Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-05-11

felt il then. and much good it did
him, strengthening his good intent. A
positive flood Of light poured in thro'
u pane of glass. which had been clean
ed the previous morning. and played
upon the cover Of the poor Drunkard's s
Bible. Mathew bent his knees to the
ground, his heart full Of emotion-the
emotions Of his early and better ma
ture-and he bowed his head upon
his hands. and prayed in honest re.
solve, and earnest zeal. The burden
Of that prayer, which escaped from
between his lips. in murmurs sweet as
the murmurs of living waters, WAS
that God would havo mercy upon him,
and keep him in the right path. and,
make him. unworthy as he was. the
means OF grace TO other--to be Gods
instrument for good to his fellow crea-
lures; to minister to the prosperity.
the regeneration Of his own kind
Oh, IL God would but mend the bro
ken vessel. II he would but heal the
bruised reed. he would but receive
him into his flockl Oh how often he
repeated; "God give me strength
Lord strengthen mel'
And he arose, Ms all arise after
steadfast prayer-streng gthened-and
prepared to set about his work. l now
quote his own account Of what follow.
ed
II had" he said. "fxed In my mind
the duty I was called upon to perform,
l saw 1t bright before me. II was
now clear to me. whether / turned to
the right or the left; there II was writ.
ten In letters OF light. / went down
stairs. unlocked the street door, ]
brought n ladder from the back Of the
house I, tho front. and with my own
hands. in the gray. soft haze Of morn
ing. tore down the sign Of my disloy.
atty to good cause. "The Grapes
lay In the kennel. and my first tri.
umph was achieved. l then descend.
cd TO my cellar. locked myself In. turn.
cd all the taps, and broke the bottles
into the torrents Of pale ale and brown
stout which foamed around me. New.
or once did my determination even
waver. vowed TO devote theremain
der Of my life 20 the destruction Of al.
cohol, and TO give my power and my
means TO reclaim and succor those who
have wasted their substance and de-
based their characters beneath my
roof felt rs freed man. from
whom fetters had been suddenly
suuck off: n sense Of manly indepen'
dence thrilled through my Frame
Through the black and reeking arch
Of the beer.vault. | asked God agar
and again for the strength OF purpose
and perseverance, which ! had hitherto
wanted all my latter life. While call
ed respectable man," aud an "hon'
est publican" l knew thatl was acting
a ialsehood. and dealing In the mora
perhaps the eternal--dcaths Of ma
ny oflhose careless drinkers, who had
sorrow and torment. quarrels. and
wounds without cause" even while
who sold the incentives TO sorrow ant
torment. quarrels and wounds Thou
cause, knew that they "bit like ser
pents and stung like adders." Wha
n knave I had been erecting tenn
pie TO my own respectability on thu
ruins Of respectabllity In my fellow
creaturesl talking of honesty. when
wos inducing sinners to augment thei
sin by every temptation that the frag
rant rum, the white-iaced gin. th,
brown bouncing brandy, could offer
all adultersted. all untrue ms myself
all made even worse than their origi
nal natures by downright and positive
fraud: talking Of honesty. as II rhat
Icen honest; going to church. rs If
were a practical Christian, and pass
ing by those. whom / had, helped {,
make sinners. with contempt upon IN,
! liz, and "S,and by. l am hole
than thouv" in my proud heart. evei
at the time was inducing men L
become accessories to their own sham,
and sin, and the ruin or their owl
families.
Bitter but happy tears ofpenitenc'
gushed from my eyes rs the ocean o
intoxicating and baneful drinks swell
ed, and rolled. and seethed aroun,
me. opened sthe drain, and the.
rushed to add to the impurity Of tn,
Thames. Away they gol'' said
"their power is past; they will neve
more turn the staggering workman in
to the streets. or nerve his arm to strik'
down the wife or child he is bound b.
the law of God and man to protect
never more send the self inflicted fe
yer OF delirium trcmens through th,
swelling We ms: never drag the las
shilling from the drunkard's hand
never more quench the fire on the cot
tage hearth. or send the pale overpow
cred artisans children to supperles
bed; never more blister the lips Of wo
man, or poison the blood of childhoo'
never again to inhict the Saturday
headache. which induced the prayer
less Sunday. Awsy--away! woul
that I had the power to set adrift al
the so prevented produce Of the NAL,
the barley. and the grape ofthe world
As my excitement subsided, fell sti
more resolved; the moro l calme
down, the firmer became. l was a
paralytic recovering the use Of hi
limbs: as n blind man restored to sigh
The regrets and doubts that had s
often disturbed my mind. gathere
themselves into mighty power. nc
to be subdued by earthly motives Q
earthly reasoning. l felt the dignit
of a mission; would be Temperate
Missionary to the end Of my days.
would seek out the worst of those wh
had frequented "the Grapes" an
pour counsel and advice-the earne,
advice of purely disinterested man
into ears::so long deafto the voice {
, the charmer. was a free man. n
longer filling my purse with the pul
chase money Of sorrow, sin and dealt
: I owed the sinners, confirmed to lea
the old life Of sin in my house, owe
! them atonemeut. But. what did