Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-05-05
Lecture by MIR. Cough.

The following Is an extract from Mr..
Coughs lecture on Temperance, deliv-
cred on the 2lst of April, in the Taber-
nacle built for Mr. Moody's service, in
Boston. The extract, we hope will be
read generally by our readers
think no person could occupy the
position occupy tonight without be-
ing weighed down under sense of the
responsibility of the position-to speak
to such an audience of thinking men
and thinking women as are assembled
in this building tonight. l am to speak
to you on the subject Of temperance,
theme that is very dear to me. When
look back to 81 or 35 years ago, and
remember the hand that was laid on my
shoulder as l walked the streets of the
city of Worcester as forlorn aud hope
less as any man that ever stood or sat
within the walls offhis Tabernacle, re-
member the utter prostration with the
desire for better things, but no hope;
with ambition for something better, but
no expectation; with pride enough, but
no energy, no freshness Of feeling, and
although 35 years have passed since the
day l signed the charter of my free
dom, and it looked upon that paper like
the signature OF Stephen Hopkins on
the Declaration of Independence, re-
member distinctly the feeling, the SEN
timent. the circumstances of that time,
and they were brought before me this
afternoon very vividly. Blu / will not
occupy time in speaking of my own per-
sonal experience; come to you with
the result of 81, 80 years observation
among the drinking men among those
who are engaged in the noble work OF
reform, and as they all say use more
illustration than argument, tell more
stories than l use logic, l wish to relate
an incident that occurred in my own
experience but short time since.
A young Scotchman called to see me,
who showed me his diploma as a ply
sician. He was a graduate of Edin-
burgh University, fne-looking fellow,
as handsome man as ever walked the
streets, but being marked and SCARED
by this enemy. After some converse
ton he left me, and his last words rung
in my ears, his last words brought the
tears TO my eyes, and think | shall
never forget them. Standing before
me he said 81 am very much obliged
TO you, MIR. Cough; you have given me
your time, and you have told me the
truth, but it's ma use, and there is ma
hope. Shake hands with me, will you,
l am lost laddie," and he went away.
As saw him going out, stalwart and
strong, in the pride of health, 81 am a
lost laddie," my eyes filled with tears,
and in the night awoke, hearing the
cry of dsspairing man, 81 am lost
laddie." How many lost laddies are
there to-day, in these United States,
how many are there il this city of Bos-
ton, and l could not help thinking this
afternoon as think now as | look upon
this audience, what are we assembled
for! To bring home and freedom and
salvation to lost laddies in Boston, to
tell them there is hope for them, to stir
them up into natural ambition to bat
tie with the evil that has held them SO
many years, and stand up free men,
saved, saved by ihe power OF the grace
of Him who is able to save to the at
termost all those that come unto Him.
Now want to say few words, and
they will be tonight, with very little
connection, all bearing as far as / can
make them, upon the question: How do
men become drunkarIs? | maintain this,
that every man who becomes drunk
ard, becomes so in trying to be mod
crate drinker and failing. Now there
are some men that can drink moderate
ly. 1 should be very foolish to stand
before an audience like this and say a
moderate drinkeris worse than drunk-
ard, that if man drinks he must be-
come drunkard. There are men who
can and do drink moderately, and there
are some Christian men who do and
can drink moderately. Now | want to
say a word or two to moderate drinkers
before l 60 farther They are the hard
est cases in the world TO move, because
they have not lost reputation, they have
not lost property, they are not bearing
the terrible burden of their sins as some
of these intemperate men are, and there
fore are hard to reach. 81 never hurt
myself by drinking, l don't see that l
am injuring myself in any degree by it"
and they are the hardest cases in the
world to move SO / want to say at
once to the moderate drinker, You can
drink moderately, perhaps-there are
some men that cannot, for certain. l
could not be moderate drinker; l could
no more be a moderate drinker than
you could blow up powder magazine
moderately, or fire off gun little at
time. Iaughter) have tried it
and failed. You say you are weak
minded man. Very well, have it at
that if you choose. 1 tell you, sir, if ]
am so weak-minded that / cannot drink
moderately, thank God l am strong
enough to let it alone altogether. ZAP
plause.) l want to say to moderate
drinkers, drink if you will, drink if you
must, but don't you dare to tell these
young men that you set them a good
example. How do you knowi
was once in town in New York
and saw a church that was building,
with very superb, symmetrical spire.
From a small window, high up, plank
was pushed out about ten feet and held