Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-03-26
far the Autte Girek.
Pill TAKE WHAT FATHER TAKES.

gar the 4ntte C1rsK.
pLL TAKE WHAT FATHER TAKES.
"What will you take to drink ?" asked
the waiter of q young lad, who, for the first
time, accompanied his father to public
dinner. Uncertain what to say, and feel
ing sure that he could not be wrong if he
followed his fathers example, he replied,
s'I'll take what father takes"
The answer reached his fathers ear and
instantly the full responsibility of his posi-
ton flashed upon him. If he said, GIL
take ale" as he had always said before, his
son would take it also, and then! And the
father shuddered as the history of several
young men, who, once promising as his own
bright lad, had been ruined by drink, star
ted up in solemn warning before him.
Should his hopes also be blasted, and that
opened-faced noble lad become burden and
curse as they had become? But for strong
drink they would have been active, earn
est men: and if it could work such ruin up
on them, was his own lad safe Quicker
than lightning these thoughts passed
through his mind, and in a moment the de-
cision was made: eff the boy falls, he
shall not have me to blame;" and then in
tones tremulous with emotion, to the aston
ishment of those who knew him, he said {:
"Waiter I'll take soater;;" and from that
day to this, strong drink has been banished
from that mans table and from that mans
home.
That young lad, in this brief utterance,
was really the representative of the genera
tion to which he belongs. God has so de-
creed it, that father is the highest author
ity in the world to his child. Who does
not know that. "My father said sc" is
the end of all controversy with the little
ones around US? Who does not see the pa
rents tones and gait, and manners repro
duced continually in the children whose ma
ture is now ''soft as wax to receive an i'm
preston, and rigid as marble to retain it,"
and who watch with quick and initiating
eye, those who to them are Gods vicege-
rents
Would that we could impress upon the
fathers and mothers of this country the
solemn fact that the future character of the
children is being formed by them. That
if they are trained up in the way they
should go, when they are old they will not
depart from it. But if they become vain,
sensual, and degraded, the seeds will have
been deposited, and the bias given in the
early morning Of their lives. 1--we teach
them that strong drink is good crea-
ture of God, they will believe US; and when
depending upon our judgment and truth,
they shall have taken it, and it shall have
shown itself to be the devils masterpiece,
and have bitten, and crushed and dragged
them down to ruin, we may weep and pray
as we please; the blame will be our own,
and we must not accuse God, or cast rehec-
ton upon the Gospel. We shall have sown
to the flesh and of the flesh have reaped
corruption. God will have visited the sins
of the fathers upon the children. They
only s'took what their fathers took" If,
on the other hand, we Danish the 6end
from our homes, and, in the hours when
their young and trusting hearts are most
open to our teaching, we tell them that
swine is a mocker, that strong drink is ra-
ging," and warn them that no serpent is so
dangerous, no adder so much to be dread
ed {; we shall be co-workers with that all
merciful and wise God who, to preserve
them from taking it, has sent them into the
world with loathing of its very TASTE
Our children will believe us. They will
grow up with natural instinct fortified by
our instruction and example. They will
be preserved from the poisonous influence
of the destroyer. There will be a bridge
less gulf between them and the companions
who are most likely to lead them into ways
of sin. They will be preserved from hab-
It's of extravaganza and waste. They will
have no companions but those who walk in
the ways of God; no employment for their
spare time, but that which is elevating and
purifying; and when we pass to our reward,
they will rise up and call us blessed, for
they sstook what their fathers took"