Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-03
DIR. MunSey'S Case.

E. Munsey, which was read before the Hol-
ston Conference at its late session in Marion,
Va:
Deur DR.. Summers 1t is published from
one end OF this country to the other that | Use
stimulating spirits too freely. Their use have
entirely abandoned, prcfcrriDg to be sick, or
dead, than to lay myself liable any longer to
such complaints. | used them by medical aud
otherwise respectable Amusement. Their Use
saved my Ie | was poor boy, and had 10
support, single handed, Tor many years a moth
err and five children. did it most Of the time
by manuel labor, as hlrcllng. | had little
time 10 20 to school, Three months will COM
prise all the time which Was Of any profit to
me. Then had to walk several miles to the
school house, after cutting and carrying upon
my shoulder from neighborlng ridge, Wood
enough to supply the necessities of the family
for winter day returning at night, doing my
work, aud learning my lcssobs by the llshL "i
pine knots and chips la the meantime GOd
regenerated me, and six years aftcrward-ca
ed of God to preact-l started without an
hundred and forty miles away, on foot, with
but three dollars in my pocket. l. was fur
nished some money by Rev. \. G. Worley,
of the Holston Conference, God bless
him y to enable me to get to my work. =
But had to deny myself the privilege of cat.
ing, save oucc, from Bristol, reuu., to Charles
ton, Tenn and scventy-tiye miles of the road
was travelled by the stage. Thus started TO
preach, studying everywhere and uuder all cir
cumstanccs- sometimes nearly all night, to try
aud make myself an approved workman. My
record 10 the lIolston Conference is well known.
In 1866 vas sent by Bishop Early to AieXau-
dra, Va. Always having feeble, nervous
constitution, and never fluchIng in my lite
from the post of duty aud danger, my health
rapidy began to give way. Exhorted to use
stimuiants, | refused During the eighteen
mouth. | was stationed in Alexandria, tasted
ardent spirits but few times, and then only IN
cases of real illness- as a beverage. L
never took but one drink as mere beverage
10 my life, aud that was when was a boy. At
the end of my term 10 Alexandria, l ought to
have located for one year, but l had horror
of such step. l was then removed by Bishop
Doggett, to Baltimore city. Baltimore was our
frontier work The membership was small;
[ had to make my own congregation. With
such an inspiration | gathered up all my feeble
powers, aud did my best 10 the meantime
helping other charges all | could. My et-
forts TO preach Mt this time, were succeed
d
often followed by severe attack of cramp
collie, which several times threatened my
life. | was told by friends and among them
the late DR.. Tbos. f. Bond, (M. d. and
President of the Medical University Of
Md. to use a small portion Of whiskey
or brandy after preaching, aud it would pre-
vent the vomiting. | had to do it or give up
the station aud stop preaching. | tried it and
it effected cure, and countervaed, after
time, the tendency to collie. The amount used
was small. The first summer | was 10 Balti-
more | was threatened with paralysis, my
health seemed to give way almost entirely, and
| was released from my work for nearly four
mouths recommended my work in October,
but to ill the pulpit had to give up 10 great
degree pastoral visiting. The state of my health
caused me to accept the position oil Secretary
of the Board Of Foreign Missions. During that
summer, | was threatened with another attack,
and lost about three mouths from my work
but after that, my health, for the first time be-
gan to recuperate IN such way that thought
would have 20 more trouble; and if had
not been put back into regular work for Il year
more, | would not have been ineiIccIiye, as |
have been DOW for twelve months.
Our trouble in Baltimore in 1872 kept ME at
my post during the summer, till fell there.
stayed not because | vas able to do the whole
work; but to prevent Il Generalization. |
had 10 use stmulautS, or desert my post. In adj
dition to NY threatened attack of paralysis
Harvey &. Bird, NJ d.. Of Baltimore, being
one Of the physicians who made the diagnosis
have suffered horribly with neuralgia. My
brain would not bear oplatcS. Again had to
use whiskey or brandy. [ ceased awhile last
February, but was compelled to resume their
use for awhile. | always used them against
my will; and one great purpose Of my coming
to the country was to get my nerves gradually
relaxed from the tension OF twenty-five years
so that | could live without stlmulant.
was making battle for life, and in me it
was no sin-hencc l never concealed it
My intense horror of paralysis may have
caused me, 10 my mind, to cXaggcrlte my
danger 1t threw gloom over my soul,
and the year to me has becn one of dark
ness; through | could feel the strong hand Of
God leading me through the shadows. But
he kuoweth the way that that take when he
had tribe me, shall come forth as gold, !
could have spared leg, an arm, or even an
eye but my fault lay not in them. God touch
ed the point Of ambition, and will abide his
time He performeth the thing that is APP
pointed for me; and many such things are with
linn" I never dreamed that | could, and
would be misunderstood and traduccd as COM
mon drunkard, or that any of my brethren
would ever have believed it. But neuralgia or
20 neuragi a--paraysis or no paralysis, [
have abandoned its use in any guam
sity, and 10 all circumstances, except the
most extraordinary i. G., it must be
matter of Immediate life and death, and
never 10 the sense of tonic or to relieve pain
or 10 any continuous sense whatever 1t would
be we'll for all to come, under God, after careful
thought, to the same conclusion. In the end,
all stimulants are physical and moral curses.
When l am able to work without a stinnlant,
| will work, when am not able to work with
out stimnlant, will rest. sacrificed my
self to emergencies, without having the power,
10 all instances, to meet them. ought to
have taken the advice of friends, ami gone to
place where | would have had less rcspousl
bility, and better support
VIM f. MUNsEY.
JoSEsBoRo TENN, OCT II.