Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-12-21


tioning them against a custom which Is
far more honored in the breach than Ill
the observance. They will probably
anticipate what We mean.
The holidays are approaching, when'
according to immemorial usage in'oh'-
eating beverages are rendered to neigh
bors and friends. Ladies who would
not dream of doing SO on other occa-
sions, tender the glass to visitants OF the
other sex during the Christmas ana
New-year's festivals. They encourage
their friends to drink by tipping little
themselves. No language can portray
the evils which have resulted from this
pernicious custom. Many wretched
sot can trace his downward course to a
drunkards grave, and drunkards HE'LL
from this small and apparently innocent
beginning.
We pray you Danish the wine-c"P
from your festal board. Let not drop
of ''liquid fire and distilled damnation,
az Robert Hall nervously called inebri-
ating drinks, be seen about your houses
during the Christmas octave. Purge
YOUR premises of it, as the Jews do theirs
of leayen before the feast Of unleavened
bread. Be cautious how you use 1t III
culinary preparations. Fiands are some
times used for the sake of the liquor,
as well as liquor for the sake of the VI
ands-so insidous is this serpentinetoe.
Instead of making the use of liquor an
exception at Christmas-time, we would
rather make its disuse the exception at
that sacred season. There is more e1
cellent way, and that We have long fol-
lowed, which is not to use it at any time
as beverage. But surely Christmas
is not Saturnalian revel, though it
comes ut the season of the year when
the heathens held their annual orgies.
We are not celebrating the birth of
Bacchus, that we should abandon our
selves to 'rioting and drunkenness.
We have no objection to social enter
tainments at this sacred season. Let
there be family NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
trees-Sunday school celebrations
seat the fat, and drink the sweet, and
send portions unto them forwhom moth
ing is prepared: for this day is holy
unto our Lord neither be We sorry
for the JOY of the Lord is our strength.
But all this can be done without resort
ing to the intoxicating bowl. Such Vi
cious indulgence changes it into aheath-
en- feast, and utterly ignores its Chris
tian character and design. DO not keep
Christmas at all, unless you keep it as a
religious feast.
We hope heads of families will take
this matter into serious consideration,
and do all in their power TO prevent
their children being led astray by the
temptations ofthe season, Let ladies,
especially, discountenance all drinking
during the Christmas and New-year's
HOLIDAYS. Let them resolutely decline
to receive any visits from their acqualn-
tances of the opposite sex, unless they
abstain from the tipping customs which
the loose morals of the community sane
ton at this season. DO nothing which
may contribute to make your husbands
and suitors, your brothers and SONS,
drunkards and vagabonds, and to bring
upon yourselves mourning, lamentation,
and woe. Let ministers, Sunday school
teachers, professors in colleges, and 9th
ers who occupy responsible positions in
society, give timely warning to all over
whom they may have an influence. Let
a united effort be made by all the friends
of sobriety-members of temperance so
cieties, and all others to Danish the
evil in question from among us; and
thus shall we save many souls from
death, and hide 4 multitude of sins.