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Temperance in the Home

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 22, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 34.

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Temperance in the Home

By Augusta C. Bainbridge

AUGUSTA C. BAINBRIDGE
“What is a pledge for, papa?”
“Why do you ask, my son?”
“I heard some boys talking about it. One big boy said he had taken it for life, and two other boys said they had taken it until they were twenty-one. They had little badges they wore on their vests. A man beside me said, ‘That’s good, boys; now keep it.’”
“What is a pledge, Henry?”
“It is a promise, and I think the pledge they were talking about, was a promise not to drink liquor, for they said so many things about drink.”
“Yes; and is a pledge, a promise, or a covenant, a good thing?”
“That’s what I want to know. I never took one. Did I ever, papa?”
“Not that I know of, that is, not on this subject; but no doubt you have made many promises, and if they were good ones, I hope you kept them. God makes promises, and they are all good ones, and we know he will keep them. What does he say of his covenant, or promise, in Eze. 16:60?”
“‘I will remember my covenant.’”
“Then, if we follow his rule, we shall remember every promise we make; and I suppose they wear the badges to help them remember. God made a promise once that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood, and he set his badge in the cloud. What was it?”
“O, I remember that—the rainbow.”
“Yes, and he said that when he looked upon it, he would remember his promise. So these boys wear their badges to help them to remember. Sometimes the pledge itself, that is the taking of it, helps them to remember; and often when a person wants to do something, he makes a promise, and the making of the promise helps him to remember. That is what a pledge is for. Why should these boys, or any boy, or anybody, take a pledge not to use intoxicating liquors?”
“Because they hurt us, and if we never use anything like that, we shall never be drunkards.”
“Then it would be just for our own sake.”
“Yes, papa, but—”
“Well, but what?”
“Other people would know it if we took the pledge, and it might make them want to take it, too.”
“That is right, and though we may feel perfectly safe ourselves without any pledge, some one else may need our example. Paul says, ‘If meat makes my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth,’ for he felt the need of setting a safe example for others. So now you have found a second reason for taking a pledge—for others’ sake. Can you think of another reason?”
“I should think it would please Jesus.”
“Yes, for our bodies are the temple of God’s Holy Spirit, and we can not glorify God in these bodies when we use such poisons. It will surely please Jesus for us to promise never to use or touch them. What does Jesus say about helping some weak brother for his sake?”
“Do you mean my ‘inasmuch verse’?”
“Yes, dear, I’ll find it, but I think you can say it; try it.”
“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” That means anything good, doesn’t it, papa?”
“Yes, dear; now you see what a pledge is for.”
“Tobacco is a poison too, and bad for boys and men, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is, and no one could ever think of Jesus’ using it, so his followers would not want to use it any more than they would want to swear or say any bad words.”
“Papa,”—and the bright face grew very serious,—“I want to promise. Will you hold my hand, and tell me the pledge to say?”
“Yes, my son, I will give you the one I took when I was but little older than you are now.”
“Trusting in God’s help, I solemnly promise to abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors, including wine, beer, and cider, from the use of tobacco in any form, and from all profanity.”
A short prayer of praise and thanksgiving for the beautiful promise, and the petition for help in every time of need, and father and son were bound closer to each other and to God.
“There, it is done, and done for life,” said Henry. “I wish I had a badge.”
San Francisco, Cal.