I speak to my brothers-to men who have given <br />A pledge unto man-a pledge unto heaven, <br />That in deed and in truth they will temperance maintain: <br />Oh! let not your purpose, your labour be vain. <br /> <br /> <br />A place, a position, a prestige, a name, <br />If your first love is cold, will not save you from blame; <br />And the foes of the cause will exult when they find <br />That your spirit and purpose have sadly declined. <br /> <br /> <br />Be earnest-how earnest are all things around!- <br />Be earnest in prayer; in thinking, profound; <br />Be earnest in working, while yet it is day- <br />The night cometh swiftly-oh! work while you may. <br /> <br /> <br />We must work with a will if we hope to prevail: <br />Truth's stranger than fiction, and never will fail. <br />No pen can portray such scenes and such tales <br />As are found in our private and police details. <br /> <br /> <br />We tickle the ear to insure our success; <br />The form of intemperance in tinsel we dress; <br />And think, where our earnest endeavour oft fails, <br />Our end we attain by sensational tales. <br /> <br /> <br />We seem as we knew not-could not realise <br />That the fire is not quenched, and the worm never dies <br />In the breast of the drunkard, till blessing from heaven, <br />In aid of our efforts to save him, is given. <br /> <br /> <br />When talent and music dance lightly along, <br />And trip us a measure in story or song, <br />We read, or we listen, with soft-bated breath, <br />While intemperance is leading the wild dance of death. <br /> <br /> <br />Be candid, be courteous, admit of reform- <br />Let friendly advice not engender a storm; <br />For this ye are leagued, ye are pledged to put down <br />The vice of intemperance, its customs disown.<br /><br />Janet Hamilton<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-members-and-office-bearers-of-temperance-societies/
