The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-12-02

\ Dub the uFuukdfus butH Cuuoc WVuiu
be triumphant before to morrow night.
He would not accuse the poor down
troden drunkard of being the greatest
enemy to the well-being Of society,"
but before God and before man. he
would accuse the moderate drinker.
1t was to the moderate drinker, sur,
rounded by wealth, and welding a
powerful influence, many of them
men Of mighty intellects, that the poor
drunkards looked up for examples
that might be safely initiated, but
when they became degraded outcasts,
they were apprised that they had been
the victims Of terrible delusion for
then they looked up to the respectable
moderate drinker, and from him saw
trickhng down to them, the streams
by which they died. 'jtd me3a
There was dilemma that he would
like to offer to the moderate drinker,
one horn or the other of which he
must take, and which one he chose,
was immaterial. Now he could give
up the use Of intoxicating drinks just
as we'll as not, or he could not do it
Just as we'll as not. If he could not
give it up Just as well as not, if he felt
it to be an awful struggle to overcome
his appetite, and abandon his acquired
habit, he would say, let him give it
up for his own sake, for he was in
bondage to a depraved appetite--he
was like Mazeppa. bound to the wild
horse, and knew not where he would
carry him. Let every man give up
the use of intoxicating drinks at once,
who found it difficult to control his
own appetite. If he could give it up
| just as well as not, why should he not
/ do it for the benefit of his fellow-men?
He would ask him why God created
him? Did he create him for his own
individual enjoyment? Did he create
the green earth with all its beauties,
upon which he trod, and all the wink
ling stars in the heavens. and in short
the whole universe, that he mig t
absorb it all to himself? No, he had
a duty to performs m,--he was under OBJ
legations to his Creator, to WELD an
Influence that would be beneficial to
their feIlow-men. He would say to
the moderate drinker, if you can give
up the use Of Intoxicating drinks as
we'll as not, why d. you not do it?
Suppose that in advanced life, he
looked back upon his early career, and
now that he had used his influence in
favor Of intemperance, and refused 10
give up the practice of occasionally
taking social glass, or saw that he
had yielded to the dictates of con-
science and philanthropy, and said l
give it up because | think my inf
will lead others into the right path /;
which would he like to remember !!
Every one must have b en- fully aware
that to drink at all, not only endan-
| gered himself, but hadsa tendency to
bring misery and degradation upon
countless numbers of other human
beings, the evil influence Of which
would extend to posterity and that
the extent Of the injury thus done to
the human race could not be enumer-
ated by figures and how could any
man, who was thus conscious Of the
great responsibility resting upon him,
refuse to throw his influence in favor
of temperance, and on the side of mo-
rality and virtue. =,
Well then, it seemed to him thus
far, that there was no great fanaticism,
in the doc .rine of total abstinence.
But it was very hard to convert men
to the doctrine, and therefore a good
many of the temperance rerormers
were in favor of a prohibitory law,
which would stop entirely the use Of
intoxicating drinks, And Why should
we not have such a law2 Laws were