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TEMPERANCE ITEMS

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Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, February 19, 1880.

FromThe Review and Herald, Vol. 55, No. 8

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TEMPERANCE ITEMS.

By A. S. Hutchins

BY ELD. A. S. HUTCHINS.
One lady asked another, “Did you sign the temperance pledge?” “Yes,” was the emphatic reply; “I should be ashamed not to sign the pledge. Do you think a little tea would prevent me from signing the teetotal pledge?”
Bro. and Sr. A. signed the teetotal pledge months ago. They rejoice that they did; they say they feel better for it, and recommend others to sign also.
Another sister, a tea-nervous woman, hardly felt able to attend camp-meeting; but she did attend, and signed the pledge. She came home rejoicing, and feels so much better, health-wise, that her husband told her she better write an article for publication on her experience as a teetotaler.
An old and respected brother, a tea-sipper, says, “When that pledge was presented, I went for it as a hungry dog would go for a piece of fresh meat.” In leaving off tea, he says, “My love of and desire for tobacco went also.” That is a good victory. Now he wants his wife to sign the pledge, and I hope she will.
Sabbatarian C. was urged to sign the pledge, but “No, sir,” he was not going to. Just then the solicitor asked the neighbor of Sabbatarian to sign. He would if Sabbath-keeper would, and Sabbath-keeper would if neighbor would, so both signed. One signed that the other might do so and give up his tea; and the tea-drinker signed that the tobacco-chewer might give up his tobacco.
Some are not going to sign any pledge, because they do not want to sign away their liberty, and yet they are going to be temperance men. A good rule to be governed by is, “If it is no sacrifice to you, sign the pledge for the good of others; if it is a sacrifice, sign it for your own good.”
There is power in example. Can it be possible that a man with correct views of his duty to God and his fellow-men is afraid to cast his influence on the right side?