PREAMBLE. Whereas the improper use of intoxicating liquors has been found by experience to be the source of evils of incalculable magnitude both as to the temporal and eternal interests of individuals, families, and communities; and whereas the prevalence of this vice has such a fatal efficacy in hindering the success of all the common means which God has appointed for the moral and religious improvement of men; and whereas the various measures which the friends of Christian morality have adopted, though not altogether unsuccessful, have been found quite insufficient to give any effectual and permanent check to this desolating evil; and whereas some more vigorous means are evidently required,-some system of instruction and action, which will make a steady and powerful impression on the present and following generations, and will in this way ultimately effect a change of public sentiment and practice in regard to the use of intoxicating liquors, and thus put an end to that wide-spreading intemperance, which has already caused such desolations in every part of our country, and which threatens destruction to the best interests of this growing and mighty Republic ;--therefore the friends of domestic and social happiness, now present, wishing to do all in their power to promote the welfare of their fellow men, resolve to form a society, with the following constitution; namely; ARTICLE I. The Society shall be called, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF TEMPERANCE. ART. II. The Society, at its commencement, shall consist of members elected by this meeting. ART. III. The Society shall from time to time, elect additional members, as they shall judge expedient; always keeping in mind that elections are so to be made, as shali best accord with the design of rendering this a national institution, and giving it the most extensive influence possible. ART. IV. Any person who has paid, or who shall pay, not less than thirty dollars to the funds of the Society, shall become an honorary member thereof; and every person who has paid, or shall hereafter pay, not less than two hundred and fifty dollars, shall be an honorary Vice President of the Society. ART. V. The Society shall meet annually at such time and place as they shall appoint, and shall choose by ballot a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor, an Executive Committee of five members, and such other officers as shall in their opinion be necessary. ART. VI. It shall be the duty of the Society to have a general superintendence of all the concerns of the institution, and of the measures to be pursued for promoting its object. ART. VII. It shall be the duty of the President, or, in his absence, of the Vice President, to preside at all meetings of the Society, and to call special meetings at the request of the Executive Committee. ART. VIII. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to carry into effect all votes and orders of the Society, and to take proper measures for obtaining the funds necessary for accomplishing its benevolent designs; to appoint agents in different parts of the country, as shall be judged most conducive to the great object of the Society; to draw orders on the Treasurer for the payment of all monies, which shall be expended in this work of love; to inspect annually the state of the treasury; and in general, to perform all other duties, not inconsistent with this Constitution, which they shall deem necessary for promoting habits of temperance to the greatest extent. Of their proceedings they shall make an annual report to the Society. ART. IX. The Secretary shall be required to devote himself with diligence and fidelity to the business of the Society. And in execution of his office, it shall be his duty, under the direction of the Executive Committee, to make appropriate communications, by pamphlets, correspondence, and personal interviews, to ministers of the Gospel, to physicians, and others, and to consult and cooperate with them for the purpose of guarding those under their influence against the evils of intemperance; to take pains, in all proper methods, to make a seasonable and salutary impression in relation to this subject, on those who are favoured with a public and refined education, and are destined in various ways to have a leading influence in Society; to make it a serious object to introduce into the publications of the day, essays and addresses on the subject of intoxicating liquors, and to induce teachers and those concerned in the support of schools, to labor diligently to impress the minds of the young with the alarming and dreadful evils to which all are exposed who indulge themselves in the use of strong drink; to make affectionate and earnest addresses to Christian Churches, to parents and guardians, to children, apprentices, and servants, and all other descriptions of persons, and to set clearly before them the effect of spirituous liquors on health, on reputation, and on all the temporal and eternal interests of men, and to urge them by the most weighty arguments, drawn from the present and the future world, to keep themselves at a distance from this insidious and destructive foe; to do whatever is practicable and expedient towards the forming of voluntary associations for the purpose of promoting the ends of this Society; and in general, to labor, by all suitable means, and in reliance upon the divine blessing, to fix the eyes of persons of both sexes and of all ages and conditions, on the magnitude of the evil which this Society aims to prevent, and on the immeasurable good which it aims to secure, and to produce such a change of public sentiment, and such a renovation of the habits of individuals and the customs of the community, that in the end, temperance with all its attendant blessings may universally prevail. And it is always to be kept in remembrance by the Secretary and by the Executive Committee, and to be adopted as a principle to regulate their measures, that while they are to make use perseveringly of all fit and promising means for the reformation of those who have already in different degrees, contracted habits of intemperance; the utility of the Institution must chiefly consist in guarding against danger those who are yet uncontaminated by this loathsome and fatal vice. OF THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE Promotion of Temperance. The SECOND ANNUAL MEETING of the AMERICAN TEMPERANCE SOCIETY was held in the Vestry of Hanover street Church, Boston, Jan. 28, 1829.-The President, and Vice President being absent, the REV. LEONARD WOODS, D. D. was called to the chair. After prayer by the Rev. Dr. Jenks, the following Gentlemen were elected Officers for the year ensuing. HON. MARCUS MORTON, President. HON. SAMUEL HUBBARD, Vice President. HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS. WILLIAM BARTLET, Esq. Newburyport, Mass. HENRY HOMES, Esq. Boston, Mass. ARTHUR TAPPAN, New York city. S. V. S. WILDER, Esq. Bolton, Mass. WILLIAM ROPES, Esq. Treasurer. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. REV. LEONARD WOODS, D. D. HON. GEORGE ODIORNE. S. V. S. WILDER, Esq. Twenty six Gentlemen, from several States, were then elected additional members of the Society. The Report of the Treasurer was read by WILLIAM ROPES, Esq. and accepted. The meeting was adjourned to be held in Hanover church at half past 6 o'clock P. M. At the adjournment, the President and Vice President being absent, the Rev. Dr. Woods was called to the chair. After prayer by the Chairman, the Report of the Executive Committee was read by the Rev. Mr. Hewit, and the following resolutions were adopted. On a motion by the Hon. Mark Doolittle of Belchertown, Mass. seconded by the Rev. Dr. Wisner of Boston, RESOLVED, That the Report of the Executive Committee be accepted, and printed under their direction. On a motion by Jonathan Kittredge Esq. of Lyme, N. H. seconded by Rev. Dr. Fay of Charlestown, Mass. RESOLVED, That it is the duty of every professor of religion to exert all his influence to abolish the custom of using ardent spirits, except for medicinal purposes. On a motion by the Rev. Daniel O. Morton, of Shoreham, Vt. seconded by the Hon. Mr. Barnard of Sheffield, Mass. RESOLVED, That the success which has followed the efforts of the friends of Temperance, and the approbation bestowed on the measures of this Society by wise and benevolent men in every part of the country, call for the adoption of a more extended system of operations, than has hitherto been pursued. The Hon. Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Kittredge, and the Rev. Mr. Morton followed their motions by addresses. A collection was then taken for the funds of the Society. After the audience had retired, on motion by Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. of Boston. RESOLVED, That the thanks of the Society be presented to the Gentlemen for their addresses, and that copies of them be requested for publication. |