Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-02-24
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For Bellows Falls Times.
Temperance.

LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH
TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL"
These words SO beautifully illustrate
the human character, | cannot help
thinking of one who few years ago was
noble, gifted and successful man, hav-
ing been promoted to the first-ranks of
society, with splendid fortune at his
disposal and numerous friends surround
ing him. Who would ever have thought
him, SO strong in mind, to be tempted in
to an immoderate drinkerl He, so fine
a gentleman with so many pleasing at
fractions could not be considered in any
danger. Our Ling established iamiliari-
ty gave me an opportunity to caution
him. "What, man alive! have your
good senses left you, that you fear me of
drinking too much? Do you presume to
prove glass occasionallytaken to sharp
en- my wits, to be harmful? Your preach
ing is lost ON this strong-minded man.
If you must lecture on temperance go
where it is needed, to some drinking God
forsaken man, not to me. am able to
judge for myself-know just when l
need little stimulant and just when not
to indulge" | simply replied, there is
always more or less danger in even a
moderate use Of any kind of drink which
stimulates there is likewise the example
for your weaker friend to follow. "Well,
he replied, You might talk to me from
now till dooms.day but you can't fright
en- me out of little sip of brandy"
We parted, few years absence at the
South, and l returned to find my early
friend, alas so changed. His fortune
squandered, his health ruined, his oeca-
sional drink had drowned his manly, noble
mind-and he had become low, rum
drunkard-loathsome aud disgusting;-
swift and sudden his race. He was found
one fine morning lifeless, with his bottle
beside him. And this was the end of a
gentlemanly, strong-minded, moderate
drinker. How low he fell, and how
swift his race from afiuence to .he
drunkard's grave.
Does not such an example put US in
mind of our own weakness, and above
all make US beware lest we fall? There
is no half way for US, we must stop the
moderate drinking, or ruin and disgrace
awaits US. Intoxicating drink as bev-
erage is not as harmless as it was years
ago; now poison and death are mixed
in such dangerous proportion, one runs
the awful risk of suicide, or insanity
with every glass swallowed. And is there
no way of arresting this widely, increas-
ing appetite, carrying so much ruin and
desolation to our dear fre-sides?
Could the misguided rum.seller who
has taken the last shilling from his un-
fortunate fellow creature, follow him
home, to his abode of misery, would not
his very heart sicken at the sight pre-
sented? Could he grasp his gains of in
iquity and feel justified in his unholy
riches Let him hear the unfortunate
child ask for bread, and see the inhuman
father give stone. Can he withstand
the tender entreaty of the drunkards
wife. as with breaking heart she entreats
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deadly drink, that is reducing him to the
very brink, can he count up his gains
and ask God 10 bless and prosper him
No, no, he turns to his luxuriant home,
dull pain fills his soul. He hears a
voice saying, "Woe unto him that giveth
his peighbor drink" there is no solid
peace, no comfort for the rum-seller, even
though his gold increase, the canker is
at the heart destroying the happiness Of
all his splendid gains. He must not.
think to escape that awful tribunal, the
crimes of our brother, committed In sea-
sons of madness caused by the drink hesold
him. Yes, he is his brothers keeper,
and his ears cannot he lp hearing the con-
demnation to him, glveth or selleth
his neighbor drink, and while life remains
he must continue to think Of the misery
and stfife he is causing and why not
give up SO unblessed and anhallowed bus
iness, bringing only ''leanness into his
soulY' Is there no other way for man
to live, or get rich, but in selling rum
Sure there is,- and sweet comfort in abol-
ishing the traffic IN spirit, that ruins both
body and soul. n.
Bellows Falls, Feb. 1871.
A GOOD HINT.-Mr. Spurgeon says
1t is a remarkable fact that ministers
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