Others will grasp eagerly every new thing which makes a pretense of temperance, having every other interest swallowed up in this one point; the prosperity and peculiar, holy character of our faith is ignored, the parties upon temperance are embraced, and an alliance formed between God’s commandment-keeping people and all classes of persons. Dangers beset the faith of every soul who is not closely connected with God.—Letter 1, 1882. (Te 218.1) MC VC

Lessons From a Detrimental Union With a Superficial Group—Temperance societies, and clubs have been formed among those who make no profession of the truth. [Note: In the latter half of the nineteenth century a number of popular temperance organizations were formed with large memberships. These were relatively short-lived and are not known today by the general public.—Compilers.] ... I was shown that the condition of the church at ----- was peculiar. Many who, had they given as much zeal, and manifested as much missionary spirit in the work of reform among us as a people as they have given to the Red-Ribbon Club, their course would have been sanctioned by God. But the different organizations upon temperance are very limited in their ideas of reform. (Te 218.2) MC VC

Those who give so great influence to the agitation of this question and at the same time are devotees of tobacco, drink tea and coffee, and indulge in health-destroying food at their tables, are not temperance people. They make weak and spasmodic movements, full of zeal and excitement, but they do not go to the bottom of true reform, and in a short time will show flagging interest, and a returning of many to their old wicked indulgences, because they merely picked off the leaves of the tree instead of laying the ax at its root. This matter of temperance must go to the root of the evil or it will be of but little avail. (Te 218.3) MC VC

Our Influence Must Be With Loyal and True—While our people mingle with the class who are enemies of Christ and the truth, they neither gain nor give strength.... We must not be exclusive as a people; our light is diffusive, constantly seeking to save the perishing. But while we are doing this our strength of influence must ever be found with the loyal and true.... (Te 219.1) MC VC

God’s House Desecrated—The house dedicated to the worship of God is not the place to bring in the class that come into the house of God, and defile the temple of God with their intemperance in the use of tobacco while they profess to be temperance advocates. The coarse speeches, the noisy talk and actions, are not a credit to these brethren.... (Te 219.2) MC VC

It is impossible for our people to harmonize with any party or temperance club, when our faith is so dissimilar.... (Te 219.3) MC VC

Our unbelieving friends have stood exulting while they see the dissension in the church that has grown out of our people uniting with the Red-Ribbon Club. They have had no sympathy for us as a people upon the subject of temperance. They are far behind, and have ridiculed our people as fanatics upon health. They are willing now to be favored, and receive the strength of our influence while they come no nearer in sympathy to our faith; when if the matter had been managed discreetly it might have had that influence upon some to change their opinion of our faith. (Te 219.4) MC VC

If the temperance club had been left to stand on its own ground, we, as a people, standing upon our advanced ground, keeping respectively the high standard God has given us to meet as necessary to our position and faith, there would have been a much more healthy influence existing upon the temperance question in the church than now is revealed.—Letter 1, 1882. (Te 219.5) MC VC