Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-31
Temperance.
The Power Of Strung Drink.

The Power Of Strong Drink.
One evening, last fall, messenger wa
sent to me begging me 10 come Immediately
10 certain room in wretched rear tene
ment, where little child lay apparently dy
ing. I found, ON my arrival there. that
had been summoned TO baptize a little baby
of some fourteen months. II was lying in O
rude cradle. over which the mother and
I father were sohbing piteously. Their story
was plainly written IN the room IL wa.
! fallen" and one glance at the man added
I the cause. through drink" His face was
/ thin and sickly nothing vicious about IT,
but everything noble energetic, spiritual
gone had rather look into an evil face
whore force remains, than into such on,
full of the cmbcrs and ashes Of noble forces
even natural weakness is less sad than the
unnatural weakness Of a wreck lie was
sober and remorsciu now, and begged me
piteously TO baptize his baby.
We was baptized in the old country sir
and always went to church regular and re-
spectacle like. We's fallen away sir, but do
baptize the little one it makes us feel so
hcathcnish to see him dying. and we never
had him baptized"
For the sake of % faithful mother, we hap
tizcd the child God bless these faithful
women clingng to wrecked husbands II
WINS n solemn scene. They both kuclt. the
mother holding the gasping child across her
knees and the husband answering the sol.
cmn charge with
IL will try, sir, viii. God help me l'
and the woman adding
Yes, Johnnie, we will try, aud you must
pray, dear; won't you, old boy 2"
One week after he was persuaded TO come
10 our chapel, and came, bringing with him
several comrades They were present as at.
teutive listeners TO all the services Of the
day, and | shall not soon forget his thin, ea.
ger face upturued towards the pulpit-a
face that was prayer for help. That night
as he went 10 bed. he said to his wife, bend.
ing over the still sick, but reviving child
=" Wen. Sally old girl how has to-day
pleased We
"Nicely. Johnnie, if it could only 60 on
" Say your prayers my girl, and I'll pray
too perhaps il Will
But it was already too late for reform
God grant not too late for repentance and
forgiveness, That night he was taken sick
and in the morning. W hen he started for hi.
work, he was sick and nervously trembling.
They parted at the door. full of hope
The patient wife, holding the sick babe
cried after him.
" Now remember, Johnnie; you wouldn't
be spending your sick child's money fol
drink to-day would you, dear a"
And the poor, oyer-coniident man called
back into the room:
Never fear, Sally, my girl I've bidder
farewell to drink
But night came and passed, and Johnnie
did not return to the anxious, waiting wo
man. Tuesday the newsof his long absence
was sent to the chapel, and Wednesday
morning | kuelt in Bellevue hospital 10y the
bedside of a poor, iibbcring wreck. Ii was
all that was left OF Johnnie. a few hours
after he left his home on that Monday morn
ing, the police found an intoxicated man
lying on the sidewalk, injured 10y fall oven
a pile of stone. and frantic with delerium
They carried him in a straight Jacket to the
hospital The rest of his story is soon told
Friday broke the news of his death to a
sobbing widow, around whom the frightened
children clung saturday. a plain pine cof
fin stood in the little room; and SUNDAY
lust one week from that first day of sobriet,
and sabbath keeping. we bore him. after
a few solemn words, and committed him
"ashes to ashes, and dust to dust" Thel
the old, old story of struggling widow anC
three small children began its first chapter
The man from the corner grocery his none,
box stained with the price of this home
came to see how much of the bill he coul,
collect. The room promised little he prob
ably felt the only regret he could for tn
last few drinks he sold Johnnie-regret tina
thew never would be paid for-and left tn
room with the comforting remark:
"There's an old glrret up stairs; yo
ought to move up. It's cheaper. and goo
enough for a widow the likes o YOU"
Do YOU realize what power il takes I
reform drunkard? There seems no hop
for him short of conversion and refuge /