The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-04-12
orR rEnPERANCE CoLuAN.
BY ELIZABETH nEYwooD.

~ EAA4<AbaSAAe AA1A " NCNOe
The Rev. Thomas Bainbridge. pi-
ous and useful Methodist preacher Of
former times, and also very interest
ing lecturer on temper nee, llsetl otell
3tlle following as one Of the painful ex-
pericnces connected with the latter
work. On his way to an evening SER
vice at the SchOol-house, a few miles
from home, he saw lying by the side
way man fallen in the deep sleep of
the tlrunkarl. Ii was a cold day in
December, and he called to the man
to awake. or otherwise he would feeze
to death. Making 10 impression, Ike
alight,sl and tried to arouse him, but
with no better success. He then rode
on quickly to the village tavern. u lit
tie distance off, and calling out the
landlord, said fearlesSly to him:
.'l'lielp is some of your work a little
way of. One or your customers dead
drunk by lhe roadside, hope you
will 90 and take care of him, for he
will soon freeze to death oil such a cold
night as this.
"l'lI attend to him." said the land
lorl in a surely tone.
"rhen do so ut once" said Mr.. r.
perSi>tently. II would go back and
help, hut | have an appointment to
preach at the school-houSe, and shall
I've late if | do not hurry; but would
rather miss the service than allow that
man to suffer any harm"
80. will certainly attend to him!'
said the landlord. Does Mr.. Balm
bridge think me fo0l:"
Quite satisfied that he would do
what was necessary for the poor stu
petied victim of his odious traffic, Mr..
B. rode on quickly to his appointment,
for it was beginning to snow, and the
weather was piercing cold. At the
close of the meeting one Of the mem
bers of the little society invited him to
Stay at his house all night, and he glad
ly accepted the invitation. In the
morning he set ont for home through
the snow, not thinking of the incident
OF his journey the night before, till he
came back to the place where he had
seen the poor drunkarlly lying; when all
at once, his blood ran cold, and his heart
seemed to stop beating, for in that par
ticular spot there was a ridge in the
snow that seemed to be the Shape ofa
man. Could it be possible that the
landlord had been false to his trust.
Alas. As he pushed aside the SHOW the
face OF the drunksrl was open to view.
He hastily rcmounte,l rode back to the
tavern, and entered the barroom with
his face nearly aS white as the SHOW
out Of which he had stepped, and start
ling the idle group, who had come for
their morning dram, with the words:
Come with me- Youtlrst, address
ing the taitllless landlord particularly;
come and see the effects Of your hor-
rid traffic.
The startled group rose to their feet |
but refused to follow, seeming rooted |
to the spot by the horror-strirken look
and grieved tones OF the faithful min
iSter. But he was resolnte. and short
ly all followed him to the spot where
lay the companion of their carousels in
his death-bed of snow.
"And there" said Mr.. b.. .'over
that man lpreached my most effective
temperance discourse. The men shook
like aspen leaves, and the landlord
looked more dead than alive willie |
hek forth in language too strong for
tears. The whole village was aroused,
and never was there so affecting a flu
neral in that place as over the dead
drunkard who had been hastily seized
by the king of terrors."
Many hearts We're sottenedand turn
ed to the Lord by theterrible lesson The
neglectful landlord was the especial
subject of the Icolyicting power ofthe
Holy Spirit. He sold ont his netari-
ous business and became sincere
Christian. Said he to Mr.. B. after
wards:
II never forgot that awful lecture in
the snow. 1t ran in my ears till WIS
nearly distracted; for felt as if the
mercy of God were clean gone from
me. But found there was Savior
not only for, the penitent drunkard.
bnt also for the truly repentant drunk
ard maker"