The Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.T. [i.e. N.M.]) 1851-1854, 1852-12-18

now came o.er me. | felt that | had
no business with this book; bn, tried
to stiar my f.e ings and turned over Sc
veral leaves quickly. As | suffered my
eyes to rest upon the open page, these
words arrested my attention
Wine is mocker, strong drink is Ia
ging; whose is deceived thereby is not
wise.'
'rhis was just the subject that, under
the feelings | then had, ! wished TO
avoid, and so | referred To anotherpIace.
There read:
who hath woe? Who hath sorrow ?
Who hath wounds? Who bath bah
bling? Who hath redness of eyes ?,
they that tarr, long at the vine At
last it bitrlh Ike srrpen' and S'iugelh
like an adder
Il felt like throwing the book from me;
but once more tuiutd the leaves, and
my eyes rested upon these words;
Woe unto hin that glvtlI his neigh
Dor drink; that pntlclh the bottle to him
and makrtI hin drunk
lclosed the box suddenly, and lhr, "
II down. 1hen for half an hour paced
the room backwards and lorvm aids N il
state Of mind never before experienced
! had becomr painfully conscious of the
direlnle. lis resulting from nlemptrancr,
sill more painfully cpnscinns, that was
a wiling ins,rumrn, in the spread Of
lIcs" evils. cannot tell how much |
'nff' red during that dag and night. no,
describe the fearful conflict that took
place in my mind, between the selfish
love of The gain Of calling, and the rlan
dictates of Truth and humanity. 1t was
about nine O'Clock, ! think, on tie same
evening, that ! opened the drunk ards
Bible again, with a kind Of dcspaling
hope that should meet there with some.
thing to direct ne
opened at the Psam and read two
or three chapters. As | read on with.
ont finding anything directly to my case,
] Irlt an incrt tasing desire 10 abandon
my calling because II was injurious to
my fellow men. After ! had read the
Bible, retired to he'd, bnt could not
sleep | am sure tina, during that night
thought of every drunk, n mauto whom
! bad sold liquor, and Of all iIeiI beg
CARED families, In the brief sleep that
| obtained, | dreamed that saw IA long
line of totltring drunkards with their
wives and children rags And aloud
voice said: 'Who hath done this?'
''The answer, in a still louder voice,
directed, | felt, to me, smote upon my
ear like peal of thunder Thou art
the mann
From this troubled Slumbel | awokp
10 sleep no more that night. ln'he moi
ming the last and most powerful conflict
came. The question to be decided, was
-"Shall own my bar, or at once aban.
don the dreadful trafcn liquid poison?'
Happily decided never again to put
to any mans lips the cup of confusion.
'iy next step was to turn the Spegoi oI
every krg or barrel of spirits, wine beer
or cider, and let the contents escape on
the hooi My bottles aud drcanlels
were likewise emp'icd. Then | signed
yonr Total Abstinence Pledge and what
is better, never rested until ! hid per-
Suadrd the man whuse Bible had been
oI so much use to me, TO sIgnth' piedg,
likewise
AND now, MIR President, | am he, y
ing temperance g'ecey and an ma
king restitution as fast MS possible. -
lr,r are at least half donrn iaAu!its,
10 whom | furnish small quanli'y oI
groceries every week, in many place,
equal to the amount ,hatuSrd To be spent
a, my baI for hquor. Four of my oldest
and best customers have already signed
the pledge BY ny persuasion, and rn
not goinglo rest until every man rIp-
ed 10 ruin is restored 10 himself, his fa-
mily, and honor.