Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-16
Bishop Haven's FIrat Wnk.Punch.
From the New York World. Nav 3l.l

bishOp Ravens FIrat Wtlk.Pumch.
From the New York World. May Sl.l
Bishop Haven has been making one Of
his characteristic speeches before the
Maryland State Temperance Alliance.
He quoted from the Bible to show that
temperance was advocated in its earliest
records7-whieh, with all due Difference
to Bishop Gil Haven, is by no means the
case, as (omitting any reference to Solo.
mon, and saying nothing Of the imper-
fections of King James translation, il
he will turn to the forty-third chapter Of
Genesis he will ind the fact that Joseph
celebrated hisreunion with his brethren
by a right royal carouse-"they drank
and we're merry" is the rendering. which
was so weak hat the conscientious com
mentstor felt himself bound to add in the
margin drank largely"-recorded with
out a word OF disapproval. Then Bishop
Haven added, with an evident inelina-
ton, as the French would phrase it, to
pass bis tongue round his ears in ecstatic
remembrance, that "he remembered the
frat drink of liquor he had taken, forty
years ago. 1t was milkpunch, andwas
given him in a harvest field. He said
he thought it was the best thing he had
aver tasted. He had been tempted to
drink it ever since, but had never yield.
ed" The revelation thus afforded does
the highest honor to Bishop Haven, both
as a man ard a moralist, His apprecia-
tive account of the hour, the time, the
where and when he first tasted milk.
punch, stamps him a man whom 1t is Is
pity to see wasted as a Bishop, q believer
in a third term, and a friend Of prohibi.
tory enactments. II was a milk-punch
OF forty years ago, 10 the days when a
happier generation of COWS did their
duty without the aid of chalk, calves
brains and the other constituents of pure
Orange county milk from Jersey City,
and when fusel-oil, ~tannin, caramel, al
mond cake, methyll ic spirit, molasses
and catechu were not essential elements
in the evolution Of pure liquors. Bishop
Ravens first milk-punch was, we make
no doubt, compounded by q venerable
deacon and served up by his plump
armed daughter. 1T was" adds the
Bishop, with the fine touch of poetry
needed to complete the picture, given
him in the harvest field" No more was
wanted. The good Bishops words recall
a tanned expanse Of hay, or a field of
golden maize or rustliug wheat, through
which, from morn till fervid noon, he had
piled the whistling seythe or the raspiug
sickle. Sore as to his back, tired as to
bis arms, perspiring as to his whole body,
he received the welcome order to knock
off for incoming" and in this delicious
state of lassitude and rest his first milk
punch dawned upon him. For forty
arid years since Bishop Haven has been
traversing the wilderness Of this world
unirrigssed with miIk-punoh or similar
delectable beverage, but. be added, in
his Baltimore speech, latter a pause
wherein be lived over again that time of
transport "he thought it was the best
thing be had ever tasted. We have no
doubt it was, and we feel proud that the
Bishops audience was so appreciative IS
TO receive his statement with a deep
breath Of reflective appreciation ratker
than vita stormy demonstrations of ap.
plause AS we have already said, we re-
greet that Bishop Haven has not tasted
liquor since, but the fact only e%unobles
him in our estimation-only increases
our admiration for him. II is the habit
oftemperance advocates and other social
reformers to damn the sins for which
they have no mind, to claim credit for
avoiding thirgs they can't afford or
which don't agree with them Net SO
Bishop Haven. He speaks with con.
naissdnce de cause; he tasted milk
punch, and he has liked the t8ste. and
yet he has refused further to indulge in
the beverage. This is The highest cour
age Of ones opinions; and the good
Bishops frank confessions have c)m.
PEELED in US q respect Rnd affection ier
their author, 10 which regret that HAVING
once had an adequate experience Of
milk.punch, he abjured it as even an
occasional beverage, is tempered by ad.
miration of tke moral foriitude Of the
man who drank and liked but drank nc
more.