Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-01-08


virtue and honor into that Of infamy and
ruin. The old man tottering on the
brink of the grave ieli its fatal influence.
The lady in her parlor, the christian in
his closet, and even the ambassador for
Christ were guilty of the sin Ut thinking
n little distilled liquor. But this dread
ful curse, while DESTROYING lis millions,
la, coucealcd under that fearful delu-
sion, "a Hnle wiH do no harm" The
eve of man saw not lis evil. Like the
painted hypociite under the guise Of
friendship, il crushed to death its delu-
ded victim. v hllc Uncle Bony's wild
owed mother lived, none thought that
moderate drinking was n monster demon
wearing an angels dress. 1t was re-
ceived by all, caressed by all, embraced
as n friend by all. No one suspected
that death lay coilcd, serpent-like, at the
bottom of every cup. The widow did
not therefore warn her son to beware OF
this deadly evil, which was then, under
the mask Of friendship, comprising the
length and breadth of the land. Its hor-
rid nature had not then been ascertain
ed; none had discovered, few imagined,
that its embrace was almost certain de-
struction to every thing noble in man.
| Uncle Bony drank little occasional
ly with respectable men. On his own.
mothers hospitable board, the bottle was
always found her example taught him
to present it as rite of hospitality. Her
example was sacred to him and he fol-
lowed it; he drank with his friends, and
they with him E; he soon learned TO love
the cursed, poisoned cup; he longed for
the exciting draught; his closet was for
sakcn; his wife wept in secret; she fear
cd that her husband who had solemnly
vowed to love and protect her, would be-
come IA drunkard. lie drank deeper,
and his family altar was thrown down.
Il He continued To increase the size and
frequency of his draughts. Ills wife,
in the language of love, ventured to re-
| monsrate with him. He was enraged.
! He knew his own business, he said
! He drank but n little as others did. Re-
/ spectacle men began to avoid him. lie
drank deeper and deeper. Now his seat
, in the sanctuary was often vacant He,
on that holy day set apart for Gods wor-
ship, found his way to the dram shop
/ Its keeper in violation of the law both
human and divine, sold him rum on the
! sabbath. At length he became intoxI-
! Gated. He sunk lower in society, and
at last associated with the very drrgs OF
: the human race. Again and again, he
drank to excess; he used prolane Ian
! guage; he was suspended from church
1 privileges he became degraded
! wretch, mere pest in society.
u His wife was pining away in silent
f hopeless, hcart-rerding sorrow. Hi'
friends were ashamed of him. lie dis
graccd his kindred lis children {
0 his poor children We all know wha
, are the prospects Of drunkard's chill
= drcn. Years rolled round, and he wa
still drunkard. Christians prayed fo
: him, and he was still a drunkard. Hi
4 wife wept, and sighed, and prayed, ant
= pointed to bis children, and he seized th'
b maddening bowl. His minister admon
= ished, entreatcd, persuaded him to for
$ sake the intoxicating cup, but all II
d vain; he was drunkard still. Th'
: prayers and tears, and admonilions o
j his mother, We're called to his remcm
e brance; and he drank the cup of death
h He even referred to his mothers exam
Y pie to Justify him in drinking a little
: This he iancied he was doing, while h.
n was rushing on in the drun.ard's filthy
y low, wrctched course, regardless ahk
u of the laws Of God and man. Cncl
hn ,
:. ruin. In this world it leads through tn
= valles Of sin, disgrace, poverty, con
d tempt, crime, misery and punishment;-
d and in the world to come, it leaves th
c drunkard beyond the reach of mercy
a Such was Uncle Bony's case. VIII
d could hope for his reformation He fe
G armed on every side against the shaft
c oltruth. In his own estimation, he wn
!, "bullet proof" and therefore he ventul
5. cd to attend a temperance meeting. ii
IS entered the place where the iettel
e which bind the drinking man, are knock
sr ed otf. Here the root of the evil wa
= assailed. The mischief of moderat
W drinking was held up to view in all il
Of naked deiormity. The base immoralit
$ of the practice was unveiled. The 81
I'd Of 1t was described. "Thcre is on
D. crime," said Uncle Bony to himself
lie "against which my mother did not war
le me-" The speaker went on. lie pre-
r we'd, he demonstrated that drinking Ii
n tie was the cause, the origin, the four
0, tain head Of all drunk kcnncss; that it
:e the source of disease, poverty, disgrac,
misery, crime and death that it is tt
le grand "stumbling- block in the way of
he Gods "people;" that it j. pouring o,
is upon our country, upon the world an o.