Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-05-19
Lecture by Mr. Cough.

Ihe following Is an extract lro'ii MI
Coughs lecture on Temperance, de!iy-
cred on the 2lst of April, in the Taber-
sacle built for Mr.. Moodys service, in
Boston. The extract, we hope will be
read generally by our readers
Now want to speak more particular
ly for a few minutes to those who have
suffered, and if.there are any here who
are suffering from the effects of drink
you know as wen as can tell you the
power of the appetite, you know what
it is to break it eff, you know the awful
struggle that there is, and have heard
a great many men say, since Mr.. Moody
has been preaching here and in Chicago
and in New York and in Philadelphia,
that if the Grunkards become Christians
they can reform from the drink. a
great many men have said 10 me, 81
can reform without becoming a Chris
tian." am not one of those. who will
say TO you that you cannot quit drink
unless You become a Christian, but l
say this, within my experience, that nine
out OF ten who try it fail. There are
men who have abstained from drink all
their lives who have been afterward
drunkards and have died with no belief
in the power of the grace of God. |
will give you an Illustration of what
mean. A gentleman that | know mar
ried into an excellent family land he
says l may tell the story and give his
name at any time) and got so far abas-
ed that he coald drink quart of brandy
a day, how he stood it no one knows, a
man of a strong, constitution, splendid
physique, out he drank his quart a day,
a good business man, and his associates
were very much distressed about him,
he had u lovely wife and three boys,
and one day he was in the house and he
said to his wife, "Come my dear, and
sit Oh my knee" She came and sat,
and then she said, "If my husband
didn't drink | would be the happiest
woman in Canada" "Well," he said,
married you to make you happy,
and l ought TO do everything | can to
make you happy, and if that will make
you happy l will never drink another
drop as long as I live" That was !
years ago, aud he has never tasted a
drop from that day to this. lie cut
it off just as clean as you would cut of
piece of cheese. That man had a
mighty will, but l want to tell you
something else. Walking with him up
Young street one day last winter be
said, "You see that red saloon, have
gone two blocks out of my way many a
time to keep out of the way of that,
when | came in sight Of it and began TO
feel queer l turn right down Front
street, but since l have got the grace OF
God in my heart | can so right by that
place and if | find the slightest inclina-
ton TO enter | can calculate the prayer
God help me and l go right along.
The first was risk, the second was
absolute security and safety. (APplause)
1t will not do for us 10 say a man can,
not quit drink unless he becomes a
Christian, but he is running li:k every
day of his life and out Of 10, if not l0
out of 20, fail.
want to lead men to this point. II
You will reform, exercise all the power
that You have left, all the energy that
you have, and trust in God, and IL is a
sure hing, sure. In Ohio I went into
a car, and there was only one vacant
seat, and l asked a gentleman if could
occupy it; he said, Yes, Mr.. Cough, |
will be very glad to have you. "Thank
you, sir, for your courtesy" lie said, 81
heard you speak last night, and went
home 10 my wife and told her | would
never drink any more liquor. l never
made promise ike that before. am
a man Of my word, and she knew
meant it, and supposed she would be
tickled about it and pleased, but instead
of that she looked at me in halt wild
sort of a way, and burst ont crying,
and then went down on her knees. i
am not one of that sort; don't believe |
have been on my knees since J. was s
years old, as for church | don't know
what the inside of it looks like. When
| saw her down on her knees | didn't
like it and said, "What in thunder are
you Oh your knees for, cannot you
hear?" | went to bed sulky, and when
I got up in the morning | wanted whis-
Ky and nothing else; tried to eat some
breakfast, the more | chewed it the big
ger it grew, | could not swallow it,
nothing could l take but hisky, must
have some whisky; | am man OF some
property and l am going now to see a
piece of property which bought when
l was drunk. / am going among
friends and among temptation, and [
would rather be carried home dead to-
night than carried home drunk; | am a
man of my word aud l never broke my
word to man or woman, and am proud
of the fact" We went on little while
and his eyes began to FIJI with tears.
He said: "Mr. Cough, you may think
it very strange of me, but | have been
on my knees myself this morning for
over an hour" 'Have you?" "Yes, l
have, the first time in my life that | can
remember since / was little boy" |
said, "My friend, keep there and you
will go home sober tonight l tell
you they may make as much sport of
prayer as they please, and say that it is
abominable nonsense to talk about
prayer-gauges and such stuff, but do
you believe a man ever drank a glass of
liquor while he was praying God to
keep him from il? No. Then there is