Brooklyn Daily Standard Union
February 17, 1871

GOOD TEMPLARS

'Lifelong is the Good Templar’s Pledge'

   The Independent Order of Good Templars should be known 
to all. Its basis and principles inculcated; as well as the 
great amount of good it has accomplished, should commend it 
to all real friends of the great Temperance Reform. In its 
objects and operations it occupies a broad platform, and no 
one need be shut out from the pale of its good influences. 
It opens wide its doors for the admission of the whole family, 
and grasps all who may be injured by the intoxicating bowl. 
What can be more noble than to gather the father and mother, 
brother and sister, all around the common altar to consecrate a 
life to this great work of humanity.

   This now powerful Order had its origin in 1851 in Central 
New York, where it sprung up and rapidly spread throwing out 
and planting its roots here and there deep in the soil and 
sending its life blood from town to town, crossing over 
into the Keystone State on one side and the Queen’s Dominions 
on the other, and soon finding its way across the broad prairies 
of the West, it reached the great Father of Waters.

 Taking no time for repose, it was borne swiftly down the broad 
waters to the sunny climate of the South, thence across the 
trackless West, to the sands of the Golden State.

Nathaniel CURTIS, 
Garey CHAMBERS, 
Rev. H.P. BARNES, 
Dr. C.S. MILES, 
Rev. D.W.BRISTOL, were among the first active movers and 
officers during the first four years of its existence-the 
last named gentleman being the author of the ritual for the
initiatory and higher degrees.

THEIR PLATFORM
   This order takes the broadest ground upon all questions 
connected with the temperance reform; and which they maintain 
is the only consistent position for anyone to assume who wishes 
to save or to be saved, or to assist in the great work of pushing 
to the wall the most giant evil that ever cursed the earth.
   The following platform was agreed upon at their annual 
session in 1859.

   1st--Total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors as a beverage

   2nd-- No license in any form or under any circumstances for the sale 
of such liquors to be used as a beverage.

   3rd -The absolute prohibition of the manufacture, importation and 
sale of intoxicating liquors for such purposes-prohibition by the will 
of the people, expressed in due form of law with the penalties descryed 
for a crime of such enormity.

   4th -The creation of a healthy public opinion upon the subject by active
dissemination of truth in all the modes known to an enlightened philanthropy.

   5th -The election of good, honest men to administer the laws.

   6th -Persistence in efforts to save individuals and communities from 
so direful a scourge against all forms of opposition and difficulty until 
our success is complete and universal.

The PLEDGE
   Good Templars are pledged to total abstinence for LIFE, a feature not in all
pledges asked or required by the numerous temperance organizations. But this feature
has not been suffered to stand un-attacked.
   Oft-repeated petitions have come up from strong and influential Grand Lodges to
make the initiatory pledge only binding while a member. Heated discussions arose at
several of the earlier sessions of this Order in which the whole subject was
elaborately reviewed, but always resulting in the triumphal vindication of the
perpetuity of the pledge as the only basis upon which the Order could safely engage
to carry out their great reform. When told that in various localities they might
secure large and influential acquisitions to their strength by striking from their
pledge the perpetuity feature, they have nobly replied that they could not sacrifice
a cardinal principle for immediate gain or seeming policy.
   Thus stands written upon their colors in golden characters: 'Lifelong is the Good
Templar’s Pledge.'

Late Decisions
   It is a violation of the Pledge for a member to step behind a bar and sell any
kind of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
   Any member of the Order renting his orchard to a man, knowing full well that he
intends to make cider, to be sold or used as a beverage, violates his pledge.
   It is a violation of the pledge for a Good Templar to lease his building for the
sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage whether sold at wholesale or retail.
   Any person working for a distillery whether it be hauling coals to the same or
making gas for the retort in the building cannot become a member or remain in the Order.

BROOKLYN LODGES

Below we give a list of the several lodges in this city, as well as the night and
place of meeting:

Sylvan Spray No. 16-Friday, Halsey’s Buildings; Lodge Deputy, Joseph H. DOWNING
Ridgwood No. 141-Monday, Fourth, corner of South Third; Lodge Deputy, R. F. WILLIAMS
Greenpoint No. 406-Wednesday, Franklin and Kent; Lodge Deputy, Chas. STROUT
Alpha No. 539-Wednesday, Commonwealth Hall; Lodge Deputy, W.H. ROSSELL
Aurora No. 576-Saturday, Franklin and Kent, Lodge Deputy, Stephen H. WESSELS
Evergreen No. 611-Wednesday, East New York; Lodge Deputy, J.M. TAYLOR
Laurel No. 674-Friday, Nostrand near DeKalb, Lodge Deputy Thomas SHIELDS
Friendship Union No. 736-Thursday, 84 South Second street; Lodge Deputy, Lewis H.
VOSGEL
Monitor No. 924-Wednesday, Meserole, corner of Union, Lodge Deputy, Jas. H. WHITEHORN

Arcania No. 934-Tuesday, Fulton avenue, corner of Cumberland; Lodge Deputy, H.C.
SAWTELL
Palladin No. 972-Friday, 84 South Second street, Lodge Deputy, P. Tobias DELANEY
Iona, No. 1000-Friday, Court, corner of Livingston, Lodge Deputy, William McMILLAN
Golden Circle No. 104-Thursday, Meserole, corner of Union. Lodge Deputy, J.N. STERN
Americus No. 120-Friday, 309 Grand Street, Lodge Deputy, Richard KENNEDY
Farragut No 109-Friday, Williamsburgh, Lodge Deputy, Abram K. TAYLOR
Liberty No. 1008-Friday, Third avenue and Eighteenth street.

  The initiation fee varies from $2.00 to $5.00 according to the standing of the
lodge.

Transcriber: Margaret Ransom
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