obvious and abundant. And as that will is made known, it commends itself more strongly than ever before to the conscience; the blessings of obeying it attract greater attention, and the numbers who are moved by it to mighty deeds of kindness, are increasing, with a rapidity and to an extent, never before known. Thus acting and reacting, "light and love," the grand means of universal moral renovation, are moving onward from conquering to conquer ; inspiring with new hope, cheering with new expectations, and exciting all who are governed by them, to higher and holier efforts, that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven. A striking development of these principles has been made in the Temperance Reformation. A vicious practice had obtained, had received the sanction of legislation, and the support of the example of nearly the whole Christian world. But it was followed, as its natural and necessary result, by loss of property, character, life and soul, to an extent which must fill every person who comprehends it, with amazement. And the question was started, no doubt, by the spirit of God," Is it right," to continue a practice which produces such results; and which, if continued, will perpetuate and increase them to all future ages? The Bible was examined, and providences observed; divine teaching was sought, and the conviction was fastened on the mind, that the practice was not right; and that to prevent the evils which it produced, men must cease to perpetuate the cause.

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And for the purpose of making known to them, especially to

own countrymen, the reasons why they should do this, the American Temperance Society was formed. Its object, is, by the diffusion of information and the exertion of kind moral influence, to attempt, with the divine blessing, to produce such a change of sentiment and practice with regard to intoxicating drink, that intemperance shall cease, and temperance, with all its attendant benefits to the body and the soul, shall universally prevail.

Temperance, in view of those who formed this Society, is the moderate and proper use of things beneficial; and abstinence from things hurtful. Ardent spirit, being in its nature, as manifested by its effects, a poison; and of course, one of the hurtful things, and in this country, the grand means of intoxication, their object required them to abstain from the drinking, and from the furnishing of it; and to endeavor, by all suitable means, to induce the whole community to do the same.

This object they have steadily pursued. And to give to moral influence the highest and best effect, they have attempted to embody, in voluntary associations, all, who practice on the above principle, and are willing to unite in them. The plan has received the smile of Heaven. It has been viewed with favor by the good, and has accomplished great results.

At our last Annual Meeting, there had been formed in the United States 21 State Temperance Societies; and in smaller districts, it was supposed, more than 5000 other Temperance Societies, embodying on the plan of abstinence from the drinking of ardent spirit and from the traffic in it, more than 1,000,000 members. More than 2000 men had ceased to make it; and more than 6000 had ceased to sell it. They believed that the business was wicked, and they applied this belief to their practice. More than 5000 men who once were drunkards, had within five years ceased to use intoxicating drink; and were, as all men who pursue this course will be, sober men. Many of them had become highly respectable and useful, and not a few truly pious men.

More than 700 vessels were afloat on the ocean, in which ardent spirit was not used; and multitudes of all ages, in all kinds of lawful business, and in every variety of condition, had found by experience, that they were in all respects better without the use of it. Facts had proved that it is a nuisance, unspeakably injurious to mankind. Numerous Medical Associations had condemned the drinking of it, as a violation of the laws of life; and various Ecclesiastical bodies of different denominations, embracing more than 5000 ministers of the Gospel and more than 6000 Christian Churches, had expressed it as their solemn and deliberate conviction, that the traffic in ardent spirit to be used as a drink, is morally wrong; and that it ought to be abandoned throughout the world. In this state of things we commenced the labors of the past year.

The United States Temperance Convention that had been invited by this Society to meet in Philadelphia, assembled in that city on the 24th of May. It was composed of more than 400 delegates, and from 21 States. Seldom has a body of men assembled of greater weight of character, and of higher and better influence in the country. They continued in session three days, and passed with great unanimity about thirty resolutions, expressive of their views on various points of this momentous subject.

The resolution which excited the greatest interest, and which led to the longest and most animated debate, was that, which expressed the sentiment, that the traffic in ardent spirit, to be used as a drink, is morally wrong; and ought to be universally abandoned. This sentiment had before been expressed not only by the Ecclesiastical bodies above referred to, but by the American Congressional Temperance Meeting, at the Capitol in Washington; and numerous other meetings; and the traffic had been treated as immoral in various ways in different parts of the country.

It was to be expected therefore, that this point would occupy the attention of the United States Temperance Convention. Many were anxious to know, what the Physicians, the Jurists, and the Statesmen, who were collected from all parts of the country on

that occasion thought upon this subject. If they viewed the nature of ardent spirit to be such, that the traffic in it, to be used as a drink, is necessarily immoral, and as such ought to be abandoned, it was obvious that the subject demanded universal attention. When the question came up therefore, it excited great interest. Soine expressed doubts; not so much however whether the traffic is immoral, as whether it would be useful for the Convention to say so. But as the discussion proceeded, and the manifest and enormous immorality of the traffic was exhibited, this number lessened. They not only saw that it is an immorality, but that it was a duty which they owed to God, to themselves, and to society, to express their deep and solemn conviction of this truth; and to publish it, as extensively as possible, for the benefit of mankind. And seldom has any act of a public body, designed to operate by moral influence, been hailed with greater gladness, or promised to do greater good. Passed as it was, after long and full discussion, in a Body composed of men of all professions and employments, and of all Christian denominations, and political parties, and from all parts of the country; and in accordance with the fundamental truth which the American Temperance Society and various other Bodies of men, had been propagating for years, its influence was felt throughout the land. Numbers who had not before done it, were now led to examine the subject in the light of the moral law; and the more extensive the examination the more deep and general has been the conviction, that the sentiment expressed by the Convention is eternal truth, the belief of which, is of infinite importance; and that it ought to be published with its evidence and proclaimed throughout the world. Had the Convention done nothing else, but, after examination, express their conviction on this point, they had done a deed which would have marked them as benefactors of their country, and been remembered with gratitude by the friends of humanity to the end of time. The immorality of this traffic, is what renders it certain, that it will be discontinued. And the knowledge of its immorality, universally communicated, is to be the means, under providence, of accomplishing this result. And no one thing has a greater tendency to this, than the publication of the views of wise and good

men.

On the 18th of September a State Temperance Convention was held at Worcester in Massachusetts. More than 500 delegates were present, and from all parts of the Commonwealth. Distinguished gentlemen of all professions were members, and the Governor of the Commonwealth was President of the Convention. This body also, after careful attention to this subject, expressed their conviction of the immorality of this traffic, and that they ought, by the combined power of opinion and example, to pro

mote its universal abandonment. Since that time numerous individuals in the Commonwealth have renounced the traffic; licenses for the sale of spirit have been refused in many towns; about 10,000 persons embodied in Ward Temperance Societies in Boston, and great numbers in other parts of the State.

There are now in Boston, 5 Temperance Hotels and 20 Temperance Groceries. In the county of Suffolk, the number of licenses has been reduced from 613 to 314. In Hampshire County, the number of grog-shops has been reduced from 83, to 8. In Plymouth and Bristol Counties and in numerous towns no licenses are given; and in many of them ardent spirit is not sold. In some of those towns however, men who love the poison, have sent for it to Boston. From one place Esq. was accustomed to go with his waggon, and the drinkers to send by him, each one his bottle. On his return, which was generally found convenient to be in the evening, he left a jug at this place and a jug at that. &c. On his return one evening, while he was in at Mr. his waggon at the door, some one took charge of a part of its contents. When Esq.- came out, a bottle was gone. The next morning Capt.- was missing. Inquiry was made, but no one could tell what had become of him. A number of days after, he was found in the woods, dead; with the bottle at his side about half emptied. The cases are numerous among the drinkers of the poison, where the end is death. And the conviction is rapidly extending among all classes, that the traffic in it, to be used as a drink, is a manifest violation of the great principles of morality. and utterly forbidden by the Word of God.

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On the 18th of November a similar Convention was held at Utica in New York; and on the 3d of December in Middletown in Connecticut. Both of these Conventions, after mature deliberation, expressed the same conviction with the others. The Editor of the American Quarterly Observer, remarks, " Of the New York Convention, General Jacob Morton, a venerable revolutionary patriot was President. The number of members was about 250. A series of resolutions was passed, the most important of which was the one, declaring the traffic in ardent spirit to be an immorality. Upon this resolution, there were only 14 votes in the negative. No individual, however, dissented from the position, that the traffic is immoral, but it was thought to be inexpedient, by a few persons, to declare it to be so. At the Connecticut Convention, attended by 130 delegates, the same resolution was passed unanimously. All things in this country are manifestly tending to one result; the classing of the use of ardent spirits, and the traffic in them, as a violation of the moral law; a crime, equally injurious to men and displeasing to God.

On the 18th of December a State Temperance Convention

was held at Columbus in Ohio. The Governor of the state, who is President of the State Temperance Society, was one of the Committee who invited the meeting, and was President of the Convention. This Convention also expressed their conviction of the immorality of the traffic in ardent spirit, and the duty of its universal abandonment. A Legislative Temperance Society was formed, shortly after, in that state; and measures were taken by the State Society, by means of agents and the press, to extend information, and form Temperance Societies throughout the state.

On the 25th of December a similar Convention was held at Jackson in Mississippi; and on the 7th of January at Frankfort in Kentucky. At both these meetings they expressed unanimously their conviction of the immorality of the traffic in ardent spirit; and in Mississippi they recommended that in the formation of all new Temperance Societies, they should agree to abstain from the drinking not only of ardent spirit, but also of wine. In Kentucky a Legislative Temperance Society was formed, and the members agree to abstain from the drinking of both ardent spirit and wine, and also from the traffic in them. The Governor of the state was appointed the President, and the Lieutenant Governor, who is President of the Senate, was appointed one of the Vice Presidents.

Numerous and striking details were given, by physicians, of the destructive effects of ardent spirit, during the prevalence of the Cholera in that state. In some way an impression had been made upon a portion of the people, that the drinking of this poison would operate as a preventive, or cure of this disease. Although in direct contradiction to the whole history of the Cholera from its commencement, in its progress through all countries up to that time, yet falling in, as it did, with the natural current of human depravity, at a time when men were ready to resort to almost any thing, from which they hoped for security, or relief, it had seriously obstructed the progress of the Temperance Reformation, and in the judgment of the physicians had occasioned many deaths. A committee of distinguished physicians was therefore appointed to investigate this subject, and publish the facts for the information of the community. And it is hoped, should the disease return, that its fatal effects will not again be increased, and its horrors augmented, by the means which are used to prevent them. The delusion is now fast vanishing, and several thousands were added to the Temperance Societies the last year. Nothing appears to be wanting, but the wise and efficient labors of an active permanent agent, to render the cause, with the divine blessing, triumphant throughout that state. This is needful in every state of the Union. And it is earnestly recommended to the friends of Temperance in each state, to procure such an agent, and provide such means for his