The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

V. Temperance Movement Gathers Momentum

In 1785, Dr. Benjamin Rush, noted Philadelphia physician of Presbyterian-Quaker background and superior scientific attainment-professor at the University of Pennsylvania, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787-resolutely undertook to fight the liquor traffic. He wrote his vigorous essay, An Inquiry Into the Effects of Ardent Spirits Upon the Human Body and Mind, which rebuked the popular drinking customs of society. In 1808 a New York State physician, Dr. Billy Clark, deeply stirred over the situation, persuaded a minister and a lawyer to join him in launching one of the first temperance societies at Moreau in Saratoga County, New York. Another followed in 1809 at Greenfield, pledged against all “ardent [distilled] spirits.” Several denominational bodies took action in 1812. Then the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance was created in 1813, against the “too free use of ardent spirits.” PFF4 441.1

But it was not until 1826 that a cooperative plan was launched in Boston, by a group of reformers known as the American Society for the Promotion of Temperance, aspiring to change the habits of the nation regarding the “improper use of intoxicating liquors,” partly by establishing local voluntary societies. ¹⁷ PFF4 441.2

Then various local organizations in New York, between 1826 and 1836, introduced the plan of total abstinence from all intoxicating beverages, mild as well as strong. In the latter year (1836), the American Temperance Society, now merged into the American Temperance Union, dropping the old pledge in favor of the new “total pledge,” ¹⁸ referring to all intoxicating liquors. And the Pennsylvania State Society came out for total abstinence in 1831. The New York and Connecticut State societies were formed in 1829, and a paper launched by the American Temperance Society, called The Journal of Humanity. The first women’s temperance society also came into being in 1829 in Ohio. And there were by 1829 eleven State societies and 1,000 local societies, with a membership of 100,000. PFF4 441.3

The Methodists and Presbyterians took the lead in advocating temperance. In 1833 the United States Congress even formed its own Congressional Temperance Society, which was reformed on a total abstinence basis in 1842. ¹⁹ The first National Temperance Convention met in Philadelphia in 1833, with 440 delegates representing 21 States. Temperance organs such as The Temperance Journal (1833) and The Temperance Recorder of Albany (1832-1843), which in 1834 claimed a subscription list of over 200,000, began in 1835 to advocate abstinence from all intoxicating liquors. PFF4 442.1

By 1835, in less than a decade, some five thousand temperance societies had come into being, with more than a million members. Many manufacturers of spirits ceased their operations, and thousands of retailers discontinued their sale. The growth of the movement was really phenomenal. But after the middle of the century this initial temperance movement had largely spent its force, and the issue became sidetracked because of the slavery controversy. And the Internal Revenue Act to finance the Civil War debts, by putting a high tax on liquor had the effect of putting the liquor business in a position of influence with the government, and set back temperance forty years. ²⁰ PFF4 442.2