New-York daily tribune., 1846-12-30
aur Ne,s.Yenr,n Sermon.


spouse.
Our New-Yenr's Sermon.
That being gifted with reason. intellect, con-
science should be led to degrade himself below
the level of brute nature by nsatiate thirst for
Intoxicating Liquors is mourniul, amazing but
who can say il evinces deliberate moral dcpravity?
True the knowledge that kindred, friends, perhaps
wife and children will be stung TO the soul by his
degradation and ruin ought to keep any man from
drinking-ought to impel him to look ON even the
frst glass with alarm and adherence. But the
moderate drinker-he who has just started on the
down.hill road and whose progress is yet smooth
and easy-wl not believe the peril ahead Sc
rious or trusts to his irmness and self command
for its avoidance The stage of temperate drinking
passed-the social dinner and sparkling champagne
succeeded by the evening toddy and the morning
d-am-the victim still fotters himself that he shall
stop short of actual drunkenness-at least that he
will never become hatdtaal drunkard. Yet one
by one the barriers are gradually broken down
the consciousness Of the nights debauch followed
by the morning headache is drowned IN the ob.
livous bowl-the wife mothers tears no longer
harrow up the heart but are brayed with irowns
or curses-and the accomplished graduate at the
dining table the evening party, the social barroom
and the solitary tpple, sinks at last into the gutter
and dies shame md burthen to all who love him
an object OF disgust even to himself IN his less be-
clouded moments and nuisance IN the sight Of
God and man which the earth hastsns TO bury ont
of sight,
If the truth were only known with regard TO the
ravages of mtemperance--it 1t We're customary,
instead OF Disgusting the fact by the terms Consump
tion, Dropsy, Apoplexy. Inflammation, &c.-to say
Died, last night, Mr. -. from tho effects of
drunken excess or q OF ten years moderate and
two years imnT1deratc drinking or " of disease
brought on by the use Of intoxicating liquors. We
might hope that adequate attention would be
drawn to this subject. But most of the young be-
gin their career utterly unconscious that very large
proportion OF all who die hurried to their graves
by Intoxicating Liquors. sometimes combined with
excess in Eating also and that the earth is thicby
oyerspread with diseases and woes having the same
prolific and fearful origin What shall be done =
Must we see our fellow men marching forward day
by day to the unsupported abyss yet be restrained
by sleek Propriety and polished Courtesy from ex
posing the reality and imminence of the danger?
Ought there not to be some specific exhibition
by facts and figures, OF the reality and extent Of
the general danger
For the victim .: Appetite, Heaven help INN :
de often knows all that We can say of the nature
and consequences of his debasinc indulgence; but
what can he dot An internal fire consumes him
hundred addcrs gnawing at his vitals and
will desist FOR few moments only condition that
he swallows another glass. He knows SO long as
NJ knows anything, that they will turn upon him
with increased fury whenever they shall have
Sorged the new bait but he Dsnst have present re.
lief at all hazards, and feels that he can hardly be
made worse than he is. So lonS as the poison is
sttainabe he will clutch and swallow it. though he
knows it is DESTROYING him.
But what shall we think OF him who laborinc
under no such fierce goadinss Of depraved appe-
tite, deliberately devotcs his bost energies TO the
manufacture or dispensation Of .a dc sdiiest enemy
Q; sac Human Rsce-who makes the creating
feeding, inaemins OF this dreadful propensity to
drink the chief business OF his hte the means Of
his subsistence and the source of his wealth and
en1oyments Can language adequately portray
the aorrors OF this manufacture and traffic il
the distier or hquordealer could see the long pro
cession OF his victims stalk by in grim array each
locking him sadly searchinsly in the face he would
he mast abandon forever business so horribly les.
oIasing For they are men as We are. and could
not persist in 6llins the land with psuperism Dis
ease, Strife, Agony and Murder # they but realized
how much of all the evil and woe in the land
would disappear forever ii an end were put to the
use of Intoxicstins Liquors, We know there are
some who feel and say, that their rule is to Look
out for Number One and that others must take
care Of themselves or meet the consequences-
Alas the consequences are not confined 70 those
who refuse TO take care OF themselves; but wives.
children friends are involved in the. general devss
sasion-And nineIenths OF these who make and
sell liquors have moro adequate conception OF
the evil and wrong they are doing than had those
who hssed out slave ships and privateers Century
ago They need 10 be appealed TO- reasoned with
eonatralxed by public sentiment and public stat,
ates until the depth OF the niquity shall be made
manifest even 10 the most stohd or stubborn, and
none shall have the Laws countensnee as an ex.
cnse for their guilt Say no. ha, the aemonstrs.
ton is already complete, must ,e rspss,As s,a
varied and made moro cosen., until none ,hsn h.
sble to withstand it,
But if the sale OF Liquor for prof, to those u,
whose welfare we feel special nseres, i, dread.
full wha, shall we say ofshe practice Of Offering IL,
pressing it upen oar friends and relatives or oces,
sions Of fessivity and social enjoyment like New.
Years Day When the young the thoushtless,
the gay, are passing fcom ireside 70 res;ds unsus