Sons of Temperance
A REGULAR meeting of Lansingburgh Division No. 79, Sons of Temperance, is held at their Room every Thursday evening at 7 o’clock. The members of the Order are requested to attend.
By order of the P. W. P.
L. H. SWIM, R. S.
Lansingburgh, February 14, 1846.
Lansingburgh Democrat. February 28, 1846: 2 col 5.
THE SECRET OUT!—It has become pretty well known by most of the wives of members of this order, and by the opposers of secret societies generally, that a sort of artificial “goat,” is used in the ceremony of initiation. But all the particulars about the animal, how it is made, and in what manner used, have not so fully transpired, and these questions continue to excite the curiosity of the uninitiated. Now the whole secret is contained in a very few words and ought to be known by every body. So here it goes as we received it: The goat is made something after the fashion of the rocking horses which we sometimes see in front of a saddler’s shop as [lines lost in fold of newspaper that was microfilmed and scanned] is attached four small wheels. On the back of this goat is a cavity sufficient to admit a cake of ice about eight inches in diameter, upon which the candidate is made to sit astride; in each hand is placed a whip, and he is told to ‘lay on’ and make the goat go. He is then drawn three times round the room blind-folded, and sitting on his cake of ice, up to the chair of the ‘Worthy Patriarch,’ when the cap or blinder is removed from his eyes. The W. P. says to him. “You are now fully initiated into the mysteries of this honorable order, and are entitled to all its privileges.” He then instructs him in the signs of pass words, (which will be published hereafter,) concluded by a short address or charge, in which the newly made member is enjoined never again to drink anything but cold water!
Lansingburgh Democrat. March 21, 1846: 2 col 3.
☞ The Celebration of the Sons of Temperance on Thursday evening was truly a splendid affair, and reflected great credit upon the managers who got it up.
Lansingburgh Democrat. February 19, 1847: 2 col 5.
Sometime between 1845 and 1850, a group known as the Knights of Jericho was founded at Lansingburgh, New York, as an adjunct to the Sons of Temperance. The new organization was designed to attract young people who were too young to become regular members of the Sons but too old to be in any way interested in the Sons’ juvenile auxiliary, the Cadets of Temperance. Like the Cadets, the new society admitted both females and males. Unlike the Sons, its oath or obligation included, in addition to the absolute abstinence pledge, a promise to “use all honorable means to prevent their [alcoholic beverages’] manufacture or use or the traffic therein.”
Whitaker, Francis Myron. A History of the Ohio Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, 1874-1920. 1971. Ohio State University, PhD dissertation. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=osu1486721557802612&disposition=inline
There are two Temperance organizations in this village, at the present time.—the Sons of Temperance; and the Knights of Jericho. The former has existed for several years—the latter is of recent origin here, altho’ it has existed in other places for some time. The Knights admits ladies to membership and in this they differ from any other Secret organization, with which we are acquainted. Daniel Cady, Esq., of this village is entitled to the credit of originating this order, and is now the Most Grand Worthy Chief, of the Grand Lodge of the United States.
Lansingburgh Democrat. September 22, 1853: 3 col 4.
☞ LANSINGBURGH.—At the regular meeting of the Sons of Temperance, on Monday evening, officer Cady presented a bible to the order. It was received by Chaplain Bounds, who responded.
Troy Daily Times. June 13, 1866: 3 col 5.
☞ TEMPERANCE.—Wm. A. Alexander of Lansingburgh, will address a public meeting of the Sons of Temperance to be held in the Methodist church at Crescent on Monday evening next, and on Tuesday evening will speak in the public hall on Green Island.
Troy Daily Times. March 23, 1867: 3 col 4.