The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-03-31

Extract from a Sermon on Temper.
ance at the Catholic Cathedral, on
Sunday Afternoon, by Bishop
WheIan.
[From The Registers report.I
What then do adviser First, as
Catholics I call upon you to abandon the
use and sale Of liquor. lido not speak to
you as though the traffic were unlawful,
as the word Of God does not reslly forbid
1t when used with moderation and within
reason but on the other hand, these con.
ditions are seldom complied with. Judas
betrayed the beloved Son OF God for thirty
pieces Of silver, for gain; true he was
afterward filled with remorse and threw
away his hire. The same evidence sug-
gests a thousand excuses. You think
there Is money 10 be made in the traffic
without once thinking Of the conse-
quences. Would you deliberately lead
your own child to destruction? Would
you take beloved brother by the hand
and take him TO the brink Of certain and
fearful death and there leave him 10
perishS How then are you to make
your excuses to God for leading another
into evil ior the sake Of your purse. You
say you do not urge them TO drink 10 ex.
cess; but you ought 10 know that it will
finally lead to that. Remembering how
fearful is the desolation and knowing
how strong ia the temptation and that
1t will shortly lead to excess, you feel
prompted 10 caution him; avarice steps
10; you think the more that Ia sold the
more gain there is, You don't care II
1t 10 the gain of Judas. There ia danger,
exceeding great danger. Therefore /
advise you to seek other employment.
The Bible says that we must visit the
widows and orphans, and do all in our
power to lessen the evil brought into
the world in consequence Of sin. What
are these men doing to remove all this
weight Of sorrow? Suppose Yon saw
yourneighbors' children 10 danger, would
you let them go 10 destruction with the
exCnse that you were not their keeper ?
This Is what you say about the traffic ;
you are not responsible tor the evil. But
tell you you are. In the account OF
Cain and Able, God took the opportunity
to tell Us that in a certain sense we are
all brothers and are responsible to Him
for the loss OF the least Of US II the rest
have not done their duty. We hold a
mutual relation to each other, and il Is
our duty 10 care for all, and II we offer
no one drink we will lead no one into
temptation And even suppose that
you will not sell or give 10 excess,
yet you are suspected Of having done
It. You are classed with those who
60 to the greatest extremes, and COM
NIT the greatest excess. Are you will
ing 10 rest under the suspicion Are
you willing to be, classed among
those who have committed crime which
God has forbidden, although you may not
be one ot them? And then another point;
the gain which one receives from this
source seldom remains. A man who
spends his life in dealing IN liquor often
finds creeping into his own house the
the evils which he sends into others. II
Is almost impossible in this traffic not to
partake yourself. Catholics, turn away
from this traffic, and leave It 10 those who
can look on all its evils and horrors with.
out one pang of compunction OF feeling
OF remorse. Leave It to those who care
not Tor tho welfare Of their neighbors,
and care not for the love of God. Re-
member the sacred thirst and agony Of
Jesus, and let the remembrance teach
you that that you are called upon to make
sacrifices and practice seltdenial.
The Bishop then spoke of a Catholic
organization which had been started
some time since in aid Of the temperance
cause, and read the order OF exercises,
which requires all Catholics to pray on
certain days for the suppression Of the
evil. he closed with an exhortation 10
all present, and especially young men, TO
come forward after the bcned!ction and
sign the pledge.