Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-03
Extract from a Sermon,
PREACHED BY REV MR.. DIEHL, OF Ca

FoRN1A-The Thirty thousand Dead Il
Thirty thousand persons have perished
in California since the breaking out of the
I" Gold fever" By farthe greatest portion Q
have died from strong drink. What
have told you will give you no idea of the
ravages of this curse. One of our Supreme
Court Judges has died of delirium tremens. a
One of our State Attorney Generals our
State printer; our State Surveyor-all have
died of the drink. And still this curse is
permitted Still this traffic is licensed by
authority and have seen the skulls and
the bones of these men; conspicuous VIC
Tins of these same licenses, bleaching and
rotting in the sum- OF all the thirty thou
sand who have died in California since 184S,
| doubt if 100 have died by natural causes.
The climate is remarkably healthy. new
er breathed air which is so exhilarating.
l And yet, for the most part, through Rum,
thirty thousand citizens, some buried and
some unburied, sleep he sleep of death, un-
der those delightful skies. Is not the IL
quor traffic reproach to this people? 1t
is so, men and brethren, all over this coun-
try. And appeal to you, as Christians,
to help put down this system, this law-sanc-
: toned trafic-put it down by law.
Of all the evils suffered by California,
Rum is at the bottom. You hear of stuff
ed ballot-boxes 1t is Rum that stuffed
those boxes You heard that our highly
beloved King, the most honored, and en-
fuential Editor of the State, is shot down
in open day. Rum shot him down. Rum
calls for Vigilance Committee. Fifty pis-
tolls have been taken to house, loa-
ded, to shoot the humble individual before
you, who daree to war against Rum.
have not hesitated to declare The whole
counsel on this subject and to avow my
desire to see the selling of Rum classed
among the grayest ofenses known to the
law.
Brethren, as minister Of Religion, I
profess to know something of the power OF
the Gospel. But confess myself dismay
ed at the idea of preaching the Gospel tc
men whose consciences are burnt up will
rum. Their normal sense is scared as Will
a hot iron. 1t is for this reason have de
voted so much time and energy to maxi
men sober, that they may come to Gu
churches and hear the saving truths of re
Ggion. Why even ministers have died 0
strong drink in California. l Ir,membe
/ one venerable old preacher, who for thirt,
years had been known as jealous and pi
Gus man. He has taken the very Sabbatl
- collections, and gone and got drunk. !
bill for 500 was pregeutss1, ur---7-f1--l
Ky A daughter pledged her school mon
ey, her needle money, topay it-only den
sue for it don't expose her father.
When | spoke once at Marteras, a
old lady was among the number who 81!
I ned the pledge. But as she did so, 81
exclaimed-" Oh it is too late 1t Cal
y not save my son y And now my hearer
what tale Of anguish and of sorrow. Th
womans son had been Judge of the cou
:. ty; but he drank. He had been mel
|, ber Of tie Legislature hut he drank.
j last be became furious, and in a moment
I. rage, he cursed has mother! This was t
much She sankin swocn to the floor, {
- claiming" My own son has cursead me
: Nor is this all. He drew pistol and bl
!, his own brains out; and his brains fell |
en- that mother, who bad already faint
III away. And now, fellow Christians, b.
a, another startling fact. That son was rai'
c. up in one Of your Methodist church,
/ and was long member of Method
,i, Sabbath Scheol ! Shall We not rush to ]
:. cue the country from strong drink. !
not time to arouse 1hen it thus 'less
tb the tribes among those of cur own ho,
cd. hold?
90. Once in my travels in behalf of Temp
Md ance, | saw crowd. A coroner's j
lid. was being held. A Judge, and W. z
die a Division of the Sons OF Temperance
hat lecu Murdered 1t was Rum that did
ach | locked upon the corpse. Hc rds en-
eek n1y mates dtcoHege?
| saw another crowd. A man lay {
whom Dobody knew. His pockets '
examined, and letters were found, one
eill- and others from his wife. He had tolc
ugh he lad signed the pledge. Hc was
lnie Of Temperance He was not SO. He
seF- told his wife SO, because he knew 1t "
by comfort Lcr. She said, "My dear hush
nes. | and the children pray daily that you
ac, be kept from drink" Tear-drops wer
and the letters. He died of drink. The
band of that wife, the father Of these
y dren, like thousands Of others in Callto
Jain lies in drunkard's grave.
y Ten thousnd men ale dying at this
had ment in California of strong drink, if |
! her not say they arc dead already. The.
: was burnt up by these alchoholic liquors.
what " "reproach = this enormous
]. sanctioned by the government, and
r, my not assail the man who obtains lcen
much as the government who grants i
pray the people who allow it. The liquo
then er needs his license He needs it Oh
!, and, He will need it at the bar of COG.
with had a father who sould rum, would
him obtain license by all means.
pears, was one of the 500 who sell in this
Sure would have him obtain, if possible, Il
n TIL natures of all the praying men and I
d th; clergy in Albany. | would want a
: an good men and all the good women te
oys " that my father sold rum for the
lie good" I would have it franco
put up in the most conspicuous pl
o,r a., the bar-room, among rum-jugs and
ters-" FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
nee G Aiol; oroe,o, wr;t;no to a fr