The Columbian fountain., 1846-02-04
THE COLUMBIAN FOUNTAIN,
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEB. 4, 1916.
THREE REASONS FOR SIGNING THE
PLEDGE.


lst. BY signing, you can more easily resist
temptation Agreeably to your own defni-
ton, you are temperate man now, or, IN
other words, you have not acquired a fond
ness for strong drink, and rarely take glass
therefore you have no fear of ever becoming
drunkard. But you are sociable, and Ia the
liability of that virtue TO be perverted, your
danger consists. No one could induce you, by
force of argument or persuasion, to become
drunkard; you would spurn the arguments
and those who offer them. But, like all men,
you have vulnerable point Your heart IS
too generous TO be unfriendy. You feel i
duty 10 contribute to the happiness OF every
circle to which you are introduced. You meet
with friends on festive occasions. The wine
glass is circulated--it would be unsociable,
you erringly judge, to decline, and you drink.
That glass may prove your ruin. No man be-
comes drunkard at once. Every unfortun-
ate inebriate traces his fall to thoughtless ac-
ton, or a habit contracted, when he did not SO
much as dream Of what would be its sad re-
suit. Sign the Pledge, and you save your
self, without incurring the charge Of inciyilhy.
No gentleman or lady will tempt you 10 for
felt your honor, when they learn that your
name is appended to that instrument This
fact is illustrated by an incident in the life OF
Mr.. Marshall, formerly representative from
Kentucky. Soon after Mr.. nj. signed the
dro no vxyoc INV ~
dent. He accepted the invitation, and, among
other agreeable things, found his seat in close
proximity with two agreeable ladies. Wine
being introduced, he was challenged 10 drink
by both ladies at the same time Mr.. M. was
sadly embarrassei-to decline would destroy
his pretensions to gallanry--to comply, would
be TO forfeit his word as a man. Acting, how
ever, on the maxim that honesty is the best
policy" he said: /" Ladies, Pm cold water
boy" The ladies apologized, and Mr. NJ.
was relieved.
I'd. By signing the Pledge you strengthen
those who have signed, and give impetus to
the cause. Men are social beings. and, there
fore, never satisfied TO engage in any enter
prise alone. The general tendency is to fol-
low the multitude, whether il be for good or
evil Let those who have signed the Pledge
see their friends rally around them, and the
encouragement will confirm their adherence to
the cause. In proportion as Total Abstinence.
becomes honorable and popular, drunkenness,
or even moderate drinking, becomes disgrace
full. The ship of Intemperance is leaky al
ready Let us lend our breath to swell the
gale Of popular condemnation, and soon will
we have the satisfaction of seeing her go down
to rise no more. But haze no influence ~
Yes you have, my friend. No man or wo-
man is without it. Be it small, it is better to
contribute than to withhold even a mite from
a good cause. A single thread will not hold
ship; but collection OF them forms cable
sufficiently strong for the purpose. What if
every little rain-drop would say, !" II is no use
for me to fall on the earth l would soon be
swallowed up, or drawn back to the clouds by
the attraction Of the sum-" and, acting on that
principle, stay. up in mid-ar2 The earth
would never be refreshed with fruitful show
ers. If every little rill should withhold its
waters because they are comparatively insg-
nifcant, no steamboats, would glide along our
rivers, and no ocean palaces would steer their
way along the mighty deep. Though you do
not drink, by signing you may induce some
one that does, 10 sign also: he may influence a
third person; and SO on, until an incaIculable
amount Of good is DONE
Sd. BY signing you help to remove one of
the most formidable obstacles the cause Of
temperance has to encouner-I mean the pre-
valence of groggeries. 1t is vain 10 expect a
thorough reformation while these establish
ments exist. Many inebriates would be sober
men, were they out ofthe reach Of temptation
but drunkenness has become disease with
them, and they cannot resist the cravings of a
morbid appetite when liquor is exposed 10 their
view. BY uniting with the friends OF Total
Abstinence, you assist in bringing the rum.
seller to reflection. When the array of the alb
stinence army becomes mighty, he will per-
ceive that the business is wrong, and give il
up. The nod@ operandi is this. His gains
diminish as Total Abstinence prevails, he looks