Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-02-25
Rough and Ready Sermon,
No. q.
BIT THE PRAIRIE PREACHER.


TEXT;-7oueh not the Wine, ,cIen it gireth its
color in the cup; for il 5itsth like serpent, and
stinSeth ike an adder.
Mr. BELOVED HEARERs:-Upon this &C.
casion. don't do as you have always done
before, towit Give the sermon all away TO
your neighbor for his benefit; but pull of
that outward garb ofinnocence which COW
ers your besotted habits. and put on the
"oat which we may fit especially for your
own personal benefit.
No longer try to conceal the fact from
your neIghbor. your friend. your better
half that You take nip on the sly in
yonder grog shop. For your blooming
nose, creaking voice. bloodshot eye. dis
ordered hair and 'seedy coat. proclaim the
truth in thunder tones to them, or ii il has
not already. soon will record the startling
fact. and bring them heller skelIer like lior-
nets in having time about your ears. The
habit is growing fast, and what at first
you indul se'l in as pledge Of friendship,
an innocent promoter of hilariiy, will soon
become an imagined necessity of your ex
istence, and as the villanous habit sinks,
you lower and lower in The scale Of socie-
ty You will be seen taking your daily.
hourly glass with shaking hand and trem-
.hI;,,, ,,arva - co,,p,rv r;tb tbo-a xvbop,
you now denominate as miserable drunk
ards
Young man! stop moment in your career
Of fast horses. f,s' driving, fast living
champaign suppers. games OF Billiards,
and 'sevenup!' Let me point out to you
the terminus of your route. We do not
expect you will reform. 1t is very sed
ON that young man Of your stamp. after
commencing his fast career. Flies the
track. until he is brought up sanding be-
fore the grim messenger Death! who lays
him low. in an unknown, unwept, uncared
for, degraded. drunkards grave. But look
see that miserable being staggering in the
streets, bowling reverenlially to that lamp
post as If it was the wooden effigy of his
God. Mark well his blood shot eye; his
silly idio;ic stare: the round red pimples
on his scarlet nose; the shoeless feet the
rimless, crown1ess shocking bad hat
which is tipped awkwaldly on one sile
of lis dropsical head; hear his fearful
curse. his hollow hooking laugh! See the
satanic fiendish expression of his face as
that lille boy approaches near. What a
change from father TO brute! He reels.
he falls! The miery pool stagnating with
filth in the center of the steeet. receive
him into its Shiny bosom. and the swine
more noble. dispute with him for possess
ion Of the free soil.' Poor fallen mani
What foul fiend was it who placed the cup
to your lips to steal away your brains. and
now is shrieking in your ears lost. lost!
Hear. ye fashionable loafcr and indolent
wine bibber! That poor wretch who lies
before you wallowing in the filth, was once
your equal. You sir. will soon be hisl
Your downward career is already COM
menced, and it knows no retrogression un-
til it lands you by that fellow drunkar's
side. But go on. Don't stop on our ac-
count. We have alms-houses. jails, state
prisons and gallows-all Of which must be
peopled by such as you. Never fear; your
turn will soon come; and in all probabii-
ty, within the next few years or months,
we shall find you hammering stone in one
of our State Institutions, for fast young
men, or gaping crowd will witness your
exit from the gallows, when you will 60
through the ticklish performance of dane.
ing on nothing. to their great amusement;
furnishing another warning to that class
who seldom profit thereby. But to you.
young men who have not polluted your
lips with the fiery draught of Satan's prime
minister, (alcohol) let me say a few words
of warning. Never. never! touch anything
that can intoxicats. Avoid the dram shop