The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-30
A Few Night Thoughts, not by Young,
but by Three Score and Ten,

My pillow is not distant from the oft
frcquerted pathway of many, whose
days work done, go to their homes.
weary, al various evening hours.
They find the wife and children. on
mother and sister, as the case may be.
waiting their coming. Socially and
chcerfully they enjoy their home com
forts, and seek seasonably the nights
rcposc. Labor is sweet in virtuous life.
II is honorable. 1t is desirable.
The evening passes. night shuts in.
The noise and claticr of wheels and
pedestrians, little by little, dies away.
and rest seems to have no interruption.
But hark, At twelve, or one, or two
o'clock hear steps! What cause? Is
a ply sician to be called to some sick
one, whose home friends are reused in
alarm! Or is some crrand of mercy Ia
q ncighbor required: fear different
and more hopeless evil is the cause.
The steps are unsteady. Could | see
the face il would be fluhsed; the coun-
tcnance unhappy, guilty, dreading
more than desiring home. A mother.
a sister, pcrchancc wife has been long
watching and listening for the absent
one. for this truant, just now from
the billiard room, the card table or sa-
loon: "who stands in the way of sinners.
sits in the seat of the scornful," in the
place of ribaldry and mirth!~ At home
they pray for this waudercr. They
remember when he was loving and
obedient, and knew not the way of
transgressors. They pray for his re-
pcntance and reformation. While lac
tarrics in those places Of resort, they
cannot sleep or rest as nature reqilirr-.
and the hours drag wearily. A Loo.
into those hearts might rouse that
young man, if his brain was not giddy
with the fumes of his night resort. lie
gets home and silently goes to his bed
in as much shame as his bewidered
state will allow. lie has no desire to
observe or be observed in the house. |
see his wretchedness when he begins to
come 10 himself. | see the sorrow in-
flictcd upon his family and friends III
view of their sense of what he is, and
what he will be, and | turn in angel
and Indignation upon those who have
enticed him to sin. who for the love
of gain, for a few ''pieccs of silver
have wrought this ruin. Surely such
an one will receive the greater damna-
ton. "Woe TO him who giveth hi
ncighbor drink, who putteth the bottle
to his lips and maketh him drunkcn.'
The vender is thus cursed by God, and
he who takes it-''who tarries at the
wine, hath sorrow, hath contention,
hath babbling, hath redness of eyes"
"At last it bteth like a serpent and
stingeth like an adder" If the biting
and stinging was the first instead of the
last. some might he saved the bitter
end.
This source of disease, of sorrow. of
poverty and crime has small beginnings.
Occasionally-thcn daily-thcn drunk
enness
Young man, hear this voice of three
score and ten! Look not. Avoid
those saloons. Yes, and avoid those
tastefully and beautifully arranged
druggists emporiums also if they use
wickcdly what they call legal!
Let no class of invaders, from he
keepers ofthc lowest grog-shops to ,he
proprietors of our splendid hotels,
despoil Us Of our strong Young men
our hope for state. for country. for
church.
In this beautiful town of Middlebury.
where science has throne: where lite
rature and refinement love to dwell: is
there cause for these night thoughts:
Some of you who doubt, go abroad in
the night, like Nehemiah, and view the
evil, and the waste. and the broken
wall-catch his spirit; devise large
things: talk with lovers of the souls
of men. VIII they not say, 'let Us
arise and buildT If one club makes
away, there is plenty more material.
BE not fearful. Victory is TO The
strong, not to the weak
Nchemiah's success began in prayer
and fasting and weeping. 1t resulted
in the united hearts and hands of the
people, who toilcd amid discourage
ment till the work was accomplished.
Let all good men and women arise in
their strength and together lift higher
the banner of total abstinence from all
that can intoxicate; and forbid that the
law should be the entering wedge and
sanction the implements for undermin-
ing one vault of mental and moral
treasure.
Middlebury, November II. 1877.