The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-28
From the Springfield Gazette.
TEMpER NOE

duty, that could no more sell spirit, as al
! article OF common use, than | could sell ;
man dose of arsenic, which knew ht
: wanted to put an end to his existence.
, there would be guilt attached TO the latter
aci, there would be also to the former
both tend to destroy life, though in the one
case It's victims might not be hurried so rap.
nay TO the grave, as in the others some Of
the many reasons, which have presented
themselves to my. mind. why any person
ought to abandon the traffic in ardent spirits
are the following:
In the first place ardent spirits may be
said to be useless They do no man in
health any good. Had made this asser.
ton half dozen years ago, might have
been thought even by many of the wise and
good, as bereft of my reason. But now the
assertion can he supported by a host oe
stubborn facts. Thousands and tens of
thousands have declared as the result of
their own experience. that strong drink is
useless, altogether so for persons in health ;
and this declaration is made, it should be
remembered, not by professional men alone.
who 1t has been said do not so much need
the stimulus, bat it is made also by indiyid-
ials in all the laborious and exposed en-
Payments of life; men who work in furna-
ces,-who build mill dans,-who gather
the haiVests OF summer, and who face the
winds and the storms of winter, have SOL
EMMY declared to us, that from actual ex-
pertinent they do know that strong drink is
useless-that 1t does no healthy man the
least good whatever.
| Now then the man who sells spirit, is dis
posing of that which is of no benefit 10 man
Kind. lie IS making it his business to i'm
pose that upon others, and is taking money
for it, when in fact those who receive it, re-
ceye that which is of no value. But can q
man follow such an employment, and be in
nocent? Can he thus deal with his neighbor
and have clear conscience? Can he con-
tlnue to do it with the light now shed on
this subject, and find acceptance with this
righteous Judge? These are questions
that concern those who are still carrying on
this useless business.
But in the second place, this traffic is
something more than useless-it is hurtful.
1t not only does no good, but it is connected
with an untold amount of evil. If the
strong drink disposed of was simply useless.
the guilt of the traffic would he lessened
hut it is to be remembered, that without
any figure it may be said strong drink kills
thority of the ablest physicians in our coun
try. They have declared and have published
the declaration to the world, that spirits in
any quantity fer persons in health, are high
iy injurious; that they are the origin Of a
multitude of diseases, and that they predis-
pose the system to the influence of most
others. Nov what SHOULD! we think of the
man, who kept fevers, and pleurisies, and
| palsies to sell, because foisooth the neeple
were disposed to buy them, and he could
thus make little money. But this the
man is doing. who trafiics in strong drink.
he is sending disease through the commu-
nifty. He communicates to the families
around aim liver complaints, fevers, the
dropsy, the govt, fits, dellrium tremens, and
the like. But can one thus send out dis
ease, sickness and death in all its horrid
shapes, into the community and be without
guilt? Let those who are engaged in the
traffic of strcng drink look at the subject in
this light. 1t is in vain 10 turn away from
the work of death, which they are accom-
plishing. 1t exists, and they cannot but
know it. Can they then 60 on in this bust
ness, and be without sin? No, surely they
cannot Let them then abandon this work
at once. Let them not stop to count up
their dollars and cents, that will be lost by
it; hut if their business is thus destructive
ts the health and life of their fellow men,
give it up and that it is thus destructive, is
certain. Can a man then continue it, and
wash his hands in innocence?
But have another reason TO offer why
this traffic should be abandoned. And it is
this, no man can continue it, and plead
sense Of duty. No one will dare say that
God requires him to spend his days in sell
ling this poison to his fellow men. He who
is thus carrying disease and death into the
families around HIM, will not assert that it
is the will of heaven he should follow bus-
ness that is connected with such eonse-
quences? No one neither traffcs in this
article from pure benevolence. He cannot
say, he sends ont, from his store, or bar
room, strong drink for the same reason, that
he would visit his neighhor and pray with
him if he were sick, or for the same reason
that he would give him food, if he were
pershing from hunger. 1t is certain thai
: such men cannot plead justification o
their business on the ground Of its benevo
s !ence and it is certain, also, that they can
!, not keep themselves in counienance here
by any command of the mercifu Cod
/. And 1t is not duty but lore Of money, it i
i. believed, that is carrying on this dreadfil
Il traffic. Let it cease then. Let every indi
e yidual fly from it, as he would from thu
q curse of heaven. Turn away the contents
u of your decanters; roll out Of your store
your barrels and hogsheads of the liquit
fire. Hesitate not; it is a glorious work
Posterity will rise up and call you blessed
But if you will not hereafter abandon THU
business. yon are sure to lose the conf
' dence of the respectable portion of the com
munty,-you will carry in you. bosom .
: guilty conscience,--and at the day of dreac
, decision, it will he found, that if the drunk
I ard cannot enter heaven, neither can ht
who made him such.
[ Burns was standing one day upon the quay
at Greenock, when wealthy merchant, be
, longing 10 the town, had the misfortune to fall
/ into the river He was no swimmer, nnd his
death would have been inevitable, had not a
I sailor who happened TO be passing at the time,
plunged in at the risk of his own life, and res.
cued him from his dangerous situation. The
. Greenock merchant, npon recovering little
q from his fright, put his hand into his pocket
and generously presented the sailor with shil
1 ling. The crowd, who were by this time col
, lecied, loudly protested against the contempt
BILE insignificance Of the sum and Burns, will
smile of ineifabe scorn, ontreated them I,
: restrain their clamor, for, said he, the gentle
: man is, of course, the best judge of the valu
Of his own life
n ut T. 4 -. -