Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-09-21

4 y
tirely from strong drink There is no
certainty that you will become vic
TINS it you begin to indulge, but there
is risk.
Some say, 50 can govern myself; /
have mind of my own" What
would you think of Captain of
steam vessel who would put on full
head OF steam, and then knock down
the man at the wheel? Or, of the
conductor on a railroad, who would
let on the steam and then disable the
engineer? You would say he was
reckless man. The steamer or the en-
gine might get through without acct
dent, but 1t might go crashing to de-
Structlon. So when person, using
chat which weakens the power of his
Will. depends on his weakened will to
serve hlm-uSing that which warns
his judgment, and then depends on
his warped judgment to guide him
using that which affects his self-con-
trel, and then trusts his deranged self
control to keep him from danger-he
is reckless. Simply because some men
drink and do not become drunkards,
can you? / once saw a man stand on
a small platform outside the spire of
church, and look down on the pave
ment $50 feet below. Because he did
1t, can you? Think of these things
before you run the risk, and remember
what the risk is.
Our principle is lawful. We have
been told it is contrary to the Scrip
lures. One gentleman said to me.
IF you can find a command in the
Bible, Thou shalt abstain from intoxi-
eating liquors as a beverage, will alb
stain; but not till then" Dear chill
dren, we want you to love the Bible,
to obey the precepts of the Bible; but
in view of the evils of incompetence,
and in view of its cause, we ask of the
Bible only permission to let liquor
alone. We lay our hand on this blessed
book and ask, May we abstain? You
do not search the Bible for a COM
mand, Thou shalt abstain from gam
bling; from dog fighting; from horse
racing. Just in proportion to your
love for the Bible will you abstain
from these things, because they are
detrimental to the best interests of
society according to Bible principles.
1 Intn
caused by the use of strong drink;
since in proportion to the use of
such drink drunkenness increases
OF diminishes; and since the most
that can be said for this drink is that
it is a needless luxury, and that
the world would be better and purer
without it-therefore, you say, l viii
abstain, and give the weight of my in
fiuence, as long as [ live, on the side
Of abstinence, sobriety and purity.
This is in accordance with the teach
ings of the Bible.
| How many of us, who are growing
old, wish we could be boys againI
| Why? Because we see SO many things
to regret, so many wrong turns we
have taken. To be boy, with life
before you, with the clean page on
which to write your record, with OPP
portunities coming that you can i'm
prove-what a position, what a privi-
lege! To be an old man, with a record
all stained and blotted, knowing that
no mortal hand can clean the page;
with opportunities unimproved, and
lost never to return-thiS is dreadful!
A wicked man, who had been a
stage driver, was, during the last few
days OF his life, very uneasy, and on
his death-bed he constantly moved his
feet, and looked distressed. When
asked by his wife, "Harry, what is
the matter?'' he said. "Oh, Pm on an
| awful down grade, and / can't find the
brake" Dear young friends your feet
are ON the brake. Keep them there
You have, under God, the future in
your power; your destiny in your own
control. Remember there is no one
evil in the world before which so many
fall, as the evil of intemperance.
l most earnestly desire that the
youth Of our country, especially our
Sabbath-school scholars, shall give all
their influence against this great evil.
May God help you to avoid the perils
in life's journey, and the traps that
are set for your feet, SO that from your
place of safety you may reach out
your hand to help the tempted who
are struggling in their chains, and
may by self-denial be enabled to full
fill the law of Christ" by helping
some poor, burdened souls into the
higher life of purity and freedom.
M. Ratti. in the Reoista FOto-
graphta, gives the following as an eco