of the kind that ever had been produced and authenticated!

And thus the GREAT question of GREATNESS was decided.

CHAPTER II.

Fourth Epoch-Origin of the Washingtonian Band-Their general Temperance character and usefulness-Dangers to which they are exposed, by which many have fallen back into their former habits of drunkenness, while many others have continued firm in their reformation, and highly ornamental members of Total Abstinence Temperance Societies-Orders of Sons and Daughters of Temperance-Rechabites, Cadets, and other denominations of Temperance Reformers, rush to the Temperance banners of Total Abstinence, and identify themselves with the great Temperance Family.

THIS epoch may be considered as commencing a few years subsequent to the adoption of the American Temperance pledge of total abstinence, A. D. 1836, and is marked with the existence of events increasingly important to the cause of Temperance. The following are among the most interesting events of this epoch :

First, The providential reinforcement of the Washingtonian Band of Reformers, which originated in Baltimore, in the month of April, 1840, more than four years after the adoption of the American Temperance pledge of total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors, at Saratoga Springs, A. D. 1836. This recruit resulted in the reformation of thousands of hopeless drunkards, who have nobly joined the Temperance ranks, and exerted a salutary influence throughout the length and breadth of America and other nations of the earth. Their number in the outset was but six, and these were of the most hopeless class. A Divine Providence brought them together. They organized on a

total abstinence pledge, worded to suit themselves, under the appellation of REFORMED DRUNKARDS. And not a few, but many of the thousands who have joined Temperance Societies, under their appellative banners, have proved to be among the most zealous, untiring, eloquent, and effective Temperance Lecturers, who have wielded the sword of moral suasion with almost resistless power and unparalleled success in bearing down heavily upon the ranks of the fell destroyer, King Alcohol, and all his hosts of desolation. (Drunkards! set down your glass, and be men, sober men, happy men!)

Discarding the principle and every appearance of adulation, it must be confessed that much honor and praise are their just due for the ranks which they have filled, the battles they have fought, and the victories they have achieved over themselves and others in the promotion of the Temperance Reformation during the dozen years last past of their existence. One thing, however, is much to be lamented, namely, that the license laws of our country have furnished means for the apostacy of many once promising reformed drunkards back-back again to their former and more hopeless habits of drunkenness. They were once reformed. Their families were restored to usefulness and happiness. Peace and joy graced their domestic hearth. But, alas! our license laws provide places of temptation. Enticers lie in wait for these men. The liquor-dealers' alluring arts (akin to the wiles of the arch fell destroyer of the bottomless pit) prevail over the appetite, judgment, and interest, till the poor reformed drunkard and his family are reduced again into deeper degrada

LICENSE LAW TEMPTATIONS.

37

tion than before. Alas! how many such have fallen, and perished forever by their miserable fall!

Lead us not into temptation is the prayer put into the mouth of every supplicant at the feet of the Governor of the Universe. And this is the prayer of the whole Temperance family to our State Government, which ought to be in accordance with the Divine Government. Remove these places of temptation! Remove them from those who are too weak to resist, and from those who are now innocent, but may hereafter, by force of habit and example, be found too weak to resist the temptation. O that officers of Government and all traffickers in alcoholic poison would consider, that the price of the lost souls of drunkards will be required at their hands! This demand of remuneration will exceed all the wealth of this globe of earth! No equivalent can be made, or will be accepted, short of the priceless souls of the aggressors, whose business, living, and wealth on earth comprise a CRAFT-a liquor-craft MONOPOLY to multiply drunkards for gain-paltry, cash gain, at the expense of the destruction of the precious, yet lost, and forever miserable souls of drunkards.

Hence, of this fact all concerned may be assured, that the total overthrow of the CRAFT that makes and hoards up wealth, at the expense of millions of lost human souls, with all the concomitant wretchedness of their destruction, is the inflexible object of the Temperance Reformation, which is blessing our land, opposing powers from earth and hell combined, to the contrary notwithstanding.

4

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF TEMPERANCE.

The fourth epoch of the Temperance Reformation has also been richly blessed with the accession of thousands, hundreds of thousands, yea millions, in city and country, of the various orders and degrees of Sons, Daughters, Rechabites, Cadets, and other denominations of Temperance, all of whom unite in the grand principle of total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors, Their unfurled banners, their readiness to unite in all practicable measures for the extermination of the curse of intemperance from the earth, is like the rising of the morning star in the east, proclaiming, by the luster of its appearance, that the still brighter SUN of Millenial righteousness, and peace, and sobriety, and concord will soon arise, to shed the glory of his divine effulgence over nations and kingdoms, for the light, and comfort, and indispensable source of happiness to all human temperance beings who shall inhabit this divinely renovated globe of earth. Such is the bright emblem of the superlative blessedness and consummated perfections of the pending Temperance Reformation. What can be more animating and encouraging in prospect than the flocking of the youth of our land, of both sexes, to the standard of Total Abstinence Temperance Associations, under the voluntary signature of a pledge for their own security from destruction by drunkenness? And how de lightful is it to see their readiness always to do all in their power for the rescue of the fallen, down-trodden inebriate; and, also, to prevent all within the compass of their power of influence, from being drawn into the vortex