Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-11-03

that unless | receive more than hu-
man strength, | viii inevitably fall"
"And so you will" was the SOL
emily spoken reply.
Merrill why do you speak so I"
Simpson said quickly. "You will
drive me at once TO destruction. !
want encouragement, not prophecy
of ruin. You saved me once--can-
not you do so again Z"
"Do you remember what was
said to you, on the night you signed
the pledge, by our president ~ asked
Merrill.
"No. What was il :"
"Look up and be strong! They
that are for you are more than all
who are against you"
al had forgotten"
You have not looked up, then Z"
" How up? | don't understand
you"
cup TO him who can alone give
power to every good resolution. If
you have been striving in your own
strength, no wonder that you are on
the eve Of falling. External excite
ments and reasons of various kinds
may restrain reformed man for a
time, but, until he places his cause
in the hands of the All-Powerful, he
is in imminent danger"
But how shall do this am
not a religious man."
" Why have you rcfrained from
drinking I"
Because it is debasing vice a
vice that, if INDUCED, will beggar my
family, as it has once already done"
You must abstain from a higher
motive"
"Can there be a higher one p
ayes. To refrain from doing an
evil act, because it is sin against
God. in much higher motive, and
one that will give striving spirit
power over all its enemies. You ac-
knowledge God, and that he is ever
present; and a rewarder of them tina,
diligently seek him :"
"Oh yes! SO the Bible tells us. I"
at is all true. Whatever power
we have to oppose evil, is from Him.
If we look TO ourselves, and upon the
little strength we possess as our own,
we shall too soon find that we are
weakness itself But if we strive to
act in all things from religious prin-
ciple--and fear TO sin against him,
we shall receive all the strength we
need, no matter how deeply we may
be tempted. From this hour, then,
my friend, resolve 10 put your trust
in Him who carcih for you. After
all, this is the reformed man. only
hope. The pledge is a mere exter-
nal, temporary safeguard, that must
be superseded by deeply-grounded
religious principle, or he will be every
hour in danger of falling. We must
be supported from the center and not
from the circumference. The pledge |
is hoop, that is liable to break but
obedience TO God is strong altrac-
ton at the center, holding in perpet-
ual consistence all things that are
arranged in just order around it.
Will you not then look up ?"
81 feel that it is my only hopc.'
"Take my solemn assurance that
it is. Go home, and carry with you
this truth-tbat if you will try to act
from the higher motive | have given
you, all will he right"
1t was perhaps half an hour from
the time that Simpson left his house,
that he re-entered it, His wife look
ed up with some concern in her face
as he came in. But first glance
dispelled the fears that had stolen
over her spirit. Before going to bed
that night, Simpson got the family
Bible, and read a chapter aloud. In
doing SO, he felt sweet tranquility
pervade his mind, such as he had
not experienced for long time. On
the next day he tried to elevate his
thoughts TO the power above, in
which he wished Ia put his trust.
He found il much easier TO do so
than he had expected. Ii was not
long before, in addition to the read
ing oil a chapter in the evening, be-
fore retiring, brief prayer was said.
From that time deep religious SEN
timent took possession OF the mind
Of Simpson. Light broke in upon
him. He saw clearer the path be-
fore him, the dangers tina, surrounded
him, and the way TO escape. Some
years have passed, and he is still a
sober man. lie does not think Of
bis pledge, nor Of the degradation Of
drunkenness as u reason for absti-
hence: but deems it n sin against
God to touch, TO taste, TO handle that
which would unfit him for those du-
ties in life which, as a man, he is
Bound TO perform.
Let every reformed man look up
to the same all-sustaining source, and
he is safe from all danger.