The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-12-06

ed my mind-and then with no pleasant
feelings | turned over the next leaf. There
was record of the birth of four children
the last had been made recently, and wa:
in the mothers hand.
81 never had such strange feeling a:
now came over me. felt that l had nc
business with this book. But tried to stife
my feelings, and l turned over several
leaves quickly. | suffered my eyes to rest
upon an open page these words arrested
my attention:
Swine is mocker,s strong drink is ragingi
whose is deceived thereby is not wise.'
"This was Just the subject that under the
feelings then had, wished to avoid, and
so | referred TO another place. There l
read
"'Who hath Woe? Who hath sorrow
Who hath wounds Who hath redness of
eyes? They that tarry long at the wine.
At last it biteth like serpent, it stingeth
like an adder
81 felt like throwing the book from me.
But once more turned the leaves, and my
eyes rested upon these words:
"sWoe unto him who giveth his neigh
Dor drink that puttest the bottle to him and
makest him drunken
81 closed the book suddenly, and then
threw it down. Then for half an hour
paced the room backwards and forwards in
a state Of mind such as | never before expe-
rienced. had become painfully conscious
of the direful evils resulting from intemper-
ance, and still more painfully conscious,
that had been willing instrument in the
spread of these evils. cannot tell how
much | suffered during that day and night,
nor describe the fearful conflict that took
place in my mind, between the selfish love
of the gains of my calling, and the plain
dictates of truth and humanity. 1t was
about o'clock, | think. on that evening,
that opened the drunkard's Bible again,
with kind of despalrng hope that might
find something to direct me. | opened at
the Pslams and read two or three chapters.
! As read on. without finding anything that
seemed TO apply directly 10 my case, felt
an increasing desire TO abandon my calling
because it was injurious TO my fellow men.
After | had read the Bible, | retired to my
bed but could not sleep. | am sure that
during that night thought of every drunk
en- man to whom had sold liquor, and TO
all their beggered families In the brief
sleep that obtained, | dreamed that | saw
a long lot of tottering drunkards, with their
wives and children in rags. And loud
voice said "who hath done this 2"
sThe answer, in a still louder voice, d.
rected, felt, TO me, smote upon my ear
like peal of thunder
"Thou art the man !"
FROM this troubled slumber awoke to
sleep no more that night. In the morning
the last and most powerful conflict came.
The question to be decided, was
Shall open my tavern, or at once a.
bandon the dreadful traffic in liquid poisonl'
"Happiy decided never 10 put to any
mans lips the cup of confusion. My next
step was to turn the spigot of every keg, Of
every barrel of spirits, wine, beer or cider,
and let the contents escape on the floor
My bottles and dccanters were likewise
emptied. Then came and signed your
total abstinence pledge, and what is better,
never rested until had persuaded the man
whose Bible had been of so much use to me
to sign the pledge likewise. And now, DIR
President, l an keeping at my old stand, a
Temperate Grocery, and am making resti-
tuition as fast as possible. There are at
least half a dozen families that my tavern
helped to make poor and wretched.to whom
| furnish small quantity of groceries eve
~ week, in many cases equal to the amount
that used to be spent at my bar, for liquor.
Four of my oldest and best customers have
already signed the pledge to my persuasion,
and am not going TO rest until every man
that helped to ruin, is restored to himself,
his family and society,""
A round of hearty applause followed his
address, and than another of the reformed
drinkers took the floor.