The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-04-20

most. .--- Sla-.
We first 90 to nature then to search
for Alcohol. But the search is vain.
Like the ancients who sought for long
ages for the Philosophers stone and
the Elixir OF Life and found it not, 60
we may search for countless ages in
nature for Alcohol and our labor like
theirs will be futile. Among the thou.
sand countless forms of organic and
inorganic matter we can nowhere find
Alcohol, The tree Gays it is not in me;
the peach, apple and grape say it is not
in me; the rye, corn and barley answer
back it is not in me. All nature re"
jects the imputed paternity OF Alcohols.
But they have an existence, and we
must pursue the search further If
they are not the product OF nature they
must be of art. And here we discover
the origin of Alcohols. They are al
ways produced by art, by man. In
short they are man-made and not God
created Let US see further how this
is. There Hre in nature two opposite
processes g.. = upward, the other down
ward-one OF growth, development and
life; the other OF decay, decomposition
and death.
Now alcohol ia evolved by art in 3
manner similar 10 the latter process.
1t is the product OF decay and is allied
to death. Alcohol begins with the
death OF the grain or the fruit and
closes its course with The death OF its
unhappy human victim.
This point was further elaborated
and illustrated by the speaker.
The second topic, OF what use are alec
hole, was then discussed, in which their
place in physiological chemistry was
iehown to be strictly a medicine and
not q food. They were not foods simply
because they could not be appropriated
by the body as such. Up 10 q COM
parstively recent period it was taken for
granted that alcohols were transform
ed within the system and were there
fore food, but later and fuller investl-
cations show that alcohol remains un-
changed in the human system. 1t does
not BASE through any chemical change
when taken into the body, it is not
transformed or assimilsted by the nu'
tritivc processes but passes of by every
outlet OF the body, giving the reaction
of alcohol called aldehyde.
The effects OF the use OF alcohols
Was then treated By the speaker,
first on the physical system,
showing how it destroys the functions
OF the body, undermines and impalrs
the health and constitution. The
sneaker claimed that this was because
alcoholg were poison and cited author
tiles on the subject The word intoxl-
cate is from the latin ioricum meaning
poison.
The effects OF the use OF alcohol on
the mind were then shown-also on the
socisl relations and on this community.
In treating this part Of the subject
several striking illustrations were used.
Hear, then, the fearful indictment
against liquor selling or drinking.
Before Goo, and man, before the church
and the world we impeach Intemper-
auce. We charge it with high crimes
and mis- lemesnors, with arsOns and in
surrectIons, with suicides and murders.
10 this country Of ours, our own
America, the land we love the most
in this country blessed with plenty,
and with ell t5e blessings OF civil and
religious liberty, we charge lntemper-
ance with being the cause OF almost ell
the poverty, almost oil the igCoraDce'
and almost all the irTeligion and wick
eduess that darkens ard disgraces our
land, like foul blot on fair escutchr
con. speak the words OF truth and
soberaess. | DO in my heart believe
that intoxicating liquors have sunk
into perditiou more men and women
than found grave IN that deluge
which swept over the highest mour =
tains, engulfng world, OF which but
eight was eaved.
The christianity of the age asks can.
not this be stopped Civilization and
humanity ask cannot something be
done. Are we obliged in the face o.
this great evil 10 sit down, fold oul
hands aud do nothing? Can we mol
save ourselves, our children and oul
fsmrlics2
After singing Of doxology and
the pronounc.ng Of the benediction the
| m petipo adjourned