.UCSB LIBRARY
 
 VHAH
 
 *,.
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 A LETTER TO REV. THOMAS WHITTEMORE, 
 An Answer To 
 
 .A SERMON ON TEMPERANCE IN ALL THINGS, 
 DE LIVERED 
 AT ' 
 
 VYOBUP.N, STONEHAM, AND NEW ROWLEY, 
 
 AND A 
 I? I? P J " V 
 
 _fc -lf J. JL/ M. 
 To certain Editors who noticed the Bramble. 
 
 BY JOHN GREGORY Woburn, Mass. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY AN ASSOCIATION OF GENTLEMEN IN 
 WOBURN, MASS. 
 
 METIIUEN: 
 
 S. J. VARNEY....PRINTER. 
 1837.
 
 Entered, according to the act of Congress, in the year 1837, 
 
 BY JOHN GREGORY, 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Conrt of Massachusetts.
 
 NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 Br the solicitation of my friends in this town, 1 have been induced 
 to write what I consider an Expose of Abstinence Societies. By 
 which I mean all such societies as are founded upon the principle of 
 the entire abolition of all intoxicating liquors, not excepting Wine. 
 
 This being a free country, and every man having the privilege of 
 expressing his opinion on important subjects,! have deemed it my duty 
 to write for the benefit of all concerned in this little tract. From the 
 abstinence man I expect no favor, I only ask him to ' Do unto oth- 
 ers, ' &c. The intemperate drinker will not find a word of en- 
 couragement (in his t vicious course) in what I have written, but 
 should it be the means of reforming him, I shall think my labor not 
 in vain. Between the two extremes, abstinence and intemperance, 
 I have found the angel Temperance; as pure as ice, as chaste as 
 enow. She has many followers and from them I expect to find 
 support. If it is unpopular in the course I have taken, it was equally 
 o with Col. R. M. Johnson, of Sunday mail memory! 
 
 J. GREGORY. 
 
 October 10, 1836.

 
 I 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I. THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 II. A LETTER TO REV. T. WHITTEMORE. 
 
 III. ANSWER TO THE HOE. 
 
 * 
 
 IV. A SERMON ON TEMPERANCE. 
 
 V. REPLY TO THE TRUMPET. 
 
 VI " TO THE STAR IN THE EAST. 
 
 VII. " TO THE LADIES REPOSITORY. 
 
 VIII. " TO THE GOSPEL SUN. 
 
 IX. REMARKS OF THE SOUTHERN EVANGELIST. 
 
 X. " OF THE MAGAZINE AND ADVOCATE. 
 
 XI. RECOMMENDATION. 
 
 XII. CERTIFICATE.
 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 '* ' 
 
 IT gives mo much pleasure to announce to the friends of tem- 
 perance and equal rights, that the first edition of the Bramble, 
 which 'one thousand copies were published, have been disposed 
 of. Having been solicited to publish a second edition, with an 
 answer to the celebrated "Hoe," and having been attacked un- 
 charitably by certain Editors, and believing that I could not have 
 the privilege of defending my sentiments in their papers, I have 
 concluded to publish this small work, in self defence, and shew 
 the public thn abuse heaped opon me, for a mere expression of 
 opinion. When I published the Bramble, I did expect that I 
 should be treated with respect, and that my arguments, in favor 
 of Bible temperance, would be investigated in a candid manner 
 But experience has taught me, that I was mistaken, that I placed 
 too much confidence in my opposers. May others take warning 
 from the treatment I have received, and learn, that if they oppose 
 any of the movements of the abstinence party, they must expect 
 to be abused and slandered. 
 
 The Bramble has been attacked, and burlesqued, by the lead- 
 ers of abstinence, and the public has been cautioned against its 
 pernicious sentiments. We affirm that we have not seen one 
 candid, fair argument, against it. And we are confirmed daily 
 in tho opinion that it cannot be answered by Bible testimony. 
 Nothing short of the Word of God, will satisfy us for to the 
 Scriptures we have appealed, and shall stand or fall in that divine 
 oracle. 
 
 The Letter to the Rev. T. Wbittemore, was sent to bitn, with
 
 INTRODUCTION. \ft. 
 
 & request that ho would give it publicity. Bat ICJ" it was 
 REFUSED!! Having stated that I was opposed to 'temperance 
 I felt it my duty to contradict the statement, in the same print that 
 contained the assertion. But I was denied that privilege ! I there- 
 fore take this method of showing the illiberality of the Editor of 
 the Trumpet. If the time has arrived that a man cannot speak 
 the honest sentiments of his heart, without being abused and in- 
 sulted then farewell to conscience and liberty of speech. For 
 one man to assail another for opinions' sake to blacken his char- 
 acter by affected misconstruction, and endeavor to prejudice his 
 brethren against him, is not only base, but cruel. And then to 
 deny him a small corner of his paper, that he might vindicate his 
 sentiments, is too much like spiritual wickedness in high places. 
 Mr. Whittemore has professed much liberality yea, he has even 
 called the Orthodox "stone-hearted bigots,'' for refusing to publish 
 what he desired to have them. Often has this Editor laughed 
 heartily, to see his opposing brethren manifest fear in publishing 
 sentiments in favor of Universalism. Having retrograded in his 
 liberality, and taken those he once condemned for an example, be 
 now refuses publishing an article on temperance 'tis well 
 
 " The rod applied will make him laugh on 'tother side." 
 We read in the good book, that "Jeshuren waxed fat, and kicked." 
 We do not wish to apply this remark to Mr. Whittemore, but 
 really hope that he can find some excuse for his illiberality. Mr. 
 W. is doubtless a great man, but then, I do not believed he ia 
 infallible, nor wholly free from sin. Like other men, he has his 
 failings; and if he intends to pursue the course he has lately taken, 
 I hope those whom he calls rum drinkers, will not support him 
 in his bigotry. If they do, they ought to consent to become his 
 slaves, and wear collars about their necks. We do not believe 
 the time .-ill ever come that we shall bow the knee to man, 
 especially to "a would be Bishop," or a self righteous Pope ! At 
 least we pray God that we never may, for wo are commanded to 
 call no man " Rabbi," for one is our master, even Christ !
 
 Vlil. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 As to that wonderful production called the " Hoe," designed to 
 uproot the Bramble, we were some time at a stand whether it 
 were best to notice it. After mature deliberation, we came to 
 the conclusion that it was our duty to " answer a fool according 
 to his folly, lest he should be wise in his own conceit." They say 
 that owing to the extensive patronage which the author has re- 
 ceived, he has published a second edition. The Bostonians must 
 be fond of good reading; We would suggest to the author the 
 propriety of publishing In his third edition, the " Dream" of Mr. 
 Cheever. That and the " Hoe " are as near alike, as are the 
 " Siamese twins." 
 
 In the sermon on temperance in all things," I have endea- 
 vored to set forth the great doctrine of temperance, as laid down in 
 the Bible. I am sensible that my talents are incompetent to the 
 task, but I labor in a cause to which I shall be proud to have 
 contributed but little, and to promote the success of which, I should 
 feel 'myself inexcusable if I did not contribute all in my power. 
 Trusting, therefore, to the interest which every lover of temperance 
 must have for so good and benevolent a cause, I sincerely hope that 
 the imperfections that may be discovered in this little work, may 
 not hinder the reader .from examining with care and attention, the 
 arguments here presented, m favor of a temperate, regular, and well 
 ordered life.
 
 THE BRAMBLE. . 
 
 " Then said all the trees snto the bramble, Come thou and rnfe 
 over ns. And the bramble said nnto the trees, If in troth ye anoint 
 me king over yon, then come and put your trust in my shadow; and 
 if not, let fire come out of the bramble and destroy the cedars of Leb- 
 anon." JUDGES, K. 14, 15. 
 
 KIND READER, are you in favor of temperance soci- 
 e!ies, so called, formed on the principle of total abstin- 
 ence? If so, read, pause and consider. Are you op- 
 posed to those societies? Examine with care and at- 
 tention the arguments that shall be presented and 'Ren- 
 der unto Cassar the things that are Cassar's.' 
 
 To those who cannot see the propriety of the meas- 
 ures adopted to suppress intemperance, and are content 
 with the bible doctrine of temperance in all things, we 
 would say, the cause in which you are engaged is a 
 good one. It is one of benevolence, of religion, of 
 philanthrophy and good will to men. Persevere in 
 your labors, renew your zeal, and strive both by pre- 
 cept and example to make all men tesaperate. 
 
 To you who are employed in promoting abstinence
 
 10. THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 measures, we would respectfully bow, and with all de* 
 ference to your superior wisdom, acknowledge the fear- 
 ful odds we have to encounter in the approaching con- 
 flict. Our heart would be dismayed were it not that 
 we remember David killed Goliath, with a smooth 
 stone, and the wise man Solomon saith, 'the race is not 
 to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,' we therefore 
 shall enter the field as a combatant against you, en- 
 deavor to disprove your measures, raze your citadel to 
 the ground, plant the standard of eternal truth upon 
 your Ruins, and call all creation to the universal tri- 
 umph! Be not surprised then, if you should see 
 yourselves reflected in the 'bramble,' who desired pow- 
 er that he might rule over the mild and peaceful olive. 
 Should there be sentiments in this little pamphlet 
 which you could not approve, do not call fire out of the 
 'bramble' to consume us, but in mercy spare us yet a 
 little longer. We believe your measures are corrupt, 
 your policy bad, and your zeal without knowledge. 
 We shall use great plainness of speech, for we sincere- 
 ly believe the subject requires it. Many a valuable 
 life has been saved by the amputation of a limb, and 
 many a soul delivered from bondage by the effulgent 
 rays of eternal truth. 
 
 We will not sav the motives of all engaged in absti- 
 
 . * DO 
 
 nence measures are bad, for we believe many of them 
 are honest and sincere in the course they have taken, 
 but we do impeach the motives of the leaders in this 
 speculation. Many ofthem do it for office, for self-ag-
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 11. 
 
 grandizement, and not for the public good. Acting the 
 part of hypocrites they go on Dr. Ely's principle of 
 'disinterested benevolence.' Affecting much sympathy 
 for their fellow mortals in distress, they would fain 
 make mankind believe that they are the only philan- 
 thropists in the world, the only ones who feel for the 
 sufferings of humanity! I might name instances where 
 individuals have seized upon the temperance hobby to 
 ride into power; but they were disappointed. The an- 
 ticipated elevation of their little souls into office proved 
 a failure. They now reap the fruits of their doings in 
 shame and contempt. May this be the end of all office 
 seekers, who for the sake of popularity would barter 
 away their dear-bought privileges, and sell their coun- 
 try for 'thirty pieces of silver.' 
 
 There is much in the passage of scripture placed at 
 the head of this Expose, that renders it appropriate in 
 our day and generation. A 'bramble' is a rough thor- 
 ny shrub, and is introduced in this instance to repre- 
 sent Abimelech, who by his artful and cunning insinu- 
 ations gained the confidence of the msn of Shechem, 
 and was anointed their king. He was cruel in the ex- 
 treme. His career (though short) was one of war .and 
 blood-shed. Thus, in the commencement of his reign, 
 lie hired a number of 'light and vain persons,' went into 
 his father's house at Ophrah and slew his brethren, the 
 sons of Jerubbaal, being three score, upon one stone. 
 
 Look around you, kind reader, and inquire if there 
 >e any 'brambles' in our land engaged in the absiir.-
 
 2. THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 ence enterprise, who are seeking fur power, and who, 
 like Abimelech, have already exerted their influence 
 against the house of Jerubbaal. Are there no lords of 
 the earth who are endeavoring to wrest from us th 
 boon of liberty and plant 
 
 'Where now waves the star spangled fvnner,' 
 The black flag of the oppressor? If not, 'then rejoice 
 ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.' 
 But I declare unto you that I discover a spirit of intol- 
 erance and usurpation among certain individuals that 
 would bind the soul of man with wreaths of scorpion?, 
 down to degradation and shame. 1 ..discover a spirit of 
 aristocracy among these exclusives, that o ace caused 
 the blood of our fathers, mothers and children to flow 
 over this fair .land of science and liberty; a spirit that 
 once hurled the icy arrows of death into the warm bo- 
 som of society, and rioted over the misery of God's in- 
 tellectual children! Shall we tamely submit to their 
 machinations, and allow them to rivet upon our hands 
 the galling manacles of slavery? IVo! Let every lov- 
 er of liberty, of justice, of religion say in the tones of 
 thunder, No! We will spurn your base attempts to 
 chain the free-born mind, or warp it into submission to 
 your nefarious schemes. 
 
 Do you say these remarks are unpalled for, that the 
 abstinence men are endeavoring to benefit, instead of 
 injuring community. Benedict Arnold might have 
 made the same plea; he doubtless thought it no harm 
 4.0 sell his country for money, and who can tell buj
 
 TOE BRAMBIE. Jj 
 
 what the movers in this wonderful enterprise have not 
 the same object in view. Take away office and mon- 
 ej, and you would hear no more of abstinence, I will 
 warrant you. 
 
 We have long since learned not to 'cry, peace, peace, 
 when there is no peace.' Our liberties are as dear to us 
 HOW as they were to our fathers, in the c'ayg of rev- 
 olntion and blood. And he who dare not sound the 
 tocsin of alarm when danger approacheth, is a traitor 
 to his God and his country! 
 
 We love temperance as well as those who call them- 
 selves 'abstinence men,' but we love liberty equally as 
 well, and shall never consent to annoint a 'brambJe' 
 king over us; neither shall we put our trust in their 
 shadow, for perad venture it might be the shadow of a 
 dungeon's walls!! 
 
 The abstinence leaders have increased their exer- 
 tions of late. Many lectures have been delivered, and 
 new measures put into operation; but still the humilia- 
 ting fact remains that there is more drunkenness in our 
 iand now than there was seventy years ago, more in- 
 temperance than before the abstinence speculation was 
 started. There may not be as much arilent spirits 
 drank, but 1 am confident there are more of that class 
 whom the prophet saith were 'drunk, not with trine, but 
 itagger not teith strong drink.' 
 
 ft matters not with these people bow intemperate 
 they are in their measures; no matter how many they 
 $buse and insult, bat believing the ( end justifies the 
 *
 
 14 THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 means/ they ridicule all who come not up to their stanJ 
 ard of perfection. They point the finger of scorn at 
 those temperate men whom God loves, and all good 
 men should esteem, because their views oi temperance 
 harmonize not with their own. And if a temperance 
 man is seen in the day time going to the store after 
 wine or strong drink, his motives are called in question, 
 his character assailed, and he is called 'worse than a 
 drunkard.' But wait till after dark, with a bottle un- 
 der his cloak, the professed abstinence man will, like a 
 thief in the night, steal along to the store, where the 
 'crtf/ur* is retailed, give the store keeper a sly wink, 
 ask for oil deprecate the traffic made in alcohol re- 
 turn home in deep distress for the fate of his fellow 
 mortals, and is only relieved by a double portion of that 
 oi/, purchased under the garb of hypocrisy! No mat- 
 ter how corrupt people become, they may serve the 
 devil all their days if they will only join an abstinence 
 society. 
 
 I have heard a great many lectures on temperance,, 
 but I never heard but one* that exhorted people to be 
 temperate in the bible acceptation. Professing to be 
 wise above what is written, they have invented an im- 
 provement, and doubtless have ere this, gained a 'pa- 
 tent right." 1 Solomon must forever stand behind the 
 curtain for his wisdom and glory is eclipsed by the wise 
 men of the 19th century! No doubt these men have 
 often thought with Lorenzo Dow, that 'Solomon was 9. 
 
 By Rev. I. D. Williamson, Albany, N. Y.
 
 THE -BRAMBLE. 15 
 
 wise man in some things, and a fool in other things!' 
 That he did not belong to a total abstigence society is 
 evident from his writings! 
 
 In the history of Abimeiech, we find that he used 
 cunning and crafty means to make the people believe 
 that they would be much better off with one king to rule 
 ever them, than they were with all the sons of Jerubba- 
 al. But they soon found to their sorrow, that he was a 
 'Bramble.' 
 
 In imitation of him, the movers of abstinence meas- 
 ures have endeavored to make the people think that 
 temperance was total abstinence, and he only was a 
 temperate man who wholly abstained from all spirituous 
 liquors! Thus confounding temperance with abstin- 
 ence, than which nothing can be morei false. Under 
 the specious guise of being friends to temperance, they 
 collect the people together, not to preach bible tem- 
 perance in all things, but the system of total abstin- 
 ence. A system generated in the distempered brain of 
 some wild enthusiast, and recommended by the aristoc- 
 racy of the age. Often have we heard them exclaim, 
 1 0, the blessed cause of temperance!' '0, the blesed 
 cause of abstinence,' thus amalgamating 1 the oce with 
 the other. I do contend that there is as much differ- 
 ence between temperance and abstinence, as between 
 black and white. 
 
 You are a temperance man, are you? Yes. You 
 do not drink any wine or strong drink? No. You be- 
 the bible enjoins temperance in all things? O,
 
 1C THE BRAMBLE". 
 
 yes. Well, go and live on your principle of temper' - 
 atice; reduce your theory to practice, in eating as well 
 as drinking, for the bible says be temperate in all things. 
 And you say temperance is abstinence, and how long 
 would you remain temperate? Why, just as long aa 
 the Indian's horse did; the owner of which tried to 
 make him live (i. e. temperately,) without eating, but 
 just before he got him well learned, he died! 
 
 To illustrate the principle that abstinence, is not tem- 
 perance, let us suppose a case. A man starts this morn- 
 ing for Boston; informs a friend that he is going to drive 
 temperately; the man commends his moderation, and 
 steps into the house. In the course of the morning he 
 goes out and finds his old friend taking his comfort, read- 
 ing a public journal on total abstinence. 'Hallo, friend,' 
 he cries, 'I thought you was going to Boston!' 'Well, 
 1 am,' is the reply, 'I am only driving temperately!' At 
 night he goes out again, finds his temperance friend busily 
 engaged in the same employment. Not being able to un- 
 derstand his friend's temperate driving, he asks him to 
 explain himself. He informs the enquirer that he has 
 been driving temperately all day, but for some cause or 
 other he had not made much head way; but that he was 
 confident it was the right way to drive temperately. The 
 man ( ells him he is inconsistent, for if it would be tem- 
 perate not to drive at all, it would be intemperate to 
 advance a single step, and therefore recommenda him 
 to remain in that position, and see how long it would 
 take, with such temperate driving, to reach BostoaJ
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 17 
 
 that men would be consistent, and learn to call 
 things by their right names. I would recommend to all 
 you engaged in the abstinence enterprise to let temper- 
 ance alone. That is not what you are laboring to pro- 
 mote. It belongs to another class. We beg of you gen- 
 tlemen to work on your own principle, and let others 
 promote temperance as the bible dictatesl 
 
 That we may have a right understanding of the aub- 
 ject before us, let us enquire, what is the true defini- 
 tion of the word temperance? 
 
 Temperance, 'is that virtue which a man is said to 
 possess, who moderates and restrains his sensual appe- 
 tites. It is often however used an a much more gener- 
 al sense, as synonymous with moderation, and is thea 
 applied indiscriminately to all the passions.' (Dr. 
 Buck's Theo. Die.) 
 
 1 presume this definition of temperance will stand (he 
 test of the strictest scrutiny. *It is often used as sy- 
 nonymous with moderation;' and moderation, the same 
 writer informs us, is 'die state of keeping a due medi- 
 um between extremes, calmness, temperance, or equa- 
 nimity.' The most prejudiced, I think, will not dis- 
 pute but what this is the only true meaning of temper- 
 ance. I shall now proceed to show that it harmonizes 
 with the scriptures of divine truth. 
 
 'Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue, knowledge; 
 and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, pa- 
 tience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, 
 brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.
 
 18 THE BRAMBLE, 
 
 'For if these things be in you, [what things? why, tem- 
 perance, &.C.] they mate you that ye shall neither be 
 barren or unfruitful,' &c. 2 Peter, i. 5-8. 'Let your 
 moderation be known unto all tnen.' Phil, iv, 5. 
 Here the apostles recommend temperance and modera- 
 tion to be used in all things. Query Wonder if they 
 belonged to a 'total abstinence society?' 
 
 Every man must know, who has read the scriptures, 
 that temperance is a bible doctrine. Temperance in 
 eating and drinking, are strongly enjoined upon mao- 
 kina, and urged as important both to the health of thfi 
 body and the mind. Drunkenness, gluttonny, and eve- 
 ry species of intemperance are reprobated by all the 
 inspired writers. And one of them recommends to the 
 intemperate man, 'when thou sittest to eat with a ruler, 
 consider diligently what is before thee, and put a knife 
 to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite.' 
 Prov. xxxiii. 1,2. I would have all victims of intem- 
 perance follow this injunction; but 1 would not recom- 
 mend abstinence men to hold the knife for them, lest 
 they should place it too near the throat, and make 
 bad worse 1 
 
 'Take heed to yourselves,' says the apostle, 'lest at 
 any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, 
 and drunkenness,' &c. Luke xxi. 34. Here is tem- 
 perance preached again to the Jews, approved of God, 
 nod sanctioned by his messenger. Paul exhorts the 
 F.phesians not to be 'drunk with wine, wherein is e*- 
 Ephe. v. 18. And in his Epistle to Titus WRft-
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 19 
 
 mahds him 'to speak the things which become sound 
 doctrine. That the aged men be sober, grave tem- 
 perate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.' In the 
 same chapter he also declared thai the grace of God 
 had appeared, 'Teaching us; that denying ungodliness 
 and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, 
 and godly in this present world.' Titus ii. 1, 2, 12. 
 ID this manner did the apostle preach temperance! 
 
 Now examine the writings of modern teachers on thin 
 subject. Contrast their doctrine of total abstinence with 
 the teachings of those early Christians, who doubtless, 
 saw as much drunkenness and intemperance in their 
 <3ay, as there is in this generation. Can it be possible 
 that those early Christians, who were favored with rev- 
 elations from on High, were so dead to the cause of 
 suffering humanity that they did not form themselves 
 inio a total abstinence society? Soil appears. Ex- 
 cuse me, kind reader, if I illustrate this seeming neg- 
 iect of the apostles by introducing an anecdote. An 
 old woman* who had become a convert to the doctrine 
 of abstinence, was expatiating on the good tendency 
 of their measures to a bible temperance man, and 
 thought it a great sin for any one to object to them. 
 The gentleman informed her that the bible was at war 
 with her sentiments; that God required his children to 
 be temperate, and use the good things of this world, aa 
 not abusing them, and that Paul recommended his be- 
 
 *The lecturers on abstinence generally relate stories about old wo- 
 jnen and as an ofiiet I will introduce one to their favorable nolle*.
 
 tO THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 loved son Timothy, on one occasion, to 'drink no lon- 
 ger water, but use a little wine, (i. e. temperately,) for 
 thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities.' The 
 old lady, not being able to refute this argument, re- 
 marked, as a last resort, that 'the apostles did not go 
 quite far enough.' So with the leaders in this abstin- 
 ence enterprise, the apostles did not go far enough for 
 them. Thus, not only impeaching their wisdom but 
 the wisdom of Jesus Christ! 'Surely the priests bare 
 rule by these means, and the people love to have it so.' 
 Jer. v. 31. 
 
 But I anticipate an objection. We are informed that 
 distilled liquors are not mentioned in the bible, for 
 there was none manufactured till the 13th century! and 
 therefore we are not commanded to make a temperate 
 use of that article. No one, I think, will deny but 
 what the same cause will invariably produce the same 
 effect, and as the wine and strong drink mentioned in 
 scripture produced intoxication, it is a fair conclusion 
 that the strong drink at least had passed through a state 
 of distillation. I presume the'*strong drink' was made 
 from corn or barley, the same as it now is. If it was 
 not, I should like to know from what article it was man- 
 ufactured; and how strong drink could produce intoxi- 
 cation without passing through some process of distilla- 
 tion; likewise how wine could produce drunkenness 
 without fermentation. Perhaps some of our abstinence 
 friends can throw some light on this subject! Will 
 Ihey try ? 
 
 We shall endeavor to prove that wine and strong
 
 THE BBAMBLK. II 
 
 . 
 
 drink were given to God's chosen people as blessings; 
 ahd that judgments came i;pon them for abusing those 
 blessings. If we fail to substantiate these points, in- 
 form us of the fact, and we pledge ourselves to fall ia 
 with your system of total abstinence! 
 
 Moses said to the children of Israel 'and thou shall 
 bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth af- 
 ter; for oxen, or for sheep', or for wine or for strong 
 drink,' &.c. Deut. xiv.26. Solomon says 'give strong 
 drink unto him that is ready to perish, and win* unto 
 those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink and for- 
 get his poverty, and remember his misery no more.' 
 Prov. xxxi. 6, 7. 'Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, 
 and drick (hy wine with a merry heart, for God now ac- 
 cepteth thy works.' Eel. ix. 7. 'And he dealt to ev- 
 ery one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a 
 loaf of brend, and it good piece of flesh, and a flagon of 
 icine:' 1 Chron. xvi. 3. 'Now that which was prepar- 
 ed for me daily, was one ox, and six choice eheep, also 
 fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store 
 of all sorts of wine.' Nehe. v. 18. 'And behold I wilt 
 give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty 
 thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thous- 
 and measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of 
 toine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.' 2 Chron. ia. 
 10. 
 
 Thus we have proved, beyond a doubt, that wine and 
 strong drink were not only given to the children of Is- 
 rael, for medical purposes but for men in health. The 
 3octrine of total abstinence, therefore, predicated on bi-
 
 $ THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 ble authority, is exploded, blown to the 'four winds ot 
 heaven.' Who will gather up the fragments? Beware 
 lest ye tread upon forbidden ground! 
 
 Why it is, that men will not be content m following 
 the plain simple rules laid down in the bible, I cannot 
 tell. But there are always some ready to fall in with 
 every new measure invented by man. Not that thejr 
 are so benevolent and philanthropic, as to labor night 
 end day, for the benefit of other people, without recom- 
 pense: but they do it out of sinister motives. Thus with 
 the abstinence people,* against all law and gospel, they 
 have waged an eternal war against wine and strong- 
 drink, and fain would they drive it from the earth. To' 
 accomplish this object a society is formed in every town, 
 papers are circulated in all quarters of the land and 
 Mike the frogs of Egypt, they come up into our bed 
 chambers, and kneading troughs.' Men, women, and 
 children, are called upon to engag'e in the 'blessed 
 work,' and drive from among us, what God called a 
 blessing, and gave to his children as such. So blind 
 and infatuated have some of them become that they 
 have polluted the sanctuary of the most high God. 
 Stoedened teatei 4 is used as a substitute for that rich em- 
 blem of Christ's precious blood, shed for sinners upon 
 Calvary's cross! The blessed communion is turned in- 
 to ridicule by the professed servants of the Lord, and 
 the last request of Jesus to his followers is mocked and 
 perverted. If this is not commencing hostilities against 
 
 * There are some honorable exceptions.
 
 THE BRAMBLE, . 23 
 
 the Lord Omnipotent, I know not what is! Would 
 to God I could make those engaged in destroying that 
 which Christ blest, (and commanded his followers to 
 drink in rememhrance of him.) hear my feeble voice, I 
 would speak to them in words of doom! I would cry 
 aloud, beware how you trifls with your Maker. 'For 
 every creature of God is good and nothing to be refus- 
 ed, if it be received with thanksgiving.' Beware, lest 
 you bring upon yourselves tribulation and anguish. 
 'Turn unto the Lord, who will have mercy upon you, 
 and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.' 
 
 O, how preposterous it is for men professing to be 
 teachers sent of God, to set themselves up as infallible 
 and profess to know better what men need in meats 
 and drinks than the Almighty. The Father of all mer- 
 cies declare3, 'Drink ye wine.' Modern teachers ex- 
 claim, Hold! That is a deadly poison!! God calls it 
 a blessing. They call it a curse. Js the servant grea- 
 ter than his Lord? So it would seem in these degener- 
 ate days! 
 
 ' The lime will come that foul sin, gathering head, shall 
 break into corruption.' That time has already come! 
 And the wisdom of God is impeached by his peace des- 
 troying and rebellious children. Why is it, that you 
 thus make war against your Father and his holy word? 
 Why is it, that ye will not content yourselves with tak- 
 ing the bible for your guide? Is office, money or popu- 
 larity your object? If so, you shall have your reward. 
 Time-serving parasites never gained those seats of hoc- 

 
 ?4 THE BRAMBLE 
 
 or among the just, by their hypocritical abominations! 
 Your ruin is inevitable, and how mortifying will it be 
 to have those whom you have abused, and called drunk- 
 ards, sing the requiem over your fallen expectaitons. 
 This shall be your fate! Hear it and tremble!! 
 
 Having shown that wine and strong drink were gir- 
 en to us as blessings, as much so as wheat, barley, corn, 
 &c. I wpuld direct your attention to those judgments 
 of God which befel the Jews, for an intemperate use of 
 those blessings. 
 
 'Awake ye drunkards and weep, and howl all ye 
 drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it is cut off 
 from your mouth. The field is wasted, the land mourn- 
 elh! for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, 
 the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O! ye husband- 
 men; howl, .O ye vine dressers, for the wheat and for 
 the barley, because the harvest of the field is perished. 
 Joel i. 5, JO, 11. Here we find that the Jews were 
 deprived of their corn, wine &c. for their wickedness 
 and intemperance. 
 
 After the judgments of God had had their proper ef- 
 fect in causing the rebellious house of Israel to turn 
 
 * - . . O 
 
 from the evil of their ways, behold the return of God'g 
 mercy. 'Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, 
 weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say 
 pare thy people, Lord, and give not thine heritage 
 to reproach.' 'Then will the Lord be jealous for his 
 land, and pity his people; yea, the Lord will answer 
 and ay unto bis people Behold I will send you
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 25 
 
 and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; 
 and I will no more make you a reproach among the 
 heathen! 'Be glad then ye children of Zion, and re- 
 joice in the Lord your God.' * * * 'And the fats 
 shall overflow with wine and oil.' Joel ii. 17-19, 23, 
 24. 
 
 Here Zion is called upon to rejoice, and to be ex- 
 ceeding glad, for the Lord had restored those blessings 
 which he had taken from them for their intemperance. 
 Here an important question arises. Should our absti- 
 nence folks be successful in driving wine from the 
 earth, would they, in imitation of the Lord of hosts, en- 
 deavor to cause a return of that poison.' Judge, ye 
 candid. Look again at what the prophet saith: 'In 
 that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David, that is 
 fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will 
 raise up hid ruins, and I will build as in the days of 
 old. And I will bring again the captivity of my people 
 of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities and in- 
 habit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and they 
 shall drink the wine thereof.' Amos ix. 11-14. 
 
 I would now solemnly appeal to you, kind reader, 
 and ask, Did the Almighty consider the juice of the 
 grape a 'deadly poison?' Did he wish to 'poison' his 
 children? O, shame on the inventions of men! 
 
 God gave his children wine as a blessing, they 
 
 abused it, he took it away from them, and punished 
 
 them accordingly! But did he give it to them again 
 
 fter they had amended their ways? Surely he did, 
 
 3
 
 6 TEE BRAMBLE, 
 
 and called upon them to rejoice. Here would hare 
 been a glorious lime to have formed an abstin- 
 ence society. But the Almighty, not possessing the 
 wisdom of modern divines, never thought of the sub- 
 ject. <O, tell it not in Galh, publish it not in the streets 
 of AskelonS 
 
 And here I would draw an argument from the admin- 
 istration of Jehovah, in which both the wisdom and 
 goodness of God shine resplendent. 
 
 That wine and strong drink were given ta the chil- 
 dren of Israel under the superintendence of the God of 
 heaven, 1 think has been fully proved. The question 
 arises, for what cause were they given to this people? 
 We answer, as blessings and tests, to try their obedi- 
 ence. God in his all-wise government has, since the 
 creation of fl?an, made use of measures to try the fidel- 
 ity and obedience of his children. He has given man 
 inventive faculties to work out means for support, and 
 encouraged him in the pursuits of life. Thus he cre- 
 ated the vine which bears the clustering grape, and wa- 
 tered it with the dew of heaven. It grew and multipli- 
 ed in all parts of the earth. Man, by his ingenuity, 
 extracted the juice therefrom, and found it well-pleas- 
 ing to the taste. God did not prohibit his creature 
 man from partaking of this invention; but pronounced 
 it a blessing, and permitted him to drink it with a cheer- 
 ful heart. It became then a test. Should man use it 
 temperately, and not abuse it, he should be commend- 
 ed for his fidelity, and receive a reward. Should h*
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 27 
 
 vise it intemperate)/, then should he be punished for hie 
 ingratitude and wickedness. So with the barky, corn, 
 and wheat created for the sustenance of man. They 
 too, became 'tests;' but man abused them all, and has 
 in every age of the world. But i would ask, has not 
 the Almighty dealt out tribulation and anguish upon ev- 
 ery child of Adam for so doing? It is a well establish- 
 ed law, that a man cannot drink too much, or eat too 
 much, without suffering misery. Th drunkard is 
 troubled with redness of eyes, bloated cheeks, and 
 palsied limbs. The glutton, dyspepsy, gout, and a nu- 
 merous train of internal and external diseases! But 
 shall we drive from the earth those blessings, because 
 some men have abused them? If God has placed them 
 here as 'tests' to try our obedience, shall we impiously 
 dare to destroy them? destroy what God approves? an- 
 nihilate what he has created? We know that God will 
 bring good out of evil, for we see it exemplified in the 
 case of Joseph's brethren; and shall we call in ques- 
 tion the means used by the Almighty in the administra- 
 tion of his government? He declares that 'he doeth his 
 will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of 
 (he earth.' Let us beware how we oppose the King of 
 Heaven. He will govern his people in justice! 
 
 The doctrine of 'total abstinence' is not therefore a 
 bible doctrine; it is at war with God's holy word, and 
 must be considered a human invention. What the Al- 
 mighty does not approve cannot stand! Already it has 
 last its charm and novelty. The wheels roll very hear-
 
 28 THE BRAMSLE, 
 
 ily, and the 'liberals,' are called to the work to rescue- 
 it from oblivion. We are sorry to see some of our or- 
 der disposed to take hold of this work of extermination; 
 for we believe it is not compatible with reason or reve- 
 lation. Our brethren no doubt do it out of good mo- 
 tives, but I am confident that they will not be able to 
 revive the work, for like other false doctrines, it has an- 
 appointed time. Already there are strong symptoms of 
 her dissolution. Already she's - 
 
 ' Past redemption, 
 Ga'en in a galloping consumption, 
 Not a' the quacks, with a' their gumption 
 
 Will ever mend her; 
 Her flattering pulse gi's strong presumption, 
 
 Death soon will end her.' 
 
 If the friends of total abstinence would only be tem- 
 perate in their measures, they might gain more prose- 
 Ivtes (and I am confident they would more credit) a- 
 mong men. But they, like the advocates of the false 
 doctrines run into extremes, and are not disposed to 
 hear but on side of the question. When a man enga- 
 ges in the work he professes much benevolence for his 
 fellow men, and would not do any thing to wound a per- 
 son's feelings. This is a very fair profession, and 
 would to God he would practice it. But wait until he 
 is fairly initiated into office, clothed with a 'little brief 
 authority,' he soon grows warm on the subject, and be- 
 fore he knows what he is about he conjures up the io-
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 29 
 
 habitants of the infernal pit,* places the grim Old King 
 behind a hogshead of rum in a distillery sets him to 
 retailing Bibles and Rum blackens the character of 
 respectable people, and throws community into disorder 
 and confusion! Inquire the motive he has in thus dis- 
 gracing humanity, and you will be gravely told It is 
 done out of pure 'disinterested benevolence,' Benevo- 
 lence indeed! Why a man might as well set fire to his 
 neighbor's house and plead benevolence as to blacken 
 his character and ruin his reputation. 
 I have said the abstinence folks go upon extremes. 
 This is verified daily. But a few weeks ago, we saw 
 an account, given by a certain editor,! ef the proceed- 
 ings of the second centennial anniversary of the found- 
 ing of Harvard College. This editor remarked that he 
 saw but one thing on the occasion, which was to him a 
 source of regret. Well, what was that? Why he dis- 
 covered intoxicating liquors but as he has only men- 
 tioned wine, we presume that was the only intoxicating 
 liquor on the table. The lilervli of New England, we 
 are informed, sat a bad example. 'An example, detri- 
 mental to the temperance reformation.' We suppose 
 by this as he has mentioned a 'free use of wine,' that 
 the honorable gentlemen there assembled had a regular 
 'spree.' Else their example could not have been detri- 
 mental to the temperance reformation for temperance, 
 
 * Rev. Mr. Cheever, Salem, Mass, 
 t Rev. T. Wbhtemore.
 
 30 THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 a* we have shown, signifies moderation. We do not be- 
 lieve that they sat a bad example to the cause of tempe- 
 rance, but feel more charitable toward them than our 
 brother. If there were some there who drank too much 
 there might also have been some there who ate too 
 much. We know not that our brother himself is free 
 from this species of intemperance. If such be the case 
 the words of our Savior will apply, 'Cast out first the 
 beam out of thine own eye, and then shall thou see 
 clearly to pull out the mote that .is in thy brother's eye. 
 Luke vi. 42. 
 
 Again, the subject of abstinence has been made a po- 
 litical question. Does any one doubt this? Let facts 
 show that have transpired in this town! A gentleman* 
 was employed to deliver a lecture on abstinence in this 
 village. He came according to appointment, and deliv- 
 ered a philippic against the temperate people told his 
 friends to carry it to the polls. To the polls, he cried, 
 and put none into office but what are abstinence men; 
 To the polls they carried it, obedient to his commands, 
 and strife and confusion ensued. Now we would not 
 object to their carrying it to the polls, providing it were 
 done understandingly. Many good, unsuspecting friends 
 to their measures, do not discover their policy, and con- 
 sequently are led to vote against their own political 
 feelings. Do you wish to know how this is done? I 
 can tell you in a few words (though not a politician.) 
 
 * Mr. Sargeaut, Boston. 
 3*
 
 THE BRAMBLE. l 
 
 This town is decidedly in favor of the present admin- 
 istration. Those that are opposed are almost to a man 
 abstinence men. Many of the latter have seized upon 
 this enterprise, thinking that 0ome republicans would 
 sacrifice their political privileges, for the sake of putting 
 them into office who would not grant 'licenses' &c. 
 Thus a Jackson man is led to vote for a Whig, not be- 
 cause he likes his political sentiments, but he imagines 
 that he will aid the cause of abstinence. By making the 
 friends of abstinence believe that their object is to pro- 
 mote their cause, they are caught with guile and are led 
 to vote against their brethren in politics.' The object of 
 the leaders in this speculation may be seen at a glance. 
 They are at war with our republican government, under 
 the guise of would be friends to abstinence. 'A word 
 to the wise is sufficient!' 
 
 While on the subject of extremes among abstinence 
 folks, I might direct your attention to the havoc that 
 has been made among the unfortunate Baptists in this 
 town. But I forbear! God grant that we may keep 
 out of our ranks this desolation, which has come upon 
 our neighbors, and preserve us from ruin. 
 
 But am I told if we have discovered' evils among 
 the leaders of the abstinence enterprise, we ought to 
 take hold with them, and rectify the matter? What 
 saith Holy Writ? 'Be ye separate saith the Lord.' 
 'What concord hath Christ with Beliel.' Did we ap- 
 prove of your abstinence measures, we should not fall 
 in with you. No, gentlemen! You must st a good
 
 32 THE BRAMBLE. 
 
 example, and show that you are worthy of our sup- 
 port ! 
 
 But we are informed that the cause is a good one, 
 and we ought to be engaged in promoting it! What 
 cause is a good one? If you mean temperance, we ac- 
 knowledge it is not only good, but a glorious one, and 
 we will go with you heart and hand in preaching it a- 
 mong men! Bui if you mean 'total abstinence,' we de- 
 ny that it is a good one, and until you bring us a 'Thus 
 sailh the Lord,' to prove it, we shall oppose it. We re- 
 collect that you once said, 'the temperate drinker was 
 worse than the drunkard.' That you once called a good 
 sentiment. But public opinion has made you take back 
 the assertion; you are now endeavoring to wipe off the 
 reproac.h you have brought upon your 'good cause.' 
 God grant that you may be successful in your labors! 
 
 We are now told that the example ef the temperate 
 drinker is bad. But this is false; for God commands 
 his children to be temperate and it is all that is requir- 
 ed by his law. He loves the temperate man, and wo 
 unto you who abuse hin>. The example of the temper- 
 ate drinker is moderation, and if all men would imitate 
 him there \vculd be no drunkards. But you say, all in- 
 temperate men were once temperate drinkers, so were 
 all gluttons once temperate eaters, and shall we ab- 
 stain from eating because some men eat too much. 
 \Ve might with the same propriety, as to utterly ab- 
 stain from drinking! 
 
 But you say intemperance in drinking is such a great
 
 THE BRAMBLE. $3 
 
 evil, that societies ought to be formed to put a stop to 
 it. There are other evils in the world, 1 am confident, 
 as bad as this. One especially that produces as much 
 misery, and corrupts society as bad as intemperate 
 drinking. Do you ask what it is! Look at your sev- 
 enth commandment! Why not form a total abstinence 
 society on that principle? 
 
 Were it proper I might point you to families that 
 have been ruined by this species of intemperance! I 
 might point you to the heart-broken victims of debau- 
 chery, who roll in filth and corruption! I might pre- 
 sent you with facts that would make 
 
 ' E'en angels weep.' 
 
 Humanity shuddrrs at the crimes of guilt committed 
 in our land. But come, ye disciples in favor of abstin- 
 ence societies, come, buckle on the armor, and by your 
 influence create an abstinence society against this vice. 
 We pledge ourselves to furnish you with bible testimo- 
 ny sufficient to warrant you in the enterprise. Surely, 
 the cause will be a good one. And if it would be prop- 
 er to form a society in (he one case why not in the oth- 
 er? We pause for a reply. 
 
 No one doubts but what there is too much intoxica- 
 ting liquor drank in our land. But to say no man shall 
 drink any because some make too free a use of it i.s 
 presumptuous in the extreme. Preach temperance to 
 the people as the apostles did. But don't influence 
 them to sign a pledge and make them hypocrites. God
 
 
 34 THE BKAMEI.E. 
 
 requires his creature man to be temperate not only in' 
 drinking, but in all things. Intemperance in language 
 is a great sin. And O, how much sin has been com- 
 mitted in this town by this species of intemperance to 
 further the abstinence measures! More, I'll venture 
 to say, within five years, than by drinking ardent spir- 
 its. 
 
 Let the ministers of the New Testament do their duty 
 in preaching temperance to the people in connection 
 with the gospel, and if they fail in reforming mankind 
 by those means God has given them let the civil pow- 
 er of the land be put-in force. Follow the example of 
 our selectmen,* and it will do more good in reforming 
 the intemperate drinker than fifty sermons on total ab- 
 stinence. This is my candid belief, and I am not a- 
 lone in this opinion. Let drunkenness be punished as 
 n crime, and then will all men have justice done them. 
 Lock up the rich man who gets drunk on wine, with the 
 poor laborer, who gets intoxicated on whiskey, and my 
 word for it, you will do more good by these means, t!ia 
 by compelling people to sign that which they never 
 mean to live up to. 
 
 If any man asks how much I would allow a person to 
 drink of wine, Stc. I would answer, 'Let no man judge* 
 another, 'in meat or drink.' 'To his own master he 
 Btandeth or falleth.' All I can recommend is, 'Be not 
 
 * Within a few months they have carried two individuals to tb 
 bouse of correction. This meets the approbation of community.
 
 THE BRAMBLE. 3$ 
 
 crunk wherein is excess.' So the apostles preached, 
 end 'so we preach.' 
 
 There are many other points that I should like to no- 
 tice, but the length of this Expose warns me to draw to 
 a close. 
 
 In conclusion, let mo exhort you, my fellow citizens, 
 to be up and doing. The law of Athens at one time, 
 made it a capital offence, for any citizen to remain neu- 
 tral in times of danger. Let ua adopt this sentiment as 
 out motto, 'Hang the banner on the outer wall,' and 
 guard the rights of our republic. Should those of whom 
 we have-freely spoken marshal their forces at the ap- 
 proaching election, then look well to your interest. 
 'Let us see every heart a shield, and a drawn sword ic 
 every hand, to preserve the ark of our political safety. 
 Let there be reared a fabric upon our national consti- 
 tution, which time cannot crumble, persecution shake, 
 nor revolution change but which shall stand among us 
 like some lofty and stupendous Appenine, while the 
 earth rocks at its feet, and the thunder peals above its 
 head, it shall stand firm and immutable as the pillars of 
 eternity I'
 
 LETTER TO REV. T. WHITTEMORE. 
 
 REV. SIR: 
 
 I am much obliged to you for the notice you paid 
 my pamphlefcin your paper of last week. I expected 
 that you would oppose its sentiments, and therefore am 
 not wholly disappointed. As a kick from a wise man 
 is far preferable to the flattery of a fool, I will, by your 
 permission, say a few words by way of reply. 
 
 You entreat the public not to receive the sentiments 
 of this pamphlet in question, as the sentiments of the 
 Universalist community in general. You say you 
 know they are not so. Now when a man says he knows 
 a thing to be true, it is a very easy matter for him to 
 prove it. I deny that the Universalist community are 
 in favor of the measures of the total abstinence party; 
 and I call on you to prove your assertion, or fake back 
 the charge. Were you to examine the Unive realists, 
 on this subject, you would not find but very few of them 
 in favor of your measures. Out pf the one hundred 
 preachers that we ; have in New York State, you will 
 not find twenty among them that will advocate the vio- 
 lent measures of abstinence men. 
 
 Whether the Universalist denomination will regret 
 /-the publication of this pamphlet, or not, I cannot *ell^
 
 LETTER TO 37 
 
 but I do know many of them who do regret to find a 
 professed disciple of Christ at war with the King of 
 Heaven. If 1 had advanced sentiments incompatible 
 with revelation, why did you not say so? If I had giv- 
 en a wrong meaning to the word temperance, why did 
 you not show wherein? 1 endeavored to show how the 
 Apostles preached temperance. If you feel disposed 
 to wage a war with any one, direct your artillery a- 
 gainst them. We will see that you have an 'Open field 
 and fair play, and let God speed the right.' 
 
 In the Branvble 1 showed that temperance and absti- 
 nence had two diSerent significations. That abstinence 
 men had stolen the word temperance, (it being a softer 
 word) to further their measures. I did not, as you fay, 
 oppose the temperance reformation. But I did, and by 
 the help of God I always will, oppose the iniquity and 
 abomination of the abstinence party. The abstinence 
 people in this town, and in other places, deeply lament 
 the intemperate measures that have been adopted to 
 promote their cause. But you, Mr. Whittetnore, seem 
 to approve of their conduct. I am informed that you 
 once remarked in this town, that the common people 
 always took the lead of the clergy in every thing, and 
 that when the laily said the word the priests had to 
 'knock under.' 1 can now use your language with 
 propriety. 'I most deeply deplore the fact that there is 
 a man in Mass, professing to be a teacher of the Gos- 
 pel, an herald of peace and good will to men, ichost 
 Mentimenta are so far below the moral standard of Ike age.' 
 4
 
 38 LETTER TO 
 
 Come Mr. W. you must acknowledge that you abstin- 
 ence folks have become intemperate. Yea, as intern* 
 perale in your measures as those who get daily intoxi- 
 cated on Rum. Whether the consequences are as bad 
 will, be an after consideration. 
 
 But you say, you are 'sick with the bombastic style 
 of this pamphlet.' I am very sorry that the truth has 
 made you sick, Mr. Whittemore. Your case is a hard 
 one. But let us see what can be done. Take and 
 read the pamphlet over again. In it you will find 24 
 passages of scripture; receive them as the words of 
 Almighty God, and if they fail in curing you oi your 
 sickness then call me a quack, and say, my prescrip- 
 tions are good for nothing. 
 
 That there is danger sufficient to justify us in speak- 
 ing warmly on the subject, will not be doubted, by any 
 man of liberty acd equal rights. Temperance, has, as 
 we have seen, been made a religious and political 
 'Hobby,' to ride a few corrupt arisiocratical office seek- 
 ers into power. Towns and communities have been 
 thrown into commotion, by aspiring demagogues who 
 would sap the foundation of civil justice, and overthrow 
 our republican institutions. Ought not every lover of 
 peace and good order, to speak out, and warn mankind 
 of danger? Yes! 'In tones of thunder!!' 
 
 You say, Mr. W. that I attempted to show that it 
 was right and just, and a matter of duty for men to use 
 intoxicating liquors. So I did and so I would now 
 contend. What was stimulating drinks made for, if not
 
 REV. T. WHITTEB1ORE. 39 
 
 to use? What did Moses tell the children of Israel to 
 purchase wine and strong drink for, if he did not wish 
 and intend to have them use those drinks? The scrip- 
 tures do not recommend an intemperate use of them, 
 but a temperate. I have never recommended stimula- 
 ting drinks as a common beverage. But I have said, 
 and do say, that it is the duly of every man, to use al- 
 cohol, when necessity requires. It is, therefore not on- 
 ly just and right, but the duty of every man to use in- 
 toxicating drinks. But no man has a right to abuse 
 them! 
 
 Speaking of the kind of temperance that I advocated, 
 you quoted the following 'If a temperance man is 
 seen in the day time going to the store,' &c. Yes, Mr. 
 W. I would have him go in the day time, not wait till 
 after dark, as you will find described immediately after 
 the last quotation! Yes! I would have him go in the 
 day time. I do not believe the ancient people of God, 
 waited till after dark, before purchasing their wine and 
 strong drink; neither do I believe that they hid them un- 
 der their cloaks, or under a Bushel. 
 
 But again, you say, 'Now a man who makes no use 
 whatever of intoxicating liquors, the author of this 
 pamphlet will not allow to be a temperance man.' 
 Surely not. Unless a man can be temperate in that 
 from which he entirely abstains. A person cannot be 
 called a temperance man in drink, unless he makes 
 some use of it. And when an individual abstains from 
 any article, the word temperance will not apply. But
 
 40 LETTER TO 
 
 your views of temperance, Mr. W. must be peculiar to 
 yourself. But a few weeks ago, you observed that any 
 use of intoxicating liquors as a drink, or beverage, was 
 an intemperate use. Surely you did not learn that idea 
 from Walker, Webster or Johnson. Please inform us, 
 how you come to that conclusion for there is wisdom 
 in the remark. 
 
 'Such temperance men' (as are not ashamed to go in 
 the day time to the store, &c.) you think, 'will rally a- 
 round my banner.' Thank you, Mr. W. they are the 
 ones we want. Give us the temperance man, and you 
 may have the disciple of abstinence, who under the 
 garb of hypocrisy would 
 
 'Steal the livery of the court of Heaven, to serre the Devil in.' 
 
 Yea, we will do more, we will throw the intemperate 
 drinker into the bargain, for you are both upoa ex- 
 treaies. 
 
 If you or any other abstinence man feel disposed to 
 take hold of this work, then grapple with the doctrine 
 of temperance as laid down in the 'Bramble.' Show 
 that God gave us wine and strong drink to curse us 
 that Jesus Christ and the Apostles were wrong in their 
 views of temperance, and that temperance is absti- 
 nence. Yours Respectfully, 
 
 JOHN GREGORY. 
 
 Woburn, October 28, 1836.
 
 REV. T. WHITTEMORE. 41 
 
 Finding that Mr. Whittemore would not publish the 
 above letter, I sent it to Mr. Skinner, Editor of the 
 'Gospel Sun,' and requested him to give it an inser- 
 tion in his paper. But he refused! urging that he did 
 not wish to offend Ero. Whittemore. Had this letter 
 been addressed to any Orthodox Minister, these editors 
 would not have hesitated a moment in giving it publici- 
 ty. They are not so very sensitive about incurring the 
 displeasure of their opponents as they are one another! 
 
 This fact confirms me in the belief of the report that 
 is going the rounds, that there is a combination (with a 
 particular few) in this vicinity against me. When the 
 Bramble made its appearance, a friend of mine being 
 in the Trumpet Office, informed Mr. Whhtemore that I 
 had received requests from clergymen to exchange.-^ 
 Mr. W. was quite surprised, and said with emphasi-?, 
 that he should like to know the man that would ex- 
 change with me. A short time ago, a Brother promis- 
 ed to exchange with me in Dec. but on writing to him, 
 on the subject, he changed his mind, and said he would 
 rather not, for the present. Two members of my so- 
 ciety, called upon him, for his reasons. They ashed 
 him if he had learned any thing against my moral char- 
 acter. He answered in the negative. They then 
 wished to know if he would not exchange on account of 
 my views of Temperance. He replied that was no ob- 
 jection. But the reason was, he had learned from 
 omo of his ministering brethren; (undoubtedly at the 
 
 6*
 
 4t LETTEP- TO 
 
 Trumpet Office,} that there was difficulty in my so- 
 ciety. * 
 
 But a few days since, another Brother, after promis- 
 ing to exchange, and appointing a time to effect it, sent 
 word, a day or two previous, that he wanted to dread- 
 fully, but could not conscientiously. No. He could not 
 exchange with me, until the brethren around me would. 
 He had probably learned from the same source, that 
 there was difficulty in my society. 
 After finding this state of things existing against me, 
 sent a short communication to Bro. Skinner, on the 
 subject, and received from Bro. Farnsworth, a line, ad- 
 vising me, not to have it published- He stated that ho 
 did not believe my brethren would refuse to exchange 
 with me that he had a better opinion of the Universal- 
 ist Clergy than to refuse such civilities. He and the 
 world may now see that brethren who knew nothing a- 
 gainst my moral character, have refused to exchange. 
 And why? Because they learned (no doubt from the 
 
 * In oar society there are a few individuals, who are opposed te 
 the Bramble but the number in very small. Where there is on 
 Rgaingst it, there are ten in its favor. And where is the society in 
 Mass, that has not some members in favor f my sentiments on tem- 
 perance? I'll ventnre that one cannot be found that does not contain 
 more in favor of bible temperance, than there are opposed to it in my 
 society. Should I be justified in refusing to exchange with any 
 brolher on account of there being a half a dczen individuals in ti 
 ci>ty opposad to my views f temperance? Jud ye!
 
 RET. T. WH1TTEMORE. 45 
 
 Trumpet Office,) that there was difficulty in my soci- 
 ety. 
 
 But a year ago, my brethren in this vicinity, installed 
 me pastor of the first Universalist Society in Woburn. 
 They then pledged themselves, to assist me in prosper- 
 ity and adversity. On my part I obligated myself to 
 preach the word faithfully, to 'shun not to declare the 
 whole counsel of God.' Let any man show that I have 
 departed from the pledge then given, and I will peace- 
 ably withdraw from the order. 
 
 On that occasion, they gave me their Hands, and I 
 supposed their hearts, that they would stand by me, as 
 long as I remained worthy of their confidence. Had I 
 gone counter to the rules of the Gospel, their'duty would 
 have been to have expelled rne, and not to have denied 
 me the privileges of the ministry. But because I had 
 the independence to lay my views of temperance, before 
 the public, they have sought to ruin me by prejudicing 
 the Brsthren against me. De it so. I know in whom 
 1 believe and trust; and believing, I am bold in pro- 
 claiming the truth. The Gospel I have taken for my 
 guide, and I can truly say with the Poet 
 
 Should all the forms that men derise,- 
 Assault my faith with treacherous trt, 
 I'd call them vanity and lies, 
 Aad bind the Gospel to my heart.' 
 
 'Whoso readeth let him understand.'
 
 "THE HOE." 
 
 I would apprise the reader that a pamphlet called 
 *' The Hoe" designed to uproot the " Bramble," has 
 lately been published. The author, in his haste to get 
 his work out of the press, forgot to furuish his " Hoe" 
 with a handle. The hoe is a tool designed for agricul- 
 tural purposes, and is good for nothing without the 
 necessary appendage. We, therefore, out of kindness 
 to the owner, will furnish his Hoe with a handle. 
 
 After furnishing his Hoe with a handle, we shall beg 
 the privilege of handling his Hoe, and endeavor to dig 
 up the Thorns, Thistles, and Briars which he has 
 planted! A word on the propriety of choosing a Floe 
 to uproot a Bramble. 
 
 Every man should possess a sufficient degree of wis- 
 dom, to enable him to select such implements as will 
 best suit the occasion on which he designs uaing them. 
 For instance, a wise man would not undertake to hew 
 down the trees of the forest with a penknife, nor over- 
 turn the Alleghany Mountains with a tooth pick; there- 
 fore, in choosing implements to bring about any desired 
 event, due caution should be paid in selecting those 
 that will prove the most effectual. The Hoe, therefore, 
 instead of being a proper utensil to uproot the Bramble, 
 is, as we have seen, only fit to dig around its roots, 
 causing it to grow and spread with the greater rapidity ! 
 And who is the author and owner of this celebrated
 
 THE HOB. 40 
 
 Hoe? Geo. P. Oakes, a " Type Setter," of Boston. 
 Why .'did he not put his name to his splendid production? 
 Because he was ashamed of the bral, and like an un- 
 natural father denied it of its birth right; and thus the 
 illegitimate thing 
 
 " Deform'd, unfinished, sent before its time 
 Into this breathing world, scarce half made op, 
 And that so lamely, and unfashionable" 
 
 that not an honorable man in all this mighty kingdom 
 feels willing to 'say a word in its favor! Why, what an 
 ungrateful man this " Type Setting" Tlisciple of absti- 
 nence must be? 
 
 But who is Geo. P. Oakes? Let facts show. Ha 
 is the individual who printed my work, ealled "The 
 Bramble." Being desirous to have my pamphlet pub- 
 lished, I called on Mr. Abel Tompkins of Boston, and 
 requested him to do the job. He employed Geo. P. 
 Oakes to do the work. I was told that I could have it 
 in one week, Saturday or Monday. On Mondar I 
 went to the office of Geo. P. Oakes, and he had just 
 commenced the work. 1 entered into conversation with 
 this gentleman, and he informed me, if I mistake not, 
 that he had never joined an abstinence society, and that 
 he could not approve of the violent measures of the 
 total abstinence party. My work was delayed on 
 week, and a celebrated character of this town, says he 
 read the proof sheet of the " Hoe" the same day that 
 my work arrived in Woburn. The Bramble was delay-
 
 46 THE KGE. 
 
 ed one week beyond the appointed time, and the Hoc 
 came out the same day that my work was finished! "A 
 word to the wise is sufficient." 
 
 THE PREFACE OF THE HOE. 
 
 The author informs us that on examing the Bramble, 
 " Momus destroyed ihe equilibrium of his philosophy." 
 Whether this man lost his philosophy in perusing my 
 work or not, I cannot say, but he has surely shown 
 himself wanting iff sound judgment. We however feel 
 disposed to think he never had any philosophy to lose. 
 Hut he does not pretend to answer my pamphlet serious- 
 ly. Why then does he undertake to argue some parts 
 of the subject in a grave and serious manner? yea, why 
 does he wax so eloquent and pathetic on certain points. 
 Surely some parts of the Hoe would draw tears from a 
 grind-stone! This sapient type seller acknowledges that 
 this is a free country, that every man has a right to 
 express his opinion ott all important subjects, and then 
 falls to abusing me for opinions' sake in the most un- 
 charitable manner 
 
 "O judgment, thon art fled to brutish beasts, 
 And men have lost their reason." 
 
 As to the duty which prompted me to write the 
 Bramble, I would inform Geo. P. Oakes, that it was a 
 religious duty arising from a desire of promoting tha 
 cause of truth and righteousness, and he will fiod that
 
 TB1 BO*. 47 
 
 duty enjoined upon all mankind, in (he Holy Scriptures. 
 This kind of morality (not arising from toleration, the 
 commands, or permission of men) Mr. Oakes will find 
 in that Book, of which he appears to be totally unac- 
 quainted. But the author of the Hoe quotes Scripture; 
 so does the Devil when necessary, and no one thinks 
 him any the better for it. Mr. Oakes is not acquainted 
 with my friends who solicited me to write the Bramble. 
 1 have taken the trouble to collect the names of a few- 
 individuals in this town, and as for their loving gin 
 toddy, ect. better than the disciples of abstinence, I do 
 not believe. There is this difference, however, the 
 former drink what they wish in the day time, while the 
 fatter wait till after dark. Instead, therefore, of pray- 
 ing, " Preserve me from such friends," I lament lhat 
 we have no more of them. I expected no favor from 
 the abstinence people, and therefore am not disappoint- 
 ed. I knew that but very few of them would be willing 
 to practice on the injunction of our Saviour. " All 
 things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto 
 you, do ye even so to them." I however, ask no man's 
 friendship, unless I ean have it on honorable terms. 
 Let the public judge whether I have held out any in- 
 ducement in the Bramble, for men to live temperately. 
 All I ask is, let them judge righteous judgment! Infi- 
 dels may not find any inducement in my work, for men 
 to live soberly, for they do not believe the Bible. Be- 
 tween intemperance and abstinence, temperance muat 
 tand, and I have yet to learn that ehe is in any pre- 
 '
 
 48 THE HANDLE KOK 
 
 dicament for intemperance and abstinence are as widt 
 apart as are Heaven and Hell!! 
 
 THE HANDLE FDR THE HOE. 
 
 In handling the 'Hoe,' we shall endeavor to keep aa 
 far from that loic, vulgar, and slanderous style in which 
 it is written, as we possibly can. But at the same time, 
 as Mr Oakes appears to be the official organ of the total 
 abstinence party in Massachusetts, we shall use the rod 
 and scourge him severely for his impiousness in daring 
 to injure us by personal invectives. Had I ever assail* 
 ed this gentleman, or wronged him in any way, he 
 might have had some excuse for heaping upon me abuse 
 and slander. .But no : he cannot say that I ever injur- 
 ed a hair of his head. Can he say the same of me ? 
 No ! By misrepresenting my statements, and calling 
 roe a Minister of unrighteousness, and insinuating that 
 I was a tipler and a drunkard, the impression has . gon 
 abroad, where I am not known, that 1 am such a char- 
 acter as he has represented. I would inform Mr Oakes 
 that there is a law against Slander : And I would have 
 him beware lest while he thinketh he staudeth, he 
 meets with a fall. Ha 
 
 "Who steals my purse, steals trash : 'tis something, nothing : 
 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousand! ; 
 Bat he that filches from me my good name, 
 Robs me of that which not enriches him, 
 And makes me poor indeed."
 
 rrns HOE. 49 
 
 The author of the Hoc says, "The Bramble com- 
 mences with an address to the 'Kind Reader,' whom it 
 charges to 'read, pause and consider.' I shall endeav- 
 or to do so but fear when the author charges his read- 
 ers to 'consider,' he is fighting against his own cause." 
 Now had Mr On ken complied with my request, he would 
 not lav under the charge of retaining my Manuscript 
 until he could prepare an answer. As for fighting 
 against my own cause by entreating the reader to pause 
 end consider, 1 have no taar of the result: for it is. thoso 
 v. ho do not consider, that full in with the total abstinence 
 measures. 
 
 He goes on : "I never happened to hear of any very 
 active Agents or Lectures in the moderate drinking 
 cause.'' 1 What does this man mean by moderate drink- 
 ing ? Why, such a I 'denominate I3ib!e temperance.' 
 Then this man never beard any lectures on Bible tem- 
 erance. Where has he been all the days of his life, 
 that he has not heard any one lecture on so important a 
 topic ? Can it be possible that he has attended the 
 meetings of Fathers Bal!6u and Streeter, without hear- 
 ing them declaim against intemperance, and urge the 
 necessity of temperance in all things ? But he says 
 "I never knew an advocate of moderate drinking (i. c. 
 of Bible temperance,) to exert his energies to put down 
 immoderate drinking." There is not a clercyman, 1 
 presume, in the city of Boston, but what is in favor of 
 mod; rate drinking, vh"n it is m eessary, and that i# all 
 for which I contend. Consequently, Mr Oakes never 
 5
 
 
 50 THE HANDLE FOtt 
 
 knew a man to preach against drunkenness without h* 
 belonged to a total abstinence society. How is it, ye 
 venerable servants of Chvist, who have tvorn out your 
 lives in preaching the doctrines of the New Testament? 
 Have you never exerted your energies against immod- 
 erate drinking? A stripling has risen up in your midst, 
 who has attended your meetings for years, and declares 
 he never new a Bible temperance man to war against 
 drunkenness and dissipation. I verily believe Mr Oakes 
 knew better when he made the declaration. 
 
 Agarn, Mr Oakes says: "In Ann-street or Broad- 
 street, of this city, he might drum up a great many re- 
 cruits." 
 
 The Ann-street and Broad-street votaries of Bacchus, 
 with all their sins about them, I ver.i!y believe are as 
 free from crimes and iniquity, as are the violent disci- 
 ples of abstinence, who abuse every man that will not 
 fall in with their measures; yes, as free from iniquity 
 as those hot headed zealots in the abstinence cause, 
 who prowl around the country, and scatter discord and 
 disunion. The drunkard does not attempt to deceive; 
 but the abstinence man does, and by his intemperate 
 zeal destroys the peace and good order of society. I 
 plead not the case of the drunkard, but that of the tem- 
 perate man, who has been insulted and abused, without 
 just cause. Mr Oakes thinks that many of the Ann- 
 street gang would rally around my banner. I would 
 inform my antagonist that were I to have my choice 
 between that gang and the same number of abstinence
 
 THE HOE. 61 
 
 then, who have patronized "The Hoe," 1 would choose 
 the former : for I might possibly, by preaching the doc- 
 trines of the Bible, reform some of them, and by so do- 
 ing imitate rny .Master, who thought it not beneath the 
 dignity of his station to eat and drink with publicans and 
 sinners. While the latter, professing so much be- 
 nevolence, and possessing so much self-righteousness, 
 would be too much like the o!d Pharisees " Stand by 
 thyself, come not near me, for I am holier than thoo." 
 lie says, " but this mighty man of Woburn does not 
 intend to be very moderate in dealing his blows upon 
 the TEMPERANCE CAUSE." I have never spoken against 
 my own cause and sincerely hope I never may. Again: 
 *'He has come forth with full powers, as Sa/an's P/eni- 
 potenliwy /" Well, it were better to serve the Devil 
 on honorable terms, than to do the dirty work of men 
 who are ashamed to do it themselves ! But what sailk 
 Christ ? 
 
 "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub 
 how much more shall they call them of his household." 
 
 He says "Here we begin to learn that this Mr Gre- 
 gory (whose name we do not recollect to have heard 
 before,) is one of the great men of ^the earth." Doe 
 Ceo. P. Oakes mean to say that he does not know me ? 
 Let me introduce a few facts. I was introduced to him 
 more than a year'ago, and probably have spoken with 
 him more thiin a dozen times since. And still he say 
 tie does not recollect of hearing my name. On the set- 
 ond Sunduy in November, 1835, I delivered an addres*
 
 62 THE HANDLE FOR 
 
 before the "Young Men's Universalist Institute," I'd 
 which Geo. P. Oakes belongs, and shortly after receiv- 
 ed the following: 
 
 BOSTON j Nov. 20, 1S35. 
 REV. JOHN GREGORY 
 
 BEAR Sin: 
 
 It affords me much plea- 
 sure to inform you that at a regular meeting of the 
 ".BOSTON YOUNG MKN'S UNIVEUSAMST INSTITUTE," 
 you were unanimously admitted as nn honorary mem- 
 ber. Your presence is requested whenever you can 
 make it convenient to at lend. 
 
 Yours very respectfully, 
 
 GEORGE C. PIPER, Rec. Sec'y, 
 
 From those facts, no candid man will doubt but that 
 George P. Oakes was well acquainted with me, and that 
 he told a falsehood to make the readers of the Hoe be- 
 lieve lhat that disgraceful production was written by a 
 stranger. O, how much sin there is committed by advo- 
 cating a bad cause ! 
 
 Again, Mr Oakes quotes the following passage fojn 
 the Bramble : "We believe your measures are corrupt, 
 your policy bad, and your zeal without knowledge.' In 
 reply he says, ' If our measuns nre corrupt, it is be- 
 cause they are not used. The moderate drinker will 
 never let his measures get fusty.' This is a specimen 
 of the caviling of the famous author of the Hoe. Why 
 did he not come out like un honest man, and acknow-
 
 THE HOE. 55 
 
 ledge that the measures of the total abstinence part? 
 were bad, (as they acknowledge themselves) and thank 
 me for stirring up their minds in remembrance, that they 
 might sin no more? "The moderate drinker will not 
 let his measures et rusty!" I should like to see th 
 measures of the abstinence man, but he keeps them 
 locked up, and only uses them in cases of sickness. I'll 
 venture to say, however, that they are not rusty, for 
 most of these abstinence people are sick as often as wa 
 the man who joined a total abstinence society, and that 
 was every day. His wife remarked that she wished her 
 husband would go and take his name from the " pledge," 
 as that allowed him to drink * alcohol,' when sick, and 
 added, ' it is twenty days since he joined the abstinence 
 society, and he has been sick every day since.' 
 
 As for the " nefarious men in England and America" 
 reforming so many drunkards, I do not believe. Where 
 they have reformed one intemperate man on alcohol, 
 they have made ten drunkards on an intemperate zeal. 
 Hence it is only throwing intemperance in another 
 channel. 1 do not believe there is any difference in the 
 sin, between intemperance in drink, and intemperance 
 in passion. But I have yet to learn that there are less 
 drunkards now, than there was seven years ago; even 
 those English and American reformers, cited to appear 
 before me, no doubt many of them would be found want- 
 ing! 
 
 But Mr, Oakes says my arguments are tortorioui 
 and irrational. This cornea with an ill grace from one
 
 64 THB HANDLE FOR 
 
 who has not discernment sufficient to discover the force 
 of an argument. 1 should think another lesson in the 
 school of a certain Abstinence Speculator, would bo quite 
 an improvement to this Type Setter. Let him look to 
 it before he attempts again to scandalize one he does 
 not know. He thinks Mr. Cheever's conduct has been 
 as irreproachable as mine. That may be; but by the 
 good providence of God, we were never whipped for 
 abusing our fellow creatures, nor shut up in prison for 
 slandering our neighbors. Mr. Oakes can undoubtedly 
 say the same. But had I slandered Mr. Oakes as he 
 bas me, I certainly should be fearful of going out of 
 doors after dark! 
 
 The insinuation of Mr. Oakes that I had disgraced 
 tho pulpit, when he knew nothing about me, 
 
 " Is base, and poor, unworthy of a man 
 To write a scroll, so villainous and base." 
 
 JBut the witty fable Lord preserve the lamb! our risi- 
 bility was somewhat excited when wo read this, and 
 we could not refrain from exclaiming 
 
 ' You have a nimble wit; 
 
 I think it was mcde of Atalaata's heels." 
 
 Again, our author quotes 'I have heard a great 
 many lectures on temperance, but I never heard but 
 one i4iat exhorted people to be temperate in the Bible 
 acceptation.' To this he remarks: " What! only one f 
 It appears then you Bible temperance people are not 
 very zealous." This perversion of the meaning of my
 
 THE HOE. 65 
 
 language must, I think, have been seen by every "en- 
 lightened person who has rear) tho Hue. I was speak- 
 ing of lectures devoted expressly to the suhject of 
 temperance and by my saying I had not heard but 
 one that advocated temperance in all tilings, he 
 draws the conclusion that there never was but ono 
 delivered by the advocates of Bible temperance; well 
 might he say, " Momus destroyed the equilibrium of 
 my philosophy." I believe he spoke the truth. But I 
 would inform Mr. Oakes that I hardly ever preached 
 n sermon in my life without exhorting my hearers lo 
 live sober, temperate, and well ordered lives; and 1 
 believe I have done as much good in this way, by 
 preaching Bible temperance, as masy have in preach- 
 ing the system of total abstinence, unconnected with 
 the gospel. We do not employ agents to lecture on the 
 subject of temperance exclusively, for this reason: we 
 would have every man do his duty in his own neighbor- 
 hood, in persuading people to live religiously. We 
 believe that if every temperate man, would do his duty, 
 intemperance would soon be banished from the universe. 
 Let them try it, and see what effect it would have upon 
 community. 
 
 But again: After quoting a line from the Bramble, 
 in which I declared that Solomon did not belong to a 
 total abstinence society, he remarks "Any one woo Id 
 draw the same conclusion from the writings of Mr, 
 Gregory of \Voburn." Thon of a truth I perceive 
 there is an affinity between Solomon's views of texipe- 
 tancs and mine. You do me honor over much!
 
 56 THE liANDl.K FOR 
 
 But our antagonist grows serious and attempts to 
 argue the point that total abstinence is temperance. 
 This is certainly commendable, for argument is far 
 preferable to abuse. Well, how does he attempt to 
 establish his premises? By quoting my dialogue with 
 his abstinence brother. This brother in the Bramble 
 told me that he did not drink amj wine or strong drink, 
 and still called himself a temperance man. Mr. Oakes 
 takes up this subject for his friend and advocates his 
 cause. Mr. Whittemore and others have quoted the 
 Bame dialouge, and given in their credence against me. 
 I then must contend with these mighty champions, or 
 give in that I am in the wrong. Some Poet has said 
 
 " A man convinced against hia will 
 Is of the same opinion still." 
 
 My will not being convinced, I beg leave respectfully 
 to dissent from them in opinion. You will bear in 
 mind, kind reader, that the man in the Bramble says 
 he does not drink any wine nor strong drink, and still 
 calls himself a temperance man in drink, for it was of 
 drink that we were speaking. Taking the defini- 
 tion I gave of the word temperance in the Bramble, 
 1 cannot perceive how that word can apply to any 
 thing of which we do not partake. Temperance is 
 the modejate use of any object. Abstinence is the 
 disuse of any self gratification. But if temperance be 
 total abstinence, then to totally abstain from all acting 
 and drinking, would be temperance. Well, Mr. Oukcc 
 how do you like this conclusion? You say temperance
 
 THE IIOE. 6T 
 
 fa abstinence, then I say to ii!)stnin from all things would 
 be temperance! Will you try it again yurick? 
 
 Mr. Oakes dues not like my illustration, that absti- 
 nence is not temperance,, by the man's going to Boston. 
 1 cannnt help it, the person was a thorough going ab- 
 btinence man, and started for the city, Oct. 10, I8S6, 
 and should he not meet with any whirlwinds, storms, or 
 tempests, he mafpottibly retted Boston';y spring. Call 
 at the Temperance Journal Office and inquire! 
 
 It will be recollected that I asked (he question in th 
 Bramble, Why the apostles did not form themselves 
 into a total abstinence society. To this Mr. Oakea 
 says " The circumstances in which the apostles were 
 placed admitted of forming but few societies of any kind, 
 like lambs among wolves, hunted up and down like 
 beasts of prey, but few advantages were afforded them 
 fur organizing and managing xvhat in this our day, can 
 he done with every facility at our beck." Admitting 
 this, I wish to propose one single question: Did the 
 opostles look upon wine and strong drink to be deadly 
 poisons? If so, would they not have left a command for 
 future generations to war against their use? .Most 
 assuredly they would! Now show us the hook, chap- 
 ter and verse, where any of the apostles have spoken 
 against the temperate use of those drinks. Come, we 
 challenge you to the work! Bring forward your strong 
 proofs, if an you have, or abandon the field. If they 
 considered a tempi-rate use of wine and slrong d: ink 
 wrong, or injurious, they have said so some where in
 
 5ft THE HANDLE FOB 
 
 the Bible, and you arc authorised by them to form Total 
 abstinence societies against those drinks. Now to the 
 work and show us your authority fur the course you 
 have taken. 
 
 Our opponent says again " Our author very trium- 
 phantly quotes Paul's advice to Timothy: 'Drink no 
 longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach'* 
 Rake, and thine often infirmaties.' As this is the only 
 place in the New Testament where wine is recommend- 
 ed, all moderate drinkers make the most of it.' ' Drow- 
 ning men will catch al straws,' is the old saying and 
 this is credent, by the handle Mr. Oukes makes of 
 Paul's advice to Timothy. This is the only place 
 we are informed, where wine is recommended in the 
 Bible. We'll see. About 1800 years ago, if I mis- 
 take not 'there was a rri'arringe in Cana of Galilee; and* 
 the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus and 
 his disciples were called to the marriage. And when 
 they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, 
 They have no wine. *' * * And there were set thero 
 six water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purify- 
 ing of the J : ews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 
 Jesus saiih unto them, fill the water pots with water. 
 And they filled them irp to the brim. And he saith unto 
 them, Draio out now, and bear unto the governor of tht 
 feast, and they bear it. When the, ruler of the feast had 
 tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not 
 whence it was, .(but the servants which drew the water 
 knew,) the Governor of the feast called the btidegroora
 
 THE HOE. bZ 
 
 nd-saith un!o him, every roan at the beginning. doth set 
 forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then 
 lhat which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine 
 until now.' Here the great Savior of mankind changes 
 water into -wine, and not merely recommends but com- 
 rnands his servants to bear it to the governor of the 
 feast. Yes, he actually changes water, pure cold wa- 
 ter into what the abstinence people call 'poison.' With 
 this fact before his eyes, let Ceo. P. Qakes hide him- 
 self behind the shadow of his own invisible greatness! 
 But again, Paul says: 'Be not drunk with wine, wherein 
 is excess., Ephe. v. 18. Now what does this lan- 
 guage imply? simply lhat the people whom he address- 
 ed must not make an intemperate use of wine. He 
 does not say, you must not drink a drop of that 'Drag- 
 gcm's Blood. 1 But i recommend .you to drink temper- 
 ately. Do not drink to excess. The very language 
 shows that they might use it, if they would not drink too 
 much. But if he had considered it as bad as many 
 people do in our day, he would have commanded^hem 
 to entirely abstain to join a 'lotal abstinence society.' 
 Many, I recollect, have said with scorn, when I have 
 brought these arguments forward for consideration, *O, 
 you can prove any thing by the Bible. It is like an 
 old fiddle, you can play any tune upon it you please.' 
 Let us then turn Infidels, and burn up our Bibles! 
 
 Again: Our author says 'Mr. Gregory has intro- 
 duced several passages of the Old Testament, to show 
 that wine and strong drink was permitted by Mosei,
 
 <>0 TIJZ HANDLE FOR 
 
 and recommended by Solomon. Admitting the past, w 
 are yet to leant that the wine and tin; strong drink, us- 
 ed in (lint day, weic as miaous in their effects as tiioso 
 used now .' Now 1 would have (he reader examine 
 those passages in the Jjramble, and then read the re- 
 marks of our opponent upon them, and if he docs not 
 exclaim O, Mr. Oakes, 'Thou art more puzxlcd than 
 the Egyptians in their fog !' 1 shall he much mistaken. 
 'As ruinous in their effects.' Strange indeed! Thoso 
 drinks produced intoxication in the days of Noah and 
 Lot, and surely they do no more in our generation.- 
 The people in the times of Moses might not have got 
 drunk as often as some folks do now, but then there is 
 no dot:bt but what they deled as bad. But we are in- 
 formed that 'many thing* were permitted under tho 
 Mosaic dispensation, that are not permitted now.' Ho 
 mentions polygamy, and triumphantly asks, would Mr. 
 Gregory recommend polygamy and promiscuous love 
 to the practice of Christians? By the aid of truth wo 
 shall endeavor to sweep away the BopbUtry which this 
 disciple of abstinence his used, and show the weakness 
 of his argument. Ho partly acknowledges that wine 
 and strong drink were permitted in the days of Moses. 
 Let us hear what the great Prophet saitb. 'Thou shall 
 bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul defireth; for 
 oxen, or for sheep, or for mine, or for strong drink I' 
 Here is an express command, to the children of Israel, 
 to drink wine and strong drink. 
 Now let us see if Mr. Oakea has produced a com-
 
 THE HOB. 61 
 
 mand in favor of the evil he mentions as explicit as I 
 have in favor of wine or strong drink. He has made 
 the declaration that the bible permits Polygamy. Can 
 he adduce any proofs to show that the Almighty sanc- 
 tioned a law in favor of that vice? No. He may 
 search the Bible from Gen. to Rev. and he cannot find 
 n wor.d in favor of that species of intemperance. There 
 is no Law of God in favor of Polygamy. It is incom- 
 patible with reason and revelation. But Mr. Oakes 
 says it was permitted, and insinuates that it is as lawful 
 to practice Polygamy as to drink wine or strong drink. 
 O thou blessed Savior! forgive their wonted attack up- 
 on thy wisdom, and pardon the rash intemperate man, 
 who has dared to blacken thy character. Polygamy 
 vas permitted, so was Stealing, Lying and Swearing 
 permitted; but were men justifiable in committing those 
 crimes? Mr Oakes has been permitted to abuse his 
 fe-llow creatures, but then he had no authority for so do- 
 kig. 1 leave you to judge kind reader, whether our 
 opponent has answered my arguments in favor of wine 
 or strong drink. 
 
 Mr. Oakes 5ays, 'we really believe that Mr. Grego- 
 ry has mistaken the banner under which he professes to 
 be enlisted, and that instead of being a minister of the 
 Gospel, he is a preacher of unrighteousness:' If vin- 
 dicating the doctrine of temperance be unrighteousness, 
 then have I mistaken the banner under which I have 
 enlisted. 
 
 Again. 'He comes forth to fight against truth and 
 6
 
 62 THE HANDLE FOR 
 
 righteousness, with the Bible in his hand.' if the in- 
 temperate measures adopted by ihe abstinence party be 
 truth and righteousness, then have I come forth to fight 
 against them. 
 
 Once more. 'He enforces the duty of all men to 
 drink liquors moderately, in the most violent manner.' 
 This is false, and a specimen o! the Moral Honesty of 
 my opponent. 
 
 He says 'He approaches the door of the sanctuary, 
 with a keg of whiskey lashed to his back, and fights 
 hard, with tooth and nail, for admittance.' The reader 
 may be at a stand to know the meaning of this 
 last quotation. Were we to understand it literally, 
 then Mr. Oakes would have the world believe, that we 
 are in the practice of carrying a 'keg of whiskey,' into 
 the meeting house, on Sundays, to treat our friends. 
 Ha, ha. Quite accommodating. But were we to un- 
 derstand it to be a .reply to my remarks on using wine 
 at the communion, which undoubtedly he meant, then 
 the unjustifiable attack upon the Holy service will be 
 discovered. Had not the author of .the 'Hoe' better 
 examine himself and see whether he is for or against 
 the great Redeemer of mankind! Speaking of intem- 
 perance in drink, I remarked that there were other e- 
 vils as bad, and having mentioned the breach of the 
 Eighth Commandment, asked why they did not form 
 societies to put a stop to that vice. Our Author, ia 
 remarking on the subject, labors hard to make the rea- 
 der believe that we are opposed to Abstinence societies
 
 THE HOB. 6S 
 
 en the ground (hat their advocates do not Turin socie- 
 
 D 
 
 lies against incontinence. 
 
 We were then arguing the impropriety of forming so- 
 tieties against any particular vice! And meant to be 
 understood, that in our opinion, it was not consistent to 
 form societies, and spend all our lime in warring a- 
 gainft one species of intemperance, while others were 
 allowed to destroy the peace and good order of society, 
 and plunge the human race into the dark gulf of corrup- 
 tion. We believe that societies such as 'Jlnli Gamb- 
 ling? 'w?;i/i Swearing,' '^H/I Slavery,' l Anl\ Tea. and 
 Coffee? * Moral Reform,' and 'Abstinence Societies,"* have 
 a bad tendency; that the cause of truth and righteous* 
 ness is injured by them and that the very measures ad- 
 opted to support those societies, tend to increase drun- 
 kenness and dissipation. We have had a little experi- 
 ence in this matter, and we do know, that wherever the 
 measures of the abstinence party have been urged, that 
 the cause of Temperance has suffered. To besure they 
 may prevail upon a few intemperate men, to leave off 
 (heir sinful habits, for a few days, and may gain a large 
 number, to sign their pledges, but then they disgust the 
 most sensible of community, with their intemperate 
 proceedings, prejudice the people against one another, 
 break up societies, and the peace of neighborhoods, 
 and make others as intemperate as themselves! The 
 measures therefore adopted to bring about the remedy, 
 are worse than the disease. 
 
 Bui Mr. Oakes says, intemperance in drink, is the
 
 64 THE HANDLE FOR 
 
 l fat her of all crimes.' This is a very common saying, 
 but nevertheless, a false one. Is Gluttony, Incontin- 
 ence, Gambling, Swearing, Murder, Stealing, Forgery, 
 Arson, and the long catalogue of Crimes, which black- 
 en the pages of history, produced by intemperance in 
 drink? We know that men have committed crimes, un- 
 der the influence of intoxicating drinks, but to say that 
 intemperance was the first cause of their sinfulness is 
 what no honest man will admit: and if Mr. Oakes' 
 cause of total abstinence cannot be supported by the 
 truth, I would advise him to abandon the ground he has 
 taken. 
 
 Our opponent says 'But does our author propose no 
 tneans for putting a stop to intemperance? Oh, no.' 
 Now for a specimen of the inconsistency of Mr. Oakes. 
 He asks a question, and then answers it in the nega- 
 tive. He then proceeds to give the means which I pro- 
 posed. 'Let the ministers of the New Testament do 
 their duty ia preaching temperance to the people, in 
 connection with the Gospel, and if they fail in reform- 
 ing mankind by those means God has given them, let the 
 civil power of the land be put in force.' This unjusti- 
 fiable contradiction I trust will not be overlooked by the 
 reader. According to the reasoning of Mr. Oakes, the 
 New Testament furnishes no means, to put down in- 
 temperance. This is perfectly in keeping with other 
 Infidel sentiments, expressed in the 'Hoe.' Strange 
 indeed, that nen professing the Christian religion, can, 
 swallow down such sentiments! This reminds me of an
 
 THE HOE. 65 
 
 anecdote. When Burchard was at Montpelier, Vt. a 
 very respectable old man, (and who by the by, was a- 
 Methodist preacher,) was asked how he liked Mr. Bur- 
 chard. The old gentleman remarked that his preach- 
 ing and the effect it had upon community, reminded 
 him of the Robin and her young. When the robin re- 
 turns from her journey after food, her young will open- 
 wide their mouths and receive whatever the old bird 
 gives them; and as they generally live on worms, they 
 always get more or less dirt with their food. It is BO, 
 added the old man, with Mr, Burchard's hearers. 
 They are willing to receive all that he gives them, and 
 I for one think that he gives them more dirt than h 
 does worm. This anecdote will apply to Mr. Oakes 
 and his friends. 
 
 We say that the Bible furnishes means sufficient t- 
 put a stop to every species of vice, among the children, 
 of men, and one great reason why there is so much in- 
 temperance in the land, is because the doctrines of tern-, 
 perance, as laid down in the Scriptures, have not beeu 
 faithfully preached. Many have sat any thing but a 
 good example; and instead of using in the first instance 
 those moral persuasive means which Christ used to re- 
 form mankind, they have poured out their denuncia- 
 tions of wrath, and hardened the transgressor in Ini- 
 quity! 
 
 It is well known that drunkenness, like other crimes, 
 is punishable by law. The Revised Statutes of this 
 Commonwealth, declare, Chap. 130, Sec. 18. 'An/ 
 6*
 
 66 THE HANDLE FOR 
 
 person who shall be guilty of the crime of drunkenness 
 by the voluntary act of any intoxicating liquor, sliull for 
 the first offence, be punished by a fine not exceeding 
 five dollars, and for any like offence committed after the 
 first conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceed- 
 ing ten dollars, or by confinement in the House of Cor- 
 rection, for a term not exceeding three months.' 
 
 Now I would ask, why do our civil officers neglect 
 to enforce this law upon all who break it? Why is this 
 law permitted to remain a dead letter upon the Statute 
 Book? Whoever heard of a man's being punished by the 
 laws of the land, for drunkenness, unless he had commit- 
 ted some additional crime, under the influence of stimula- 
 ting drinks? Such cases are rarely to be found. The rich 
 man can revel day and night upon his delicious wines, 
 abuse his wife and children, and riot over the misery 
 he occasions, and be can do this too, in the face and 
 eyes of the guardians of the public peace. But instead 
 of being punished, like the poor man (who being not so 
 fortunate as his brother in iniquity,) he is suffered to 
 violate the laws with impunity, and riot in dissipation. 
 Were the law against drunkenness enforced with as 
 much strictness as the law against stealing, there would 
 not be a tenth part of the intemperance among us that 
 now prevails. But justice, even handed justice, is per- 
 verted, and lengthened into a trade. The wealthy, for 
 a paltry sum, can purchase a license to get drunk every 
 day, while the poor man being deficient l inthe one thing, 
 needful,' must be locked up in prison and suffer the p- 
 nalfy of the law. We complain not of the execution of
 
 THE HOE. 67 
 
 the law upon the poor man, but we want no partiality 
 used in the matter. We would have the rich and the 
 ppor placed upon a level, locked up in the same apart- 
 ment, wear the same clothes, and eat the same bread. 
 We would have this done faithfully, in every case 
 where the law is violated. Let this be done one yiar 
 for an experiment, and I'll venture it will do more good 
 than all the abstinence lectures ever delivered. 
 
 Eut it may be said that were our laws put in force 
 as strictly as I 'would have them, our Houses of Cor- 
 rection would soon be overrun, Sac. Well, would it 
 tarnish the glory of our government by carrying her 
 laws into effect? Suppose she should be for a few 
 years at a greater expense than though she did not ex- 
 ecute her laws, ought she not to make some sacrifice 
 for the public good? Would not her desire to promote 
 the cause of order and virtue be extolled by other na- 
 tions? Yes; they would copy her example. As mat- 
 ters stand now, it savors too much of partiality to pun- 
 ish one half of those who transgress the law, and suffer 
 the others to -.-scapr. If then the law against drunken- 
 ness, be a righteous law, then execute righteous judg- 
 ment, and let no man violate it without receiving its 
 just demands. Eut if that law is not founded on justice 
 and men ought not to be punished for drunkenness, then 
 hoist the flood gates of licentiousness and prate no naor 
 about intemperance! 
 
 The next remark worthy of notice is the following 
 'we do not know that it follow*, mankind will become
 
 68 THE HANBLE FOR 
 
 hypocrites when they sign o pledge.' Whether the nat- 
 ural tendency of total abstinence measures do make 
 men hypocrites or not, I will not say. But 1 do know 
 that there are more hypocrites among the ranks of pre- 
 tended abstinence men, than any other society in Chris- 
 tendom. The Rev. Mr. Taylor, in a lecture delivered 
 in this town a short time since, confirmed the assertion 
 that I made in the Bramble, that there were hypocrites 
 among the abstinence people. I thank Mr. Taylor, 
 for the information he has given me; and as Mr. Oakes 
 says: 'It is unfortunate tor the argument of Mr. Grego- 
 ry, that he is obliged to point out a solitary instance, 
 where he insinuates that an abstinence man has been 
 guilty of a breacli of propriety/ I would introduce one 
 instance, to show that our enemies themselves being 
 judges, confirms all I said in the Bramble respecting 
 hypocrites. 
 
 Mr. Taylor remarked, (and called upon the Rev. Mr. 
 Bennett for confirmation,) that at a late convention of 
 theirs, a young man was appointed to deliver an ad- 
 dress. The evening before, it was ascertained that ho 
 had been carried home in a state ot intoxication, and 
 that he was very frequently found in that situation.- 
 The time arrived for the address. The orator appear- 
 ed and delivered his message; all admired the beautiful 
 style in which it was written. But the" fact heing 
 known that he was drunk, the night previous, destroyed 
 the effect that the address would have produced, had 
 his hearers not known of his intemperate habits. He
 
 not. 69 
 
 permitted to preach total abstinence, when those 
 who appointed him for that purpose, actually knew that 
 he was so drunk the night before that he had to be car- 
 ried home!! Comment is unnecessary. 
 
 I once knew a young man, who was turned out of an 
 abstinence society for drinking a spoonful of wine at a 
 wedding. He went to some of the members of the so- 
 ciety and informed them of the circumstance. They 
 told him that if he had not reported it, they should not 
 have thought any thing of the matter. But as he had 
 told of it publicly, they felt it their duty to excommuni- 
 cate him! Am I wrong, then, in saying that these ab- 
 stinence leaders make hypocrites of their followers? 
 No. For said those who were the most clamorous a- 
 gainst this young man, 'if you had not told of it, we 
 should let it pass.' 'That is, if you had played the hyp- 
 ocrite, os we have, and kept still, we would not have 
 turned you out on any consideration.' 
 
 I would then lift up my voice in warning all who have 
 not been caught in the 'Limbo,' to bevare, and not sign 
 an abstinence pledge. Your character would not be 
 safe among them, (or should you make a mistake, you 
 will be ranked with the drunkard. The best preventa- 
 tive from being burnt is to keep out of the fire. 
 
 But Mr. Oakes has quoted the old hackneyed story 
 (I believe it belongs to]Mr. Whittemore, as he has used 
 it in most all his lectures,) about the immortal band at 
 Philadelphia, signing the Declaration of Independence, 
 and compares the signing of that memorial, to th
 
 ? THE HANDLE *OR 
 
 pledge of an abstinence society. Let us examine th 
 two cases and see if we cannot discover some differ- 
 ence between them. 
 
 In the first instance, the signing of the Declaration 
 of Independence \vas/oj* liberty. The actors in that 
 drama, did not sign away their homes, or their country, 
 but merely pledged themselves to support their coun- 
 try's freedom 1 from the encroachments of (heir enemies. 
 They gained their liberty and independence by signing 
 and maintaining that immortal document. They be- 
 came freemen!! 
 
 Now in order to have the pledge of the abstinence 
 party analogous, it must not deprive man of any bless* 
 ing or privilege. But how stands the case? Have nof 
 the members of abstinence societies, signed away an/ 
 of their privileges? Is not a temperate use of win o<f 
 strong drink, when necessity requires, beneficial? It 
 surely is. Have the disciples of abstinence the privi- 
 lege of taking those drink* when thoy please? No. 
 Flow then have they signed fc.r liberty? It is all a 
 farce. The pledge which they have signed deprives 
 them of their liberties; yes, they have signed a pledge 
 to become slaves! ! * 
 
 One quotation more, and \ve close. ll Otir antagon- 
 ist has indeed proved his moderation in ore thing, he 
 has made but a moderate use of the scriptures." In 
 the Bramble I quoted upwards of twenty passages of 
 Holy Writ to prove my doctrine of Bible temperance. 
 Now let us see how many Mr. Oakes has introduced
 
 THE HOE. *S1 
 
 f inlo his Hoe, to prove his doctrine: Not one! Nq; 
 Ho went strictly upon the principle of total abstinence. 
 The scriptures did not suit his ears, and therefore he 
 was under the necessity of dealing in falsehood and 
 assertion. That cause is indeed a poor one, that 
 cannot be supported without resorting to the pitiable 
 measures of slander and misrepresentation. 
 
 1 have thus endeavored to answer the remarks of the 
 author of the Hoe, on the Bramble. Let the public 
 judge whether 1 have done it faithfully or not. 
 
 In conclusion I would say, that while we have life or 
 limb, we will oppose spiritual wickedness in high places. 
 The cause of temperance has too long been made a 
 political and religious hobby by designing men. Too 
 long has it suffered by its pretended favorites. We 
 would lend a helping hand in rescuieg it from destruction! 
 
 We shall therefore oppose all measures that we deem 
 injurious to the peace and welfare of community. We 
 shall maintain the rights of the temperate man. Wo 
 shall oppose all encroachments upon his liberties and 
 privileges yes 'sink or swim, live or die, survive or 
 perish,' we will stand by the Itmperale man until the 
 last spar goes overboard ! ! ! 
 
 Let then the lightnings flash around us, and the thun- 
 ders roll above our heads, trusting in Almighty God, 
 we buffet the pelting of the storm, and ride on triumph- 
 antly through the noisy swell of pride and popularity, 
 and come off at last 'conqueror and more than conquer- 
 /f, in him who hath loved us, and given himself for us!'
 
 A SERMOTf 
 
 '- Let your moderation be known unto all men." 
 
 PHIL. iv. 5. 
 
 This is an eventful era! An era in which the public 
 -mind is agitated to a considerable extent. We look a- 
 round upon community and we discover man at vari- 
 ance with his fellow man brother against brother and 
 father against a son we inquire the cause of all this 
 discord and disunion, and we discover mankind at war 
 with one another, on speculative notions, and influenced 
 by aspiring men. Instead of investigating doctrines in 
 a cool, dispassionate manner, party strife, rancour, ha- 
 tred, and animosity ensues, and the truth or fallacy of 
 those doctrines are not even called in question. 1 am 
 therefore of the opinion, that there is more noise and 
 confusion in the world, than sound argument and plain 
 common sense. 
 
 We profess to- live in a country where every man's o- 
 pitiion is tolerated and respected. A country of liberty, 
 independence and equal rights. No man here, is justi- 
 fied in hiding his light; but on the contrary, is exhort* 
 ed to let it shine, that the world may know his opinion 
 on all important subjects. If he refuses to come bold- 
 Jj out, and fearlessly maintain what he believes to b
 
 A SERMON. 73 
 
 God's Holy Truth, he is called a coward, and that, to 
 use a common phrase, 'is on the fence. 1 That he dare 
 not for the sake of popularity, speak out the honest 
 sentiments of his heart. A man of this character, I 
 may remark, is never considered an honest man. Of 
 all beings in the world his case is the hardest. God 
 deliver me from ever acting so inconsistent a part. I 
 would come out in the face and eyes of the whole 
 world, and speak the truth and trust in Ged for the 
 consequences. The consequences! What care I for 
 consequences, if I preach the truth? This is a land 
 of liberty! Who says so? Our forefathers, who spilt 
 their heart's blood in its defence. What do they de- 
 clare? Speak thou illustrious dead! Speak thou im- 
 mortal band, who art basking in the sunshine of eter- 
 nal glory! 'Every man's opinion shall be respected.' 
 Enough! AH I ask of you my beloved bretheren is to 
 respect this motto of those venerated saviors of your 
 country. 
 
 O that those noble and generous hearted souls were 
 still living! They would teach this degenerate age, 
 a lesson worthy of the Poet's pen, a lesson worthy of 
 remembrance. They would assail that intolerate spir- 
 it so prevalent in our day, and contend earnestly for 
 the rights of man. They would teach us that liberty of 
 speech, and the right of private judgment, are sacred 
 and invaluable. That it is not only right, but the duty 
 of every man to speak out in vindication of truth wheth- 
 er men will hear or forbear. 
 
 7
 
 4 . A SERMON. 
 
 But O, 'how the gold is changed, and the fine goW 
 become dimned!' The time was, when every man's 
 opinion was considered sacred until proved false. But 
 how is it now? Let but a man in these perilous times 
 speak what he believes to be the truth, and if it does 
 not exactly harmonise with the popular doctrines of the 
 day, be is abused, reprobated and condemned; yes, 
 without the 'benefit of clergy.' Now how are we to 
 get at truth, unless we have charity sufficient to 
 examine with candor important subjects. We cannot. 
 But how often do we hear one party in this boasted land 
 of liberty, exhort their opponents to come out and take 
 a decided stand, to bring forward their strong argu- 
 ments for examination. To vindicate what they believe 
 to be true. They are thus encouraged, with the assur- 
 ance that their sentiments shall be respected, and no 
 man abused. Let but one dog bark in opposition, and 
 where is the charity of these pretenders? Gone vvith 
 their religion to seek a clime elsewhere. Yes! but 
 let one man speak, and the whole camp of the Philis- 
 tines is in an uproar? His character is assailed, his 
 motives called in question, and he is looked upon as an 
 'upholder of unrighteousness.' 
 
 I have been led to these remarks by the opposition I 
 have lately received for publishing the 'Bramble.' 
 The party to which 1 belong have been importuned by 
 temperance lecturers, to publish their side of the ques- 
 tion. We complied with their request; for which, we 
 have been slandered and abused! Be it so. We are
 
 i SERMON. 70 
 
 
 
 filling to suffer for (be cause of Bible Temperance. 
 Let then, the bigot frown, and the superstitious rage. 
 Let them hurl their anathemas at our heads. We will 
 
 " Stand the hazard of the die." 
 
 And by the help of that God, wbo 'maketh the cloud* 
 his chariot, and rides upon the wings of the .wind,' we 
 will overcome our enemies. I am truly sensible that 
 in opposing the measures adopted in our day to sup- 
 press intemperance, I shall have to contend against 
 the prejudices of mankind. Many good people seem 
 to think that it matters not what measures we take, 
 if we only make men temperate that in this case 
 'the end justifies the means.' But differing as I do 
 materially from those people in the choice of means se- 
 lected to reform mankind, I beg leave in this public 
 manner to dissent from them in opinion. I deeply la- 
 ment, that our teachers have so far departed from the 
 genius of the Gospel as to use means of their own, (in- 
 stead of using the means God has given them,) to bring 
 about a reformation among the intemperate. 1 lament 
 that I am under the necessity of standing here in this 
 desk to vindicate the views of our holy fathers, on the 
 aU important subject of temperance. But such is the 
 fact, and 1 will not flinch from my duty. J only depre- 
 ciate my inability of doing justice to so good a cause. 
 Let truth be our motto, and righteousness our aim! 
 
 'Let your moderation be known unto all men,' say* 
 the Apostle. I design in this discourse, to speak of
 
 76 A SERMON. 
 
 evils that do exist in community. And as we are com- 
 manded to let our moderation be known, let us inquire 
 into the definition of that term. 
 
 'Moderation,' says Doct. Buck, in his Theological 
 Dictionary, ' is the state of keeping a due mean be- 
 tween extremes: calmness, TEMPERANCE, or equanimi- 
 ty. It is sometimes used with reference to our opin- 
 ions.' St. Paul says, 'for I say through he grace of 
 God given unto me, to every man that is among you, 
 not to think of himself more highly than he ought to 
 think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt 
 to every man the measures of faith.' Rom. xii. 3. 'In 
 general it respects our conduct in that state which 
 comes under the description of ease or prosperity; and 
 ought to take place in our wishes, pursuits, expecta- 
 tions, pleasures and passions.' 
 
 As moderation signifies temperance, I would call 
 your attention to a few particulars in which we should 
 be temperate. And 
 
 1st, in drink. I would have you, beloved friends, 
 temperate in drink, from the strongest stimulant manu- 
 factured, down to the purest cold water that can be 
 obtained. I say I would have you temperate in drink. 
 Now what do 1 mean by this? You all, f trust, know 
 the meaning of the word temperance. If you do not, 
 when you go home, look in your Dictionaries. Mil- 
 ton's views on this subject, are expressive of my 
 opinion. 
 
 " There is, said Michael, if thou well observe," 
 The rule of NOT TOO MUCH by temperance taught.
 
 A SERMON. 7T 
 
 la what thou EATEST and DRINKEST, seeking from thence 
 
 Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight, 
 
 Till many years over thy head return; 
 
 So may'st thou live, till like riper fruit thou drop 
 
 Into thy mother's lap, or be with ease, 
 
 Gathered, not harshly plucked, for death mature." 
 
 Now would all men live up to the rule of temperance 
 here laid down by IMilton, there would be no intemper- 
 ance in the land. Every man would eat and drink for 
 'due nourishment, not gluttonous delight.' This I 
 think will not be denied by any person. Taking it for 
 granted,! would ask, \vhereinconsiststhe 'damning 
 sin.' If the rule in itself is good, and all men would 
 derive benefit from foliovv.ing that rule, how can it be a 
 sin to practice its requirements? I for one cannot see 
 the propriety of saying that temperance in stimulating 
 drinks is sinful, if it be urged that men will not lire 
 up toils requirements, and therefore the rule is bad on 
 that account, I would argue that by the same reason- 
 ing, we might condemn every rule and precept of our 
 Savior. For all hi? requirements were discarded and 
 set at nought. Yet all will acknowledge his rules 
 were good in themselves, and if obeyed would bring to 
 the soul substantial happiness. If, therefore, it be ar- 
 gued- that the rule of temperance as expressed by Mil- 
 ton, is bad, because men will not live up to it, we might 
 with as much propriety, contend that Christ's rules 
 were licentious, because the Jews would not em- 
 brace them! Shoqld it be said that were not Temper- 
 7
 
 73 A SEHMON. 
 
 ance in drink held out for mankind to follow there 
 would be no intemperance in our world, and conse- 
 quently, all the misery attending those who disobey 
 and violate the rules would be spared, we might say 
 that if Christ had not come into the world to establish 
 his kingdom of truth and righteousness, the Jews might 
 have been spared from those terrible judgments Heav- 
 en sent upon them, for disobeying his commands. 
 Hence if a rule in itself is good, its violation does not 
 millitate against its goodness. And were every crea- 
 ture in the universe to go counter to its requirements, 
 it would not lesson its value one. fraction. We may 
 then lay it down as a well -established point, that tem- 
 perance is good, and worthy of our particular attention 
 both for temporal enjoyment and the popular action of 
 life. 
 
 But it has been said that 1 have recommended the 
 rvery day use of stimulating drinks to people in health. 
 This is false. I challenge the world to produce an in- 
 stance of the kind! Will those who havs made the 
 statement, take back the assertion? 
 
 I would have every living soul in the Universe, Jive 
 on the strict rules of temperance. But I do not under- 
 stand by this, that a person in order to be temperate, 
 must make a frequent use of alcohol. No! A man can 
 b temperate by taking it once a week or once a month, 
 when necessity requires. It is a very wrong opinion 
 some have, that if a per-son is going to live uj to the 
 Bible doctrine of temperance in drink, a man must have
 
 A SERMOX. 19 
 
 his morning dram, his eleven o'clock, four o'clock, and 
 evening libation. This in our opinion would not be tem- 
 perance, but the reverse, for it is morally impossible 
 for a man to use stimulating drinks in this manner, 
 without impairing his health. One drop more than the 
 constitution of man requires would be intemperance. 
 
 From what has been published against my views of 
 temperance, the reader may be about to say, that I now 
 advocate a different doctrine from that laid down in the 
 Bramble; for it is there contended, in the illustration 
 of the man's going to Boston, that t a person in order to 
 be temperate, in an article, must use it well. So I now 
 contend. But 1 have not said that a man mast make 
 an every day use of that article. The person who de- 
 signed going to Boston, would have journeyed tempe- 
 perately, had he not gone more than one rod in twenty- 
 four hours. But as he did not journey at all, the word 
 temperance would not apply to his case. In that sim- 
 ilie, I merely illustrated the principle that abstinence 
 was not temperance; and I have yet to learn that my 
 views were wrong on the subject. 
 
 But I am aware that my views of temperance are not 
 in unison with the popular doctrine of total abstinence, 
 as held in modern times. In looking over the minutes 
 of the CJniversalist association, held in ]\~ew Rowley, 
 Mass, a short time since, I found the following wise re- 
 solve: " Resolved, that the true ground of temperance 
 is total abstinence." In this case, the apostle ought to 
 have said, instead of * Let your moderation be known,' 
 &.c. ' JLet vour abstinence be known,' &.c. It is a la-
 
 
 80 A SERMON. 
 
 mentable fact, that many people in our day are willing 
 to swallow down the most monotonous absurdities, mere- 
 ly because they are recommended by the literati. We 
 are confident that if our brethren can digest the asser- 
 tion, that temperance is total abstinence, they are not a 
 whit behind those mentioned by our Saviour, who we 
 are informed, would' " strain at a gnat, and swallow a 
 camel." 
 
 Let us suppose our forefathers, who poured out their 
 heart's blood at the battles of Yorktown, Saratoga, and 
 Bunker Hill, had gone on the principle of temperance, 
 as held by the clergy in resisting the invading army 
 of Great Britain, who came to burn our houses, murder 
 our wives and children, and to destroy and pillage our 
 cities; where now would be the happy home or the op- 
 pressed and the free? Could we exclaim with patriotic 
 triumph, here is the land of liberty, gained by the labors 
 of Washington, Jackson, and other brave heroes? Alas! 
 had they gone on that principle, monarchy and aristoc- 
 racy, twin-sisters, would now hold peaceable possession 
 of these United States; and the black flag of the op- 
 pressor would even now wave " over the land of the 
 free, and the home of the brave." But it was 
 their temperate zeal and discretion, that enabled them 
 to overcome their enemies. We may suppose for 
 instance, that when the British made a charge upon 
 the Americans at the battle of Bunker Hill, that every 
 man, instead of struggling for life and liberty, remained 
 stationary, and thus carried out the principle of total
 
 A SERMON. 8 
 
 abstinence. Bat then we readily perceive that had ou, 
 brave countrymen acted on this new fangled system 
 we now should not be able to boast of our freedom an 
 independence! Since, therefore, a man cannot be tem 
 perate in any thing, from which he entirely abstains, It: 
 me ask, why do all lecturers on abstinence wish to makf 
 the people believe that they are engaged in the caus 
 of temperance? I believe I can prove this questio', 
 without much difficulty. The word temperance is 
 smoother word than abstinence, and they can easil 
 dupe the people, and make them believe that there i 
 no difference between them. Temperance is abstinence 
 who says so? Why the Rev. T. W. and S. C., an 
 they being great man, no one will dispute but what the > 
 know all about the matter. This is the way one half c 
 mankind reason. They pin their faith on the sleevtj 
 of others. But I fear not to declare that there is as muc ' 
 difference between temperance and abstinence, as then. 
 is between light and darkness! 
 
 Let us now endeavor to ascertain whether the vie-vs 
 advocated by those who style themselves abstinence 
 men, are compatible *ith temperance as laid down in 
 the Bible. We are extremely anxious for mankind to 
 live up to the precepts laid down in that book r but we 
 are not willing for men to profess to be wise above what 
 is written. On .this ground we stand. We do not 
 wish people to attempt to improve on that book, until 
 they live up to its requirements. When men do this, God 
 \viil doubtless give them a new revelation. Paul ";
 
 *_. A SERMON. 
 
 to the Gallatians, " But the fruit of the Spirit is love 
 joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
 meekness, temperance, against such ^here is no law." 
 Was not Paul mistaken think ye beloved hearers? Ho 
 says, against a man that possesses the virtue of tempe- 
 rance, there is no law. Our modern teachers contend 
 1 hat the temperate man is worse than the drunkard. 
 One of the two must be in the vvrong. Judge, ye can- 
 did! Again "As Paul reasoned of temperance &c. 
 Felix trembled." Had Paul reasoned of abstinenco 
 would Felix have trembled? I think not; for undoubt- 
 edly, abstinence would have suited his case best. He 
 had been guilty of persecuting the Christians, and war- 
 ring against the religion of Jesus, and to escape all just 
 punishment due to his crimes, was no doubt more desir- 
 able than So receive" a just recompense of reward. I 
 therefore think Paul did not say much about abstinence. 
 
 for if he had the governor would not have trembled. 
 
 ****** 
 
 We now pass to slate our objections to the entire ab- 
 olition of all stimulating drinks And 
 
 1st: We object to total abstinence on the ground that 
 alcohol has done good. Yes, stimulating drinks, have 
 saved the lives of thousands, where nothing else could. 
 And as they were sanctioned by the God of Heaven, 
 we object fo their abolition. If, however, it can be 
 proved that the Prophets, Jesus Christ, or his Apostles, 
 have in any one instance, spoken against the prudent, 
 temperate use of wine or strong drink, then let that tes-
 
 A SERMON. 83 
 
 'limony be produced, and we will abandon the ground 
 we have taken. If any law has been recorded by those 
 wise servants of the living God, then show us that law 
 and we pledge ourselves to cease warring against the 
 abolition of all stimulating drinks. But until this can 
 be done, we shall feel justified by the laws of God and* 
 man, to continue firm and steadfast in the course we 
 have taken. 
 
 2d: We object .to total abstinence societies on the 
 ground that they cannot be supported by the Bible. 
 This the leaders of those societies acknowledge,. and 
 consequently we object to them on that very principle. 
 Every sincere believer in the Christian religion, must 
 be willing to admit that the Bible is a perfect rule of 
 right, and that no human invention can bedcvised, of a 
 superior nature. Hence if men have sought out rules 
 which cannot be sustained by the Bible, they have, in 
 one sense, denied the power and effipacy of God's Law. 
 The Bible contains rules to guide us in putting down 
 dwnkenness, and intemperance of every species. To 
 thr>w that book aside, and favor societies on human 
 authority, instead of using the means God has given us, 
 is presumptuous in the extreme. It is virtually saying 
 lo the Deity, " your rules, and your laws are not suffi- 
 cient toreform mankind, ad therefore WE, lords of the 
 earth hae devised other means to bring about that ref- 
 ormation \hich your laws were not capable of produc- 
 ing; WE\iave improved upon your system of refor- 
 mation, and we are now going to show you that you
 
 84 A. SERMON. 
 
 did not devise the best means and measures to reform 
 mankind.' I appeal to the Christian, if this is not the 
 legitimate conclusion, from the course these disciples 
 of Abstinence have taken, and as a lover of pure and 
 undefiled religion, I entreat him to examine well this 
 subject. 
 
 3. I am opposed to total abstinence societies be- 
 cause they ruin the very cause they wish to promote. 
 And this is done by the intemperate measures that are 
 adopted. To show the course that is usually taken let 
 us go to a town where they are about setting up a so- 
 ciety on the principle of entire abstinence. A lecturer 
 is employed to discourse on the sin of intemperance. 
 Men, women and children flock together, as if they 
 never heard their minister reprobate drunkenness in all 
 their lives. The lecturer in the first place attacks the 
 drunkard; describes him as beating bis family in the 
 most cruel manner.* Holds up all his crimes, and ag- 
 gravates all his faults, and caricatures him in such a 
 manner that the Devils themselves would be ashame* 
 af his company. The consequence of which is, the ii- 
 :emperate man becomes vexed, mad, and disgused. 
 That very lecture causes him to seize the cup wth a 
 vigorous grasp, and confirms and hardens him ii his 
 sinful habits. He is told to beware how he noddles 
 pith the liquid damnation, lest he, in an unguarded 
 
 ' * Mr. Taylor, the Seamen's preacher of Boston, remarked, a short 
 .ime since, that the drunkard had been represented tventy limes 
 *'orse than be really was !
 
 A SERMON'. ft 
 
 moment, fakes fire and is blown to the four winds of 
 Heaven. Stories are told about A Band C, who have 
 taken fire, and had their insides burnt out, as clear as 
 you could burn out your chimneys on a rainy day. 
 That the drunkard has often drank whiskey out of the 
 kill! bone of his wife, and that he has even sold the 
 tones of his legs to purchase rum. Now how many 
 do you imagine, my hearers, this kind of lecturing 
 would convert? Just as many as it has converted, not 
 a single sou'. Next comes the temperate man who 
 drinks, say once or twice a week, when necessity re- 
 quires. He is attacked in the most uncharitable man- 
 ner, und is exhorted to come forward and join a total 
 abstinence pledge. He commences reasoning on the 
 subject. But is told to throw reason to the devil, as all* 
 drunkards reason precisely the same way. He refuse* 
 to sign, urging that he never was drunk in all his life, 
 and contends, that he can do more good in the cause of 
 rational temperance, than if he were to sign a pledge. 
 He is then told in plain broad terms, that he is worse 
 than the drunkard who wallows in the mud and mire 
 of our streets. Well, what is the consequence? Sure- 
 ly if the man has any feelings of honor, and possesses 
 one grain of common sense, he will take it as an insult, 
 and leave them to wallow in their own corruption, 
 The lecturer not satisfied, goes to the female part of 
 tis congregation, and with his head under their boa- 
 uets, after the manner of the celebrated Jedcdiah Bar- 
 chard, importunes them to throw their influence intu 
 8
 
 8S A SERMON. 
 
 the sacred and holy cause, by signing a total abstin- 
 ence pledge. He then goes to little children, who 
 know no more about an abstinence society than the 
 creed of Mahomet, and gains their consent to have 
 their names enrolled upon the list. And thus doing 
 the most sensible part of community are completely dis- 
 gusted, and that class who need reformation, are hard- 
 ened in iniquity. These things I have seen and I do 
 know thai, the very course taken by these hot headed 
 y.ealots, is detrimental to the cause of temperance. As 
 an example ef the recklessness of one of the great lead- 
 ers of abstinence, Col. Stone, in his life of Matthias, 
 the impostor, has the following. 'This dialogue was 
 given me by a highly valued clerical friend, and which 
 took place between him and a violent temperance 
 man.' 
 
 " Well, Mr. , supposing Jesus Christ came on 
 
 earth again, and should happen into a prayer meeting 
 of your disciples, and as be entered, the whisper should 
 go around that he had just come from making wine for 
 a festive occasion, where the party had already drunk 
 pretty well before, would you ask him to make a 
 prayqr? 
 
 "No," (striking his fist on the table) "that I would 
 not!" was the reply. 
 
 Where is the Christian who does not shudder at the 
 .Chocking impiety of this pretended follower of Christ? 
 From this lesson of human depravity, you see to what 
 lengths these abstinence people go. Ought not every
 
 A SERMON. 87 
 
 lover of temperance, of peace and good order to set 
 (heir faces against such impious proceedings? I hear 
 you say yes! see then that you do your duty. 
 
 I have more objections to the measures that have 
 been adopted to suppress intemperance, but have not 
 time to notice them at present. I will merely add, that 
 if the friends of tola! abstinence should succeed in driv- 
 ing wine and strong drink from our country by petition- 
 ing Congress, as one extreme follows another, another 
 class of our citizens would send in petitions against the 
 use of meat; for according to the Graham system, more 
 lives are destroyed by eating flesh, than by drinking 
 rum. * * * (So reasoned Col. R. M. Johnson, on 
 the Sunday IMail Bill. If we stop the mail on Sunday 
 for the Orthodox, we must on Saturday for the Jews, 
 tc.) Hence, if Congress should pass a law against 
 drink, they would be petitioned to pass a law against 
 ;:ieat, and as tea and coffee are injurious, and other ar- 
 ticles too numerous to mention, (i. e. to some individu- 
 als,) petition after petition would be sent to that body 
 a gainst their use. And if the day should ever arrive 
 that this state of things should take place, then a man 
 teen with a leg of mutton under his arm, would be la- 
 ken up and tried by Judge Lyncu's Law, and executed 
 by Judge Lynch's Authority. 'It is a lamentabfe cir- 
 cumstance,' said an opposer ot the Grahamites, the 
 other day. 'that these people, after getting our appe- 
 tite's and teeth in their pockets, are not content, but
 
 A SERMO.T. 
 
 want owr judgment !' This remark will apply equal!/ 
 as well to the disciple of abstinence in drink. 
 
 But we are informed that ihe abstinence people do 
 not wish to abolish all stimulating drinks from the land; 
 they would have a little kept in the Apothecary shop, 
 for medicine. ' This brings to my mind a circumstance 
 that 1 am informed, took place in this town. I do not 
 vouch for the truth of the story, bul have no doubt but 
 what if our Physicians should carry their point in trans- 
 ferring alcohol from the store to their own premises, but 
 what the circumstance J. am about to relate, would 
 soon be verified. A man having joined an abstinence 
 pledge, went to a physician who belonged to the same 
 society, and asked for a glass of alcohol. His disease 
 was such, that he was confident strong drink would 
 help him, as he had previously been troubled with the 
 same complaint, and tho same prescription had cured 
 him. The man had conscientious scruples about going 
 to the store after his medicine, for he thought it would 
 set a bad example. The Physician gave him a glass of 
 alcohol, and the patient was soon relieved of his dia- 
 Jress; but when he came to inquire tho price of the 
 strong drink he had taken, you may judge of his aston- 
 ishment, when he was informed that it was only TWEN- 
 TY FIVE CENTS ! ! ! So much for retailing ardent spir- 
 its in the apothecary shops, and so much /'or the specu- 
 at ion! 
 
 I for one would as iief the tavern keeper or th 
 store keeper should make the profit on those medicine*,
 
 A SERMO.V. 89 
 
 as the physician, and I do not believe they would shave 
 their patients half so bad. This placing intoxicating 
 drinks into the apothecary shop, and allowing the pro 1 * 
 fessed disciples of abstinence to purchase whenever 
 they are sick, will not in my opinion, be productive of 
 accelerating the temperance reform. 
 
 Having noticed some of the intemperate measures 
 that have been adopted to suppress drunkenness, and 
 >heir bad tendency, we would now leave this part of 
 our subject, and remind the hearer that although we 
 are opposed to abstinence societies, and all other soci- 
 eties for the suppression of any particular vice or im- 
 morality, yet we are not opposed to the object designed 
 to be effected by those societies. No. The object we 
 honestly believe to be good; but we are confident the 
 measures that have been adopted are bad. For a num- 
 ber of years past the advocates of abstinence have ex- 
 erted all their influence against wine and strong drink. 
 Had they followed the rules laid down by the benevo- 
 lent Author of our religion, there would have been no 
 opposition. All would have felt it their duty to have 
 thrown in their influence against intemperance and 
 joined in the general reformation. But, when some few 
 individuals waxed over-righteous on the subject, and 
 declared eternal hostility against the man who should 
 dare to drink a drop except ordered by a physician, a 
 division took place, and I verily believe it will exist 
 until the abstinence party comes back to the original 
 standard of temperance. >'ot another step can the ub- 
 8
 
 90 A SERMON. 
 
 etinencc leaders go on this subject. This is verified by 
 the acknowledgment of the Orthodox managers of absti- 
 nence, to the Univcrsalists, and other liberal people. 
 We have done, said they, all we can do. If you, by 
 taking hold of this work, can revive the abstinence 
 cause, you shall liuve nil the credit. Money was of- 
 fered, and popularity being no small incentive to ac- 
 tion, the work was recommenced. Had tiiese liberal 
 men taken the bible for their ground work, and on it 
 hoisted the banner of temperance, no reasonable being 
 could have objected but instead of so doing, they re- 
 vived those corrupt measures which had proved so 
 manifestly injurious to the cause of temperance in the 
 hands of others, and like their predecessors, abused 
 every one that would not subscribe to their dogmas. 
 Erecting these standards as infallible they issued their 
 'Proclamations,* and commanded all to fall down and 
 worship the idol, abstinence, under penalty of their dis- 
 pleasure, wnd everlasting ill will. Those who have 
 refused to bow the knee, have been vilified and slan- 
 dered beyond measure. But they, even they have gone 
 the length of their chain, and their craft has been 
 wrecked upon the muddy shores of contention and 
 strife! 
 
 Coercive means never reformed a man of intemper- 
 ate habits. This fact is self evident. You knock a 
 person down nnd you would hardly be able to convince 
 him that you was his friend, and that you done it out of 
 pure affection. He would be apt to think as Father
 
 A SERMON. 91 
 
 Murray did, when they Ftened him in Boston, for prea- 
 ci.ing Universalism. Your arguments, said he, are 
 weighty and solid, but not very convincing. Mild mea- 
 sures are the only ones lliat can have any good tenden- 
 cy in reforming mankind. The person who has rend- 
 ered himself miserable by a sinful course ofliviiig, must 
 not be despised, but must be entreated with gentleness 
 to forsake his evil ways; we should go to him in (ho 
 spirit of brotherly love, and evince the purity of our 
 motives, by laying belore him the benefits resulting 
 from a temperate and well ordered life. We should 
 bear his interest upon our hearts, and manifest a friend- 
 ly spirit towards him, even though he were sunk in the 
 lowest pit of moral degradation. Were we to treat the 
 intemperate man in this gentle manner he would feel 
 that he waa respected, aad would struggle hard against 
 his evil propensities. He would reciprocate our friend- 
 ship and strive to do better. Ha\ing gained his confi- 
 dence, by mild treatment he would feel in duty bound 
 to leave off his intemperate habits. He would realize 
 that he was not wholly abandoned, and that the spirit 
 of humanity yet dwells among his brethren. But alas! 
 The reverse of this has been practised, and the man of 
 intemperance has had just cause of complaint. When- 
 ever our worthy disciples o( abstinence have seen a poor 
 worn out traveller, who by some irresistible circum- 
 stance has been reduced in property, and who in his 
 distress went to the bottle for comfort, they have, in- 
 stead of taking him by the hand, and assistirg him to
 
 92 A SERMON. 
 
 the necessaries of life, bid him in tones of thundar, to 
 be gone, and not appear again to disturb their quiet- 
 ness and ease. And adding insult to misery, they have 
 hardened the heart that might by gentleness and love 
 have been saved from ruin! Let there be a reformation 
 among those who set themselves up as public examples, 
 before they attempt to reform mankind. Let (hem learn 
 that the fruit of the spirit of the Christian religion is 
 <Lov"e, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, 
 faith, meekness and temperance.' 
 
 2. In eating. It has been said that there is mor 
 misery and sickness occasioned by eating, in our coun 
 try, than by drinking. This we do not know, and 
 therefore, we shall not take it for granted. But we are 
 confident there is too much intemperance in eating 
 among men. We often find individuals who, by over- 
 eating, bring upon themselves a numerous train of 
 bodily diseases: the gout, and dyspepsia, are some of 
 the effects of intemperance in food. -We think there is 
 but little difference between the man who eats too 
 much, and he who drinks too much; both are evils, 
 and should be avoided. " The drunkard and the glut- 
 ton," says the wise man, " shall come to poverty." 
 Here gluttony is ranked with drunkenness and very 
 justly too for it produces as bad consequences. The 
 man who eats enough at one meal to last a common 
 man a week, ought most certainly to be placed on a 
 level with the drunkard. For like the miserable being 
 of intemperance, he rushes upon indulgence, and vio- 
 lates the plainest principles of moral duty.
 
 A SCCK8X. 93 
 
 Were gluttony to produce the ame consequences 
 that drunkenness doe?, we should find many a privileged 
 lord placed in an unenviable situation; many an indi- 
 vidual who now wears the clerical robe, in as bad a 
 plight as the drunkard, wallowing in the filth and mire 
 nf corruption; and I should not be surprised if some of 
 those who prate so much about intemperance in others, 
 should be found in a very low condition. 
 
 J must here bo allowed to relate a circumstanco 
 which 1 am informed took place in New Hampshire. 
 An individual celebrated for his eating propensity, had 
 labored very hard at dinner in removing tlvj deposites 
 from the table. Having finished the repast, he inform- 
 ed the good lady of the house, that he must have labored 
 very hard in the morning in preaching, as he had wet 
 bis shirt. The lady, not wishing to have the real enuso 
 
 kept in the dark, remarked, " no Mr. , you did not 
 
 wet your shirt preaching, but you done it eating your 
 dinner! ! " Who takes? 
 
 Cornero, n nobleman of Venice, remarks, " Mr 
 constitution was naturally weak and delicate, which 
 ought in reason to have made rne more regular and 
 prudent; but living like most young men, too fond of 
 what is usually called ' good eating,' I gave tii rein 
 to my appetite. In a little lime I began to feel the ill 
 effects of such intemperance; for I had scarcely atlujn- 
 ed my thirty-fifth year, before I was attacked with a 
 complication of diseases, Etc." All that saved hid life, 
 be informs us, was an immediate ad / >tion of a regular
 
 94 A SERMON. 
 
 an'l temperate mode of living. How many there are in 
 our land laboring under the same species of intempe- 
 rance; arid how soon they might improve thoir health 
 by adopting the course of this nobleman. Let all who 
 are troubled with an excessive appetite beware of in- 
 dulgf nee ! 
 
 " Would all men." says a writer, " but live tempe- 
 rately in eating, there would not be a tenth part of that 
 sickness which now makes so many melancholy fami- 
 lies, nor any occasion for a tenth part of those nauseous 
 medicines, which they are now obliged to swallow in 
 order to carry off those bad humors with which they 
 have filled their bodies by excessive eating." Let us 
 remember the word of the Apostle: " Every man that 
 striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things;" 
 " therefore, says he, I keep under my body, and bring 
 it into subjection." And our Saviour says, " Take 
 heed, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with 
 surfeiting and drunkenness." Let us then use the 
 bounties of Providence with thankfulness, and use them 
 ae freely as is proper. But' let us be careful how wo 
 abuse any of the choice gifts of Heaven, for the least 
 degree of intemperance is sinful, and will bring upon 
 us tribulations and anguish. 
 
 3: In anger. "Anger, says Dr. Buck, is a violent 
 passion of the mind, arising upon the supposed receipt 
 of any injury, with a present purpose of revenge. All 
 anger is by no means sinful; it was designed by the 
 Author of our religion, for self defence. Nor is it alto-
 
 A SERMOX. 95 
 
 gether a selfish passion, since it is excited by injuries 
 offered to others, as well as ourselves, and sometimes 
 prompts us to reclaim offenders from sin and danger." 
 The Apostle Paul says, " Be ye angry and sin not." 
 On this passage Doddridge remarks: "If any occa- 
 sion arises which prompts you to be angry, which indeed 
 may, and often will be the case, let not your anger dis- 
 compose your spirits, end sin not in the excessive indul* 
 gence of that turbulent and dangerous passion." By 
 this we perceive that anger is not sinful if employed for 
 self defence, and is not carried beyond the bounds of 
 temperance. But it becomes sinful when it breaks 
 forth into outrageous actions, disgracing humanity, and 
 violating all social order. We therefore should be very 
 careful and not give way to our passions, should there 
 be those among us who offend. Jt showa a weak mind 
 in any one to get vexed on trivial occasions. To set 
 angry intemperately one moment, and extra good the 
 next, shows how foolish a person can be. The Pro- 
 phet declares, " There be some who are drunken, not 
 with wine, they stagger not with strong drink." Every, 
 person who lets his angry passions get the better of his 
 judgment, will come under this head. Like Satan he 
 goes about seeking whom he may devour ! 
 
 There are many in this day and generation, who are 
 troubled by this species of intemperince, because 
 what? Because I had the independence to give to the 
 world my views of temperance. Yes, thre are some 
 in this town* who, not having been promoted as highly 
 
 * la Wobarn.
 
 9$ A SERMON. 
 
 s their aspiring hearts desired, have (because I told 
 truth about them) gnashed their teeth at me, as though 
 they would like to bite. .Being intoxicated with passion 
 they have resorted to the low, pitiable means of slander 
 und misrepresentation. We have noted their conduct, 
 and have come to this conclusion: They have no just 
 cause to complain-^-especially of those whose motives 
 in exposing their sinfulness, was to do them good. They 
 nre their worst enemies.; .and I pray God to soften their 
 hearts, and make them better men. Let us tJiua ui the 
 Janguage of the Poet, 
 
 " When'er the angry passions rise 
 And tempt our thoughts, our tongues to strife; 
 To Jesus let us lift our e3 r es, 
 Bright pattern of the Christian life." 
 
 4. Jn dress. And in this particular I shall make no 
 distinction between the ladies and gentlemen. One is 
 es highly culpable as the other. 
 
 That we should furnish ourselves with warm, decent 
 clothing, to shield our bodies from -the cold 'inclemen- 
 cies of the weather, is not only our duty, but an express 
 command. But to worship, summer and winter, the 
 * goddess' of fashion lo have a desire for every new 
 invention of dress, manufactured by man; to layout 
 one's whole earnings, -in order -to cut what is called a 
 dashl* the world, are of the highest species of intempe- 
 rance. Awjd then to have a disposition to covet every 
 aperior article of clothing that time brings into fashion , 
 nil to chow dissatisfaction if we dont obtain what our
 
 A SERMON. 97 
 
 fancy desires, is down-right wickedness. ' Fashion,' 
 says a sensible writer, 'is all but omnipotent. It will 
 make men do all that men can do. It will make them 
 submit to, and even approve of what they would abhor, 
 were it not fashionable. That pert dandy done up in 
 stays, sporting with his cane and whiskers, brainless 
 and selfish as he is, might have some semblance to a 
 human being, were it not for his ambition to be fore- 
 most among the devotees at the shrine of fashion.' It 
 \a a well attested fact, that there are thousands in our 
 land, who are even now pining away under that fatal 
 disease, consumption; and who can trace the cause to 
 some impropriety of dress. Beware then my friends, 
 and not become intemperate in dress. 
 
 5. la Language. It is universally considered wick- 
 ed to use profane language; so much so, that the man 
 of 'holy fueling is shocked and mortified, on hearing it 
 proceed from the lips of his fellow mortal. And cer- 
 tainly, nothing appears more disgusting than to hear an 
 individual breathe out oaths and curses upon his brother 
 man. To indulge in so low, vile and foolish a prac- 
 tice, is highly reprehensible in any roan! more es- 
 pecially in those who would be considered gentlemen. 
 Some may have imbibed the habit of swearing and do 
 not mean any harm by it. But stil^ no man should be 
 justified in it, for it is a wicked practice and can easily 
 be overcome. To swear well has been considered 
 quite an accession to a person's accomplishments. But 
 it is fast going out of date. God grant it a speedy ex- 
 9
 
 98 , A ERltOJT. 
 
 it. 1 entreat you then my friends in the language of 
 scripture to 'swear not at all. 1 
 
 6. In Religion. As there is no great danger, es- 
 pecially among the Universalists, on this subject, I 
 need say but a few words in this place. In olden times 
 we read of some who were considered neither cold nor 
 hot. But the revelation expresses a desire to have 
 them become either one or the other. A zealot in the 
 Christian religion will shipwreck his cause on the bois- 
 terous ocean of fanaticism; while the lukewarm Chris- 
 tian will allow the cause of God and humanity, to go to 
 ruin without a struggle or an effort in its favor. Tem- 
 perance is the medium: and that only, can promote the 
 cause of pure and undefiled religion. Christianity 
 mild and gentle as its Author, needs not the ravings of 
 the fanatic to spread her doctrines among men, neither 
 the stoical indifference of the lukewarm U> recomrnend 
 her.jto the world. But temperance, l the still jma.il voice,' 
 operating upon the affections of mankind, and warning 
 the heart by her gentle influence, will be the savior of 
 the Christian religion. Yes! Temperance (not intem- 
 perance nor abstinence) will bear the ark of religious 
 liberty triumphantly over the noisy swell of pride and 
 popularity, and land it safely on the shores of the New 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 It mnst be acknowledged that there has been a great 
 deaP of intemperance, in days gone by, in urging partic- 
 ular doctrines upon the people. In the limes of reviv- 
 als and excitements, no measure! could be too violent
 
 A SERMON. 99 
 
 for the leaders, and no stone was left unturned, to gain 
 proselytes. Suicide has been, in a great man/ instan- 
 ces, the consequence of their rash intemperate meas- 
 ures. Brethren, be not intemperate in religion, but 
 'let your moderation be known unto all men.* 
 
 I have thus noticed some of the most important par- 
 ticulars laid down in the Bible, in which we are com- 
 manded to be temperate. There are other things, 
 which if used at all, should be temperately. But they 
 ore human inventions, and not authorised by the word 
 of God. I read nothing in the Bible about men's using 
 'tobacco, 1 and I would exhort all who make a uss of 
 that article, either chewing or smoking, to be careful 
 and not allow it to impair and ruin your healths. To 
 besure, a man at times, makes a bad appearance with 
 the article cruising around his lips; but then if it does 
 any good, I surely shall have no objection to a temper- 
 ate use of it. And the ladies must likewise remember 
 that the article called l snuffj is not spoken of in the Bi- 
 ble. If it be used at all, let it be done temperately. 
 Many I know have spoken against its use, and though 
 we are confident an intemperate use of it is deleterious 
 and extremely injurious to the nervous system, yet 
 we are not prepared to sty that it is not good in certain 
 cases, and that the ladies may not make a temperate 
 use of it. Let your moderation be known in its use. 
 
 Then I must caution you against an excessive use of 
 Tea and Coffee. Physicians inform us that excessive 
 use of these drinks are injurious to the constitution.
 
 100 A SERMON. 
 
 An intemperate use of any thing is deleterious and sin- 
 ful. But it would be impossible to take away from some 
 of our good matrons their tea; yes, as impossible as from 
 some men their whiskey. I would not say that every 
 man, woman or child shall entirely abstain from those 
 articles; but I do say, you must use them moderately. 
 'Do thyself no harm.' If you violate the command of 
 our text, the shaking head and trembling limb will ap- 
 pear, to warn you of your imprudence. 
 
 I have thus endeavored to preach temperance as the 
 bible enjoins. I dare not go one step further, if 1 
 should, I fear I should be wiser than my master. 
 
 In conclusion, permit me to exhort you, one and all 
 to strive both by precept and example, to do all you 
 can to further the cause of rational temperance. There 
 are doubtless some present who belong to the total ab- 
 stinence society in this town. You may be right in 
 joining. that society we will not condemn you we 
 give you the privilege of thinking on the subject as you 
 please. In return, we only ask the same privilege. 
 Will you grant it? On the other hand, there are, I 
 presume, some present who are opposed to the violent 
 measures of the abstinence party. To them I would 
 say, be not backward in doing all in your power to arrest 
 the evil, intemperance, that is fast spreading in our 
 land. I know that you are men of feeling, of benevo- 
 lence, of philanthropy, and that you have an interest 
 in the welfare of your fellow men. How is your con- 
 duct? Do you set a good example? Can your neigh-
 
 A SERMON. 101 
 
 bors point their fingers at you, and say, you are often 
 seen in a state of intoxication? Pause and examine 
 yourselves. Remember if you use stimulating drinks 
 more than necessity requires, you injure yourselves, 
 you violate the laws of God, and if persisted in, you 
 vrill bring upon yourselves misery, disgrace and ru- 
 in! Your families and friends must likewise suffer by 
 your ingratitude, destruction will open wide her jaws to 
 receive you, and black despair will harrow up your soul. 
 then be entreated to lend your influence in arrest- 
 ing the sin, intemperance, that is deluging our land, 
 and ruining the fair forms of innocence and virtue. Be 
 actively engaged in ameliorating the condition of your 
 fellow creatures, and in all your concerns through life, 
 Let your moderation be known unto all men.' AMES. 
 
 9*
 
 THE REMARKS OF CERTAIN EDITORS ON 
 THE BRAMBLE, AND A BRIEF REPLY. 
 
 "Shall a Trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be 
 afraid.' " AMOS iii. 6. 
 
 THE TRUMPET. 
 
 The Rev: T. Whittemore sounded his Trumpet, that 
 Ihe majority of the people in t' e United States were in 
 favor of the violent measures of the total abstinence 
 party. But his trumpet gave an uncertain sound. 
 Since publishing the Bramble, I have lectured in a num- 
 ber of places on temperance, and do know that two 
 thirds of the Universalist community, even in good old 
 Massachusetts, are in favor J of my sentiments on the 
 subject. The people know their rights, and knowing 
 c dare maintain them.' Mr. Whittemore says, u It will 
 be an unenviable notoriety which he (Gregory) will 
 acquire.' 1 The notoriety which I shall acquire by ad- 
 vocating the truth, will be far preferable to the popular- 
 ity which Mr. Whittemore will gain by advocating false- 
 hood. [ challenge Mr. Whittemore to show that I have 
 gone counter to the doctrine of temperance, as laid down 
 in the Bible. He dare not undertake the work ! 
 
 THE STAR IN THE EAST. 
 
 We are commanded to deal out to each a portion in 
 due season, arid as the Rev. J. G. Adams has seen fit 
 to notice our Bramble, we would in return notice the
 
 THE LADIES REPOSITORY. 103 
 
 manner in which he treated it. Well, what says^ the 
 'echo,' from the 'granite state?' "Hear Heavens, and 
 be astonished, O Earth." " We have not seen it (he 
 Bramble) neither do we wish to see it." And did this 
 liberal speech come from a Universalist minister? Yes, 
 a Universalist minister! a man of professed liberal sen- 
 timents. " We have not seen it, neither do we wish to 
 see it." What! is Mr.- Adams afraid that the Bramble 
 will scratch up his total .abstinence measures, that he 
 does not wish to see it? Surely this editor has departed 
 from the principles by which he has professed to be 
 governed. It is virtually saying, " We understand Mr. 
 Gregory has published a work against our intemperate 
 measures, and has shown that temperance is a Bible 
 doctrine; but we have not seen it, neither do we wish 
 to see it, for it may overthrow our specu lation, and then 
 we should not gain that popularity, nor those uppermost 
 seats to which we aspire/' 
 
 I hope the Bramble will do him good, together with 
 all others who arc troubled with the same comolaint. 
 
 THE LADIES REPOSITORY, 
 
 The Rev. H. Bacon, instead of making his paper a 
 repository of truth and righteousness, has converted it 
 into a vehicle of abuse, and misrepresentation. Having 
 been*levated in the world, and taken the editorial chair, 
 lie would fain make the readers of his paper believe that
 
 104 THE GOSPEL SUN. 
 
 he is a dreadful great man. Hear him: " In the work 
 of criticism our motto has ever been, (hear that) willing 
 to praise, but not afraid to blame;" (abuse he meant.) 
 Again: "Amongst the lecturers who have labored ia 
 the vicinity of Woburn, are Rev. Thomas Whitternore, 
 Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, Rev. Mr. Young, and who else? 
 OUR MOST HUMBLE SELF!" " Our most humble self;" ha, 
 ha this reminds us of the fly that lit upon the hub of 
 a coach wheel, and flapping its wings, exclaimed, " See 
 what a dust we kick up!" So much for the editor of the 
 Ladies Repository. 
 
 THE GOSPEL BUN. 
 
 The Rev. O. A. Skinner says, the views of Mr. 
 Gregory on temperance, will not find favor with his 
 ministering brethren. I would inform Mr. Skinner 
 that my object has ever been to please my lay brethren; 
 to watch over their interest, instead of the interests of 
 the clergy. I have done this independently, and rua 
 the risk of incuring their displeasure. Be it known 
 onto all men that 1 preach to please {he people. And 
 as long as I am confident my views of temperance are 
 in accordance with the Bible, the threatnings of the 
 priesthood shall not make me flinch from my duty. But 
 I would inform Mr. Skinner that there are more thaa 
 one in Israel, whose sentiments on temperance are in 
 unison with mine. Had he heard a celebrated divine, 
 whose fame for Biblical knowledge has gone forth int
 
 SOUTHERN EV-AKGEL13T. 105 
 
 aH the land, and to whom the public is indebted for two 
 able 'Inquiries,' lecture Mr. Whittemore for calling 
 Daniel a cold water man, and for misrepresenting my 
 sentiments, he would have.thoujjht that I had'one friend 
 if no more: Let the^Universalist clergy come out and 
 take a stand on this subject, and I will ventur^ to pay, 
 there wouid not be fifty in the order, but what would be 
 in favor of my sentiments. 
 
 Our Methodist, Orthodox, and political papers have 
 given us a passing notice, but we shall not attempt to 
 reform them until we have reformed our own order. 
 
 The reader may wish to l<no\v if any papers have 
 spoken in favor of the Bramble. We extract the fol- 
 lowing from the Southern Evangelist, published at 
 Charleston, S. C., and edited by the Rev. THEOPKILVS 
 FISK. The remarks are from that well known talented 
 brother : 
 
 " THE BRAMBLE." " We have received a copy of 
 this well written production from some unknown friend, . 
 perhaps the author himself; our hearty thanks are due 
 to the donor, whoever he ma" be. It is a most able 
 expose of the craft and spiritual hypocrisy that is over- 
 flowing the land under the guise of temperance societies; 
 the author a young Universalist minister of sterling 
 worth, manly independence, and great promise of use- 
 fulness. \Ve have read the production with more care 
 and attention than we should probably otherwise have 
 done, but for the unspairing, and unjustifiable abuse
 
 106 REMARKS OF TBS 
 
 which has been hoaped upon the author by the editor of 
 the Boston Trumpet and his echo. Mr. Whittemore in 
 bis first notice (for he has seen fit to make too attacks 
 upon the pamphlet, or rather upon its author) speaka 
 of Br. Gregory's sentiments as " far below the standard 
 of the age" and again he says: "We are truly sick 
 with the bombastic style of the pamphlet." Is there no 
 intemperance in this language, from one ministering bro- 
 ther to another, that needs to be rebuked? For our 
 own part we are not the advocates of intemperance of 
 any kind much less than all the intemperate zeal 
 which is here manifested, to cover a ministering brother 
 with odium for a manly expression of opinion, we are 
 not in favor of the intemperance which could procure 
 the suspension from fellowship, of a minister second to 
 none in our denomination in any point of view, for the 
 enormous offence of storing ten dollars for three or 
 four months! We are not in favor of that intemperance 
 which can resort to the pitiful expedient of invading 
 the sanctity of the domestic circle, to seek proofs Of 
 some act of indiscretion in the unguarded moments of 
 affection! Nor of that species of " Inquiry" which 
 floods the country with letters, for the purpose of gath- 
 ering vague rumors, hearsays, and flying reports! From 
 such Intemperance we say in behalf of the Universalist 
 denomination, " Good Lord deliver us." 
 
 But we have good reason to believe that the pampb- 
 lot under consideration was not the cause of the bitter-
 
 SOUTHERN EVANGELIST. 107 
 
 ness of the Rev. Thomas Whittemore towards Br. 
 Gregory. Br. Gregory is from u the land of the 
 free" from the bosom of the Green Mountains; where 
 the mind wears no shackles, and where Universalist 
 priestcraft is entirely unknown. We noticed with plea- 
 sure and pride, during a stay in Boston of some twelve 
 or fifteen months, many manifestations of his tterling 
 honesty, and unbending integrity; particularly when- 
 ever he visited the Trumpet " dissecting room." He 
 had the independence when he heard the character of 
 an absent ministering^brother there undergoing an ope- 
 ration, (and this was but of too frequent occurrence) te 
 stand up boldly in his defence, if he thought him inno- 
 cent of the surmises, hints, and inuendo es, that were 
 indulged in so profusely; this we think, is the head and 
 fountain of his offending. We saw the storm lowering 
 upon him more than a twelve month ago more than 
 one face was gathering blackness previous to our leav- 
 in that region, and we mentioned to one of the victims 
 of this unhallowed " spirit of /n^tun/," that the tempest 
 would burst sooner or later and our predictions have 
 been verified. The thunder has rolled, the bolt has fal- 
 
 X 
 
 len; and we hope some of the brethren feel relieved. 
 
 In conclusion we have to say that while we have 
 strength to wield a pen, we will espouse the cause of 
 the injured and persecuted we have suffered too deep- 
 ly ourself from " stabs in the dark," not to have a fel- 
 low feeling for those who are stretched upon the rack. 
 Br, Gregory wi]l remember the injunction, " if they
 
 108 BEMARKS OP THE 
 
 persecute you in one city flee into another" the sunny 
 South will welcome him with open arms, if the climate 
 at the North becomes too warm." 
 
 REMARKS OF THE MAGAZINE AND ADVOCATE. 
 
 Speaking of the Hoe, Br. GROSH remarks: " It is 
 anonymous. I have not seen it, but judging from some 
 extracts given in the Trumpet, it appears to appeal to 
 prejudice to put down Br. Gregory. Some of our 
 editors also appear to rely upon the same weapon. 
 This is ungenerous, to say the least of it. Prejudice, 
 like jealousy, is cruel a's the grave, and puts down, not 
 the arguments, but the man. Like persecution, it 
 never can convince, but confirms even the errorist in 
 his errors." 
 
 Speaking of what we should eat and drink, he adds 
 cc It is good to eat meat, and to drink wine; and it is 
 good to eat vegetables, and to drink water; but circum- 
 stances should determine not only when you should eat 
 and drink either, but also how much. Excess in either, 
 is wrong and injurious." " We may, or may not dress, 
 eat, drink, sleep, walk, sit, stand, as they did, our cir- 
 cumstances being the same as theirs were, and be neither 
 sinful nor virtuous in so doing, or in not so doing." 
 
 The same writer speaking of societies formed to sup- 
 press any particular vice, remarks " Such combina- 
 tions are not only unnecessary, but contrary to the 
 principles of, and injurious in a republican government.
 
 MAGAZINE AND ADVOCATE- J9 
 
 They supersede the laws and its officers, and substitute 
 the abstract views, and irresponsible actions of combi- 
 nations,, not established by, nor known to the govern- 
 ment of the whole people. They are virtually raob- 
 ocracy, setting aside the laws of their rule, and super- 
 seding the proper execution of the law, by substituting 
 the unauthorised, and unacknowledged actions of men. 
 Let the people govern by the laws they make through 
 their proper representatives and let those laws be exe- 
 cuted by the officers of the people, properly Chosen and 
 commissioned to enforce them. When a government 
 of the people fails, it will be time to erect another of 
 organized combinations, to govern the people." 
 
 Again he says" Let th* laws properly provide for 
 the punishment of offences against the peace and .digni- 
 ty of the Common wesfth, and for the protection and as- 
 si?tnnce of their r*osecuting officers let every citizen 
 report such offices to the police, and require attention 
 to their complaints and no SOCIETIES, or other mean 
 will be necessary to effect the complete suppression of 
 intemperance, seduction, gambling, profanity, and every 
 other vice that now infests society, and causes the land 
 to mourn under the wreck of virtue, and the ruin of 
 peace." 
 
 Stephen K. Smith, associate editor of the same paper, 
 exposes so clearly the intemperate measures of the ab- 
 stinence party, that we beg the privilege of laying his 
 remarks before our readers. 
 
 " Among the measures that have been manifestly in- 
 10
 
 110 REMARKS Or THE 
 
 jurious to the cause of temperance, may be reckoned all 
 those that partake of fraud or coercion. We conceive 
 that every measure that brands another with reproach 
 or infamy because he does not adopt our theory, to be 
 coercive Sf reprehensible. That thousands of dissenters 
 from the rage of temperance measures have been thus 
 abused cannot be denied. 
 
 Art is sometimes employed to draw individuals into 
 societies. As an instance, the name of some influential 
 person is obtained, in order to induce others to unite 
 while that individual retains full privilege to take his 
 wonted dram whenever he pleases. Examples of this 
 are every where abundant. 
 
 But the most specious instance of this kind of craft, 
 is connected with the tempetfinct ledurts. No fact is 
 more obvious than that in the commencement of the 
 career of forming societies, it wa& generally intended 
 to make them sectarian. This was Acknowledged by 
 the American Temperance Society anlwas as palpa- 
 ble in its auxiliaries. A particular class of men were 
 the prime movers, and managers, in every pli*>e where 
 they possessed the power or influence to lead. 
 
 The liberal part of community, seeing the manntr in 
 which things were got up and managed in the societies, 
 generally stood aloof, and were often grossly abused in 
 consequence. Many of this class of men, are highly 
 influential, either by their wealth, their public station, 
 or their moral character; and it was extremely desira- 
 ble to win them over. To effect this, a Universalist
 
 MAGAZINi AND ADVOCATE, 111 
 
 clergyman is selected to deliver a temperance lecture, 
 and the invitation very generally originates with some 
 member of the society who is distinguished for his op- 
 position to the doctrine of the restitution. The plausi- 
 bility of such a measure very naturally brings together 
 for the occasion, a large proportion of liberal men, who 
 when warmed by the address, are^thrown offtheir guard, 
 and thus give their names to tho society."
 
 RECOMMENDATION. 
 
 " This certifies that the Rev. John Gregory has been 
 employed as a preacher of the Gospel, by the First 
 tTniversalist Society in the town of VVoburn, Mass., for 
 one year and a half; and that he is universally liked, 
 both as a preacher, and a man, and that \ve are well 
 satisfied with his labors. The society under his judi- 
 cious management, is, we are confident, in a better con- 
 dition than it was previous to his settling among us. 
 The meetings have been well attended, and he has 
 preached to our general satisfaction. His letter, ask- 
 ing a dismission from our society, we have received 
 with regret, and hope that we can prevail upon him to 
 stay with us longer. His moral character we believe 
 to be good, even above suspicion, and we are willing to 
 recommend him as a faithful preacher of the Gospel, 
 t6 such society as God in his Providence shall call him," 
 
 WILLIAM RICHARDSON, ) . ,. 
 MOSES WINN, i Standin $. 
 
 LUKE REED, $ 
 
 ^~P Signed by One Hundred and Five individuals 
 who have contributed to my support the last year. 
 
 The object of my publishing the above recommenda- 
 tion, is to silence the slanderous stories in circulation 
 against me. Not that those stories can injure me in 
 the estimation of those with whom I am acquainted, but 
 that those unacquainted with me can see my standing 
 in Woburn, where I hare resided nearly two year*!.
 
 CERTIFICATE. 
 
 " This certifies that we 
 published by John Gregory, 
 merits therein contained" 
 
 Joshua Converse, 
 
 Samuel Cook, 
 
 Luke Tidd, 
 
 Abel Wyman, 
 
 Martin Converse, 
 
 Aaron Richardson, 
 
 John Madan, 
 
 Stephen Eames, 
 
 William TidJ, 
 
 John Flanders, 
 
 Nathan Richardson 3d, 
 
 David Weston, 
 
 Samuel Richardson, 
 
 Oliver Wade, 
 
 Joshua Stoddard, 
 
 Lot Eaton, 
 
 John Miller, 
 
 Ebenezer Parker, 
 
 Thomas Collins, 
 
 Guy Knights, 
 
 George Pool, 
 
 have read the ' Bramble,' 
 and do concur in the semi- 
 
 William Flanders, 
 Henry Flagg, 
 Stephen Nichols, 
 Luther Converse, 
 Moses F. Winn, 
 Josiah Converse, 
 John Leathe, 
 Jacob Wright, 
 Albert Thompson, 
 Harrison Flanders. 
 John Sowle,jr. 
 Jesse Sowle, 
 Henry Tidd, 
 Nathan Wyman, 
 Jonathan Tidd,' 1 
 Jonathan Tidd 2d, 
 Ezra Kendall, 
 John Knights, 
 Thomas Pool, 
 Thomas Pool, jr. 
 Stephen Nichols, jr.
 
 
 114 CERTIFICATE. 
 
 Samuel Thompson, Simeon Weymoutfr, 
 
 Franklin Jone^ George Hartshorn, 
 
 Sylvester Nichols, Charles Bond, 
 
 Christopher Hosmer, Joseph S. Phillips, 
 
 George Powell, Leonard Parks, 2d, 
 
 John Phelps,' Fr ancis F. Kimball. 
 Joseph Eaton, 
 
 The above are a few out of the many in Woburn, in 
 favor of my views of temperance. I have no doubt but 
 what I could have obtained more than one half of the 
 persons ia the town to have subscribed to the above 
 certificate. That the majority of the people in Woburn 
 are what I call temperance men, is credent from their 
 gaining the victory over their opponents at the elec- 
 tions. God grant them success in well doing!
 
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