The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-02-17
Temperance Lecture.
Extracts from discourse delivered by
Rev. G. w. Carr, of Oregon.


We have become so familiar with
some good things that are in themselves
great blessings, that we take but little
notice Of them. They hardly awake
within us a spirit of thankfulness. The
shining sun, the falling rain, health OF
body, y,pcace in our country, home among
friends. s1--
SO upon the other hand. There are
some great evils that are sappins the
life's blood of our nation, our home.
and our strength. To these destructive
influences We are not yet, as people,
awake. Like the waste and grief caused
by the demon of Rum in our fair land
minor facts spread over republics unit
every heart il moved and every mind
determined. A few weeks ago betwee.l
two and three hundred men, out upon
our northwestern frontier, were massa-
cred by the Indians. Since then how
anxious has been the nation and how
| eager the army to chase down and pun
ish those who slew Custer and his men
Tonight we come to speak Of moIa
fearful slaughter, BY the side Of which
that was but child's play. We come
to speak of traffic that slew sc, 900 lasl
year, $4,000 the year before, aud 50,OoD
or more to be slain by it this year.
We wish TO speak of the waste th,
nation allows in this glorious centennial
year; waste ofmoney material, strength.
honor, life and happiness.
DIR. Young is chief of the Bureau oil
Statistics, and from those that are official
he says that the annual cost of liquor
sold over the counter and bar is $780,
GOO, GOO, 900. This amount seems very large
aggeration. The minds of many may
not comprehend this vast sum. Some
may try to excuse and say that the
money is not taken out of the country
only changes hands and is left to circu
late. But what does the purchaser re
ceive for his money when spent for
strong drink? He receives that whicl.
is worse than nothing TINT which none
of us would wish our sons to accept OF.
from the dealer or any one else, even u,
a gift. He receives that which does mol
promote health, comfort, happiness, here
or hereafter. So far as he is concerned,
it would be vastly better for him to casl
his hard earned money into the fire.
The expense to the government OF
putting down the rebellion, was $780,,
600, 900 year for five years. This i'm
mensc cost Of treasure was great, but it
was not all spent in vain. The nation
was saved and chattel slavery was abol-
ished.
We learn from official statistics (snd
exposures of the last year cause us to
judge they are not large enough) that
274, 456, ,376 gallons Of different kinds OF
drink were made. This would allow
seven gallons for each inhabitant of our
. land. Now, if distilled spirits contain
fifty per cent. alcohol, malt five per cent.
wine twenty per cent, then 81 .G65, It's
gallons of pure alcohol were used which
: would be five quarts for each man, wo-
man and child in our land. Should We
wonder at the death rates of our coun-
; try, with so much of fire and poison ia
their veins? To-day what have We iur
all these millions of dollars? We hays
, drunkenness with its follies and crime,
for these drinks are everywhere and ey-
cry time marshaled enemy agains4
; civilization, liberty, justice, humanity.
morality and religion. We have power
ty and accidents on land and sea, insan-
ity, madness, murder, premature old
, age and death. Are all these worth the
; price paid for them?
For years our ears have been familiar
/, with the cry of hard times. Official re-
ports state that more than six hundred
million dollars are annually spent for
drink.
Now ii this vast sum is taken from
the industry of our country, is it moi
, sufficient to cause depression in the na-
ton? If the millions now used for
liquors could be used for the necessaries
. of life, then the demand would be large
ly increased for those staple articles, such
: as mechanics make and our merchants
sell. If our factories and our stores are
| n h,,c thaxr chn,r11 ka e., h.
cause they cannot dispose ftheir goods
And they cannot dispose of their goods
because people have not the money 10
pay for them. 1t is self evident that be
who spends his money for drink, unless
/ he is richer than the majority of us,
. must be deprived of many other thing
y his money would have bought for him
S or his family. An old proverb says, ga
: fool can make money, but it requires s
!. wise man to spend it," We see many
Il around us who make money, but they
o do not spend it like wise men.
+ There is no way more fruitful OF sor
j row and ruin, than the ways of drunk
enness. See the fallen man struggle on
l. the street at MONDAY. See bis down
Q cast look the next day. Think of his
S wife and children As was returning
7 from the east few weeks ago, a drunk
l. en- man came on the train from one OF
e the stations. He was drunk enough to
p be ugly, saucy and profane. The con-
5 ductor tried to quiet him, but could not g.
a He was about TO stop the train and put
!. him of, when Il young lady just blushins
\ into womanhood sitting near. was seen
= weeping. In a moment she arose threw
!. her arms around the drunken man and
5 exclaimed 80, father, for my sake do
n be quiet; don't talk So She tried t.
It hold her white hand over his mouth,
n that she might keep back the effect OF
IS that glass he had taken. The conductor
Il and many on board wept. hut a few
; days ago we saw son watching "A In
' ther on the main street of our city, Ia
i keep him away from those places from
G which he had returned so many times
IA with the spirit of a demon rather than
Y that of kind father. The son said to
o me, Father has said he would drink no
S more, but oh, how l fear" What is
c there in our land that makes homes 50
! unhappy as intemperanoe?
I Cases are not few where persons have
j been expelled from the church for drunk
c enness. Rev. Newman Hall informs us
! that the churches of England lose on al,
l. average one each; so, says he, thirty
thousand are slaughtered every year.
When John Wesley visited New Castle,
O he expelled seventeen for drunkenness
Il and so the work of waste goes on in ey-
|, cry land.
K Praying, working, voting, must not
Is be neglected; and by and by we will
o celebrate victory that will cause pale
Is ness to rest upon the face of the foe
d We can afford TO be misconstrued, mis-
d represented, slandered, complained of.
:. cast out as evil, If we are but battling for
/. the right, and God be with us.
q BY and by after we have left this bat
5 tie field and the battle which we inher-
Is tied nom our fathers left il in the hands