The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-09-20
TEMPERANCE.
AN ESSAY READ BEFORE TALLuLAH
LODGE, OF marietta.

w. G. r., Brothers and Sisters Of
Tallulah Lodge 1T is with the
! deepest interest and the fondest af-
lection which | hold towards this
Lodge and the upbuilding Of the
cause of Temperance that attempt
a discussion Of this subject. Not
outstanding the great magnitude of
its Importance and moralizing effects
urged upon the minds of the human
family it cannot be too repeatedly
presented 20 the public mind, for
like the holy word of God, it should
be preached from the house tops
and ia the by-ways, and its glorious
influence spread abroad, throughout
the universe; its every ennobling
principle should be fully explained,
and the great contrast between the
inebriate aud the temperate man,
should be a fixed and immovable
panorama ever before the eyes of the
world, for rs have before stated, it
cannot be too strongly urged or
too strongly repeated for thousands
and Multiple d myriads of our fellow
/ creatures are daily falling into the
/ drunkards lark and yawning pit
Of misery, sorrow and disgrace; day
by day the drunkard fills lonely
ave The prison the gallows,
nine times out of ten are all supplied
by drunkaris. Desolate widows
and starving children, are all the
legacy a drunkard leaves; and still
the already swollen numbers of the
inebriate elan increases rapidly
But | do trust that all Good Tenn
pIars are still awake to a sense of
their duty, for crimes and accidents
of the most alarming nature, are
filling the annals of our country
and yet, whisky that ever burning
flame Of destruction, that everlasting
and eternal destroyer OF mans hap
piness, degrading all, who sips its
tempting nectar, below the level of
the brute is being more and more
extensively manufactured over the
whole country. Grog shops have
become more numerous than church
es, and liquor dealers more respect
ed TRAN preachers; then why com
plain Of the Generalization Of our
country.
Some people, my friends, attribute
the great cause of this immortality to
the late war, but that is almost an
unpardonable mistake Its not the
effects of the war, but alcohol
Johnston, Jackson and Lee we're
men of war. Were their acts de,
grading No. They were just the
reverse. They were brave, heroic,
aud noble. But what virtue, what
good, what ennobIing deed ever
came from the hand or heart of
drunkard His every thought, ac-
ton and word portends to evil and
the man who risks the tempting
yiands of a grog shop nowadays,
for they are grog shops, no matter
how fancy names may be given to
them, drinks misery, insanity and
death. The dealer may fit up his
den in the most fascinating style,
and bronze it with beautiful rainbow
lights, on his marble counters, which
he had better have made into grave
stones ia memory of the poor crea>
lures to whom he has dealt his poi
son in the glittering glass and silver
goblet. He may tillhis gobets with
his "Dolly Warden sherry cobblers,
hot and cold punches, OF any other
deceitful draughtS, but in the end it
will all produce the same iutox;ca-
tug effect. Its result is death, and
it reward, damnation.
And now let me arge it upon the
minds Of all Good Templas, not only
of this Lodge, but others, that we
strive harder to arrest this giant
evil and its monopolizing calamities J;
let us who profess the name of Good
Templars strive to make our meet
ings as agreeable as possible, forget
ing differences, if there be any, and
show to the world that our cause is
right, and that it is speeding on,
battling for the good of others, and
especially those fallen by the powers
of King Alcohol.
Brother Iemplars, let us put on
the whole armor of faith, unfurl our
banner to the breeze and march tri
umphantIy to battle for this great
and good work
Let every drunSard plainly see,
/ How more pleasant It's 70 be-
/ A Templar true, with clothes all new.
/ 4 happy wife and children too.
Kind friends that greet us on our way,
bouuteous table day by day,
And pocket glitteiiug with the dimes,
Which went tor drinks in by-gone times.
We feel already under innumera
BILE obligations to the handsome and
intelligent ladies of our Lodge, both
married and single, for their attrac-
tive presence and extensive inhu-
ence. aud I will say to the unmar-
ried ladies':