Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-05-06
"I'll Take What Father Takes y


what will you take to drink - asked
the waiter of young lad who, for the first
time, accompanied his father to public
sure that he could not be wrong if he fol-
lowed his fathers example, he replied, Il Il
take what father takes
The answer reached his fathers ear, and
instantly the full responsibility of his posi-
ton flashed upon him. Ii he said, II II
take ale, " as he had always said before, his
son would take it also. and them 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 solumn warning before him.
Should his hopes also be blasted and that
open faced, noble lad become a burden and
Il curse, as they had become But for
strong drink, they would have been active,
earnest, prosperous men and it. 1t could
work such ruin upon them, was his own lad
ssfe +! Quicker than lightning this thought
passed through his mind, and in moment
the decision was made. If the boy falls,
he shall not have me to blame - and then
in tones tremulous With emotion, and to the
astouish,nent of those who knew him, he
said, Waiter, I Il take water and from
that day to this, strong drink has been ban
ished from that man S table and from that
mans home.
The 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 so is the
end Of all controversy with the little ones
around us Who does not see the parent
tones and gait, and manners reproduced con-
tlnually in the Children whose nature is now
soft as wax to receive an impression, and
rigid as marble to retainit and who watch
with quick and Initiating eye those who,
TO them, are God d vicegerents
Would that we could impress upon the
fathers and mothers of this country the sol
emu fact, that the future character of the
children if being formed by them. That If
they aresrained up in the way they should
90, when they are old they will not depart
from it. But if they become vain, sensual
and degraded, the seeds will have been de-
posted and the bias given in the early morn
ing of their lives. If we teach them that
strong drink is good creature OF God, they
will believe US; and when depending upon
our judgment and truth, they shall have ta-
ken it. and it shall have shown itself to be
the devils master piece. and have bitten,
and crushed, and dragged them down to ru-
in, We may weep and pray as we please
the blame will be our own, AMI We must
not accuse God, or cast reflections upon the
gospel. We shsll have sown to the flesh,
anl of the flesh have reaped corruption.
God will have visited the sins of the faith
ers upon the children. They only took what
their fathers took If, on the other hand,
We banish the fend when their young and
trusting hearts are most open to our teach
ing, We tell them that wine Is mocSer, that
strong drink is raging, and warn them that
no serpent is SO dangerous, no adders SO
much to be dreaded, we shall be co-workers
with all-merciful and wise God Who. to pre-
serve them from taking it, has sent them IN
10 the world with loathing of its very taste;
Our children will believe us. They Will
grow ND with their natural instinct fortified
BY our instruction and example They will
be preserved from the poisonous influence
Of the destroyer. There will be brigeless
gulf between them and the companions
who are most likely to lead them into the
ways of SIM They will be preserved from
habits of extravaganza and waste. They
will have no companions but those who
walk in the ways of God; no employment
Tor their spare time but that which IS ele-
Vating and purifying, and when we pass to
our reward they will rise up and call US bless,
ed, for they s'took what their fathers took.
CHINA.-The most wonderful country In
The world is China. 1t contains nearly one
aaf Of the population of the earth. The
provinces which are governed by the lieu
lsaauts of the emperor are larger and more
SSlckiy peopled than any European kingdom.
ne civilization of China is older than that
Europe, and there is scarcely any so-calied
aodern invention, with the exception of the
team engine and telegraph, that has not
geen in use for many centuries in China.
Popular education is more general there than
any other country in the world, and the
Ncial structure is so firmly and securely es-
;Aoished that it seems impossible to shake
ain the least. Indeed, the more one learns
ooneerning this remarkable country and its