It stood high on the rungs of the social ladder and pulled and pushed men from it by thousands to wretchedness and ruin.

So flagrant and universal was the drinking customs of Boston then that dealers offered on the commons during holidays, without let or hindrance, the drunkard's glass to the crowds thronging by extemporized booths and bars.

Shocking as was the excesses of this period "nothing comparatively was heard on the subject of intemperance--it was seldom a theme for the essayist--the newspapers scarcely acknowledged its existence, excepting occasionally in connection with some catastrophes or crimes--the Christian and patriot, while they perceived its ravages, formed no plans for its overthrow--and it did not occur to any that a paper devoted mainly to its suppression, might be made a direct and successful engine in the great work of reform.

Private expostulations and individual confessions were indeed sometimes made; but no systematic efforts were adopted to give precision to the views or a bias to the sentiments of the people." Such was the state of public morals and the state of public sentiment up to the year 1826, when there occurred a change.

This change was brought about chiefly through the instrumentality of a Baptist city missionary, the Rev.William Collier.