Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-02-08
tC0lfNUEICATEDl
RFCIPRnCAL OBLIGATION.

D -
| the rights and interests Of his fellow
man in all the transactions OF life
This follows from the clearly perceiy-
ed principle that IL have rights, my
Z neighbor has, also; and II may
1 trample upon the rights Of my neigh
! Dor with impunity, he in turn may
I do the same and hence q destruction
| Of al rights, and the reign Of unlNeT-
sal selfishness and confusion.
THE FatherhOOd Of God, and the
brotherhood Of Man." is an Instinct
/ i've thought of humanity; and from
these two propositions ioli0"s Iue
natural obligation to respect the rights
of my brother.
But natural obligation takes a step
still in advance Of the respect OF rights
merely-this is simply justice. Be
nevOleuce and mercy enter largely IN
I to the composition OF the human soul,
and are necessarily pressing their de-
mand to be heard In all our inter-
/ course with our fellows. II my broth
er is in distress, or hast fallen from the
path Of rectitude, these better attTi-
butes of the soul ask TO be heard in
his case; first, because he is a brother
with vast interests now at stake, for
time and eternity; and, secondly,
since I am but flesh and blood, too
may fall ; and but for the timely aid
OF my brother, suffer and die. Hence
there is a natural and eternal truth in
these words: "ThsrefOre all things
whatsoever We would that men should
do unto you, do ye even so unto
them" No person can practically
disregard this principle with impuni-
ty. Its opposite is arrant selfishness,
the very meanest characteristic that
can attach to a human being.
Now apply the principles above sta
ted 10 US, with reference to those in
the use Of intoxicating drinks
There Is no sane persOn but will ad-
NIT that the use Of such drinks, as
beverage, is utterly useless, to say the
least. But II il stopped with the daily
drain and waste Of means only, the
evil would be comparatively light
But ruin and death will ever be, 50
long as the individual allows the hab-
it of the daily drink, even though at
first intended to be in great mOdera-
tiOn. What proposition in morals
and natural obligation could be plain
er Of statement than to say, il is the
imperative duty Of every man, then,
with whom this habit Is not set and
fixed. to take that position in society
which will be most likely TO restrain
and save those who have such habit ?
The influence Of our kind is all po-
tent on US for veal or woe. We all
know this. In Gods name then, and
by all we hold personally sacred for
time and eternity, should we not feel
almost like taking our shoes from on
our feet" as we journey along here,
for that "the ground on which we
tread is holy ground :" So many
deathless interests to be affected by
our manner of life before our fellows.
Now look around you; see these dear
youths, those sparkling eyes, genial
faces, and broad foreheads, speak Of
almost infinite possibilities in the fu-
ture, If rightly directed; and the
heart leaps for JOY as we contemplate
a long life Of usefulness here, and
CONSEQUENT angelhOOd in the future.
But what is this that has so suddenly
darkened this fair picture before my
vision? All is told in one word
then are drinking! This, il not ar
rested, tells the whole story OF ruin
yes, "just this and nothing more. u
There is no success, no peace, no
JOY, no hope, no life, but only ruin
DEATH, in inebriety. ..
And what is death? Aye, there is
no death but to the poor drunkard II
stands for reHlOrse Think Of that
gnawing worm. REsIORSE, time lost,
morally and spiritually demented.
Do YOU hold up holy hands and say,
'drlrlkdrd stop ~ God bless you, |
don't you know he would stop-dOn't
YOU know he cries, all alone in the !
woods, when he thinks Of the agony /
Of wife or mother, and his own certain /
ruin if he persists2 ? And in his ago |
nv Of spirit he falls down and prays /
for help. He faneies now he hasf
more strength than befOre-there is 4
some sense Of relief 70 his crushed /
spirit. Aye, pcOr soul, L doubt not
angels came and ministered to you.-
What now does he need as he goes
out in society? The warm grasp of
the hand, the tear Of sympathy, and
the strength which the magnetism Of
a pure and strong life ever imparts.
He must 20 out into sOciety-busi-
ness. and his social nature will call
him there. What shall he find in
YOUR house? Pure cold water, freshly
distilled from the fOunt of heaven ?
or shall it be cider, daintily prepared
10 tempt the eye and appetite? 3? Orif
il be on some festive occasion, will
you tempt him with your sparkling
wines, and when he seems to falter,
as if corscious that life or death is
now at stake, and certainly honor in
yolved allure him on with the honey
ed falsehoOd oft repeated, 'just a little,
It will not hurt you, it is so nice
o, angel guardian, for once our pity /
shall be turned to thee. Hadst thou \
but the abnormal appetite Of thy
child to contend with, perhaps thou
have savedhim-perhaps the
breath of heaven would have slaked
bis thirst; but alas, the odds were
against thee, thou hadst the influence
1f thy brother and sister to contend
with!
And here I stop to preach law Of
retributed justice. The law OF God
demands that we act equitably with
bur brother. If we disregard that
law from selfish or vain motives, and
.nfiiet injury upon our kind, the con-
sequences Of that act will overtake
Is. sooner or later, and there Is no
escape. No matter though we seem
for the time to escape and flourish
ike the green bay tree, a dark rec
ord has been made in the book of life
we are all keeping, which shall be
FOR the gaze Of multitudes in the land
Of souls, II not sooner; nor shall 1t
aver be erased but by the deepest con-
triton, and work mete for repen-
.ance." Il
How lightly do we seem to regard
1ur mutual obligations in this prin-
ary statR Of being! Is my brother
lost and I could have saved him ? Can
[ then go unscathed of justice? New
ar. Why then is not every man and
woman united to put far from us all
that can intOxieate?
Friends, these are awful injuries
Dur dear children and friends are in
minent peril, and we heed it not, and
30 we will perish with them No
picking out, as we think. We come
back to the motto, "a band of broth
srs." If we have five talents are
We using them? This is the ques-
ion, works, mete for repentance"
This Is the demand.
GOOD TESIPLAR.
A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT. - God
Knows what keys in the human soul
o touch in order to draw out its sweet
st and most perfect harmOnies. They
nav he in the minor strains Of sad