The Columbian fountain., 1845-12-09
THE FOUNTAIN
TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 9, ls45.

dressed ourselves to those who use as be-
verage intoxicating drinks. We then clas-
sified the different characters that are in
cluded among those who use as beverage;
and, although in the first class we have no
doubt many have remained all their lives,
and there are now those who do not ad-
vance to any higher degree, and who, per-
haps, never did discover any injury to them
selves or others-men of frmness and reso-
lution--men who, from some constitutional
popularity, have not formed an appetite,
and thus have remained sober and temper
ate men, according to their own views and
the views of others-yet these men GER
tainly form an exception to the general rule.
We consider them the most dangerous men
in their example upon the community.
their whole moral department is such as
none can find fault with-always agreeable,
always kind, honest, Industrious, charit-
able, and often religious. Yet we say they
are the most dangerous in their example, be-
cause they are patterns for their fellows:
others, in following their example, are led
TO one point, where they find themselves
unable (by reason Of some constitutional
peculiarly or some peculiar circumstance
to initiate; and failing in this point, they
lose the little balance they had, and thus
become shipwrecked upon the dangerous
sea Of Intemperance, where thousands have
been cast away and lost. 1t is the temper
ate drinker whose example is SO dangerous
This, we think, only needs observation and
reflection with regard to facts coming with
in the reach Of every one. e#
The individual who has made his adj
vance in the course of inebriation will
rather deter men from beginning, if they look
for moment, and consider its influence on
him, they will rather seek to shun than to
initiate such an one. Therefore, we warn
you, temperate drinkers; think Of the pit
into which you are leading many of your
weaker fellow beings. If you be Chris
tians, think Of your Master; think of his
self-denial; try to initiate him. If you be
philanthropists, and go upon the principle
that what you claim Of others you should
seek to bestow on them. If you admire
the character of the apostle Paul, take an
example from him, enforcing what he him.
self taught others in reference to their duty
that none put stumbling block or an ac-
ton to fall in his brothers way. And fol
himself, he said: "If meat make my brother
to offend, | will cat no flesh while the world
standeth, lest / make my brother to offend"
Paul could eat meat without any evil to
himself: SO may you drink wine without
any evil to yourself, apparently, 1--WE are not
quite sure of this, however.) But Paul
would not eat flesh; he would renounce il
for ever sooner than destroy any one !: he
was Teetotaler in principle.
Now, we say, by your example you lead
=
many weak man to 60 astray, and fall into
intemperance, disgrace, sickness, poverty,
crime, and rlin--afflicting others by his
fall. And will you still drink, especially
when, perhaps, if you will try the Total
Abstinence plan, you will at least find your
self no loser; and you may thus be the
means Of saving your fellow men from all
the wo to which intemperance leads. Is
there so much pleasure to be found in any
other consideration as that of being en-
ployed in doing good to our fellow men
while we live3 The reflection will stay
with US here; it will not leave us when we
go hence: it will be with us as star in our
crown Of rejoicing, when we have passed
away.
Although we have made the admission
that some have been, and SO may be safe in
themselves, yet VIC do assert that none can
be certain Of this. We have known many
who stood as firm as you appear to stand,
who had been able for many years to stand
in the very outward circles, and in the first
class, who afterwards acquired the appetite,
and then their progress was swift to the
1oot c1oee And then n how changed -