The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1878-04-24

strong ground. and have taken root M
sprung mp forthwith, but for want o
depthness of earth. or, rather depthnes,
OF purpose. they will soon wither away
others, again, will fall among thorn-, and
the dcceitlul pleasures of the tempting
cup will soon choke them But much o
the seed which have been sown will find
n lodsment in good ground, and viii
bring forth iruit-some thirty, some six
~, and some an hundred fold.
Some writer has sail: There is tide
in the affairs of men if taken at the flood
leads on To fortune" and we will find
hereafter that many Of the poor inebri-
selves unreservedly to this tidal wave OF
temperance, the food OF which will
bear them on through channel. of honor
aud usefulness down to the great ocean
OF Eternity. There are. to my personal
knowledge. members of this Murphy
society that have long been the slaves OF
Il whisky appetite whose efforts in the
direction OF reform have brought happi-
ness immea-urable To many hearts To
such. can bring to them the pleasing
assurance that their lasting and per-
manent reformation doesn't depend upon
the perpetual existence OF this Murphy
society The power of each individual
reformation is vested within himself, and
nowh here else. 1t is the purpose. the de
termination and the will. that makes
strong the resolve and enables the iniI
vidual to fulfill his VOWS There is no
restraining power in the badge on the
lapel of voIr coat. nor not much in the
pledge you carry in your pocket Now.
il there ia an individual who is passing
through the ordeal of reforming his life
and suhduing his appetite, if he has
willcl and determined IN his own mind
never to touch, taste or handle that which
has been the author of his past undoing.
! can assure him his building is npon
the solid rock; the winds may come and
the rain may beat, adversely NAV OPP
press you, friends aud companions may
taunt you aud jeer at YOU, but all these
and more, too. will not he able to DIS
comiit you nor accomplish yOur over
throw. IT, on the other hand. there are
those who, in their battle with tempta>
lions without ard appetites within. are
| depending for succor and support upon
the restraining power vested in their
badges and pledges. or in sort Of
fanstcal hope or expectation that, as they
in their pledges have invoked the aid of
the Supreme Ruler of the universe, lie
will in some miraculous way or other
transform their natures AMI change and
subdue their appeIites to them conla say,
the SOW hasn't got far from her wa low.
or the dog bcyond the reach of his vomit,
or. in other worl.. you are not far from
your accustomed place in the grog shop
and the gutter, for YOU are building 1t
upon sandy foundation, and its down
fall is inevitable. Your pledges and
badges are powerless for the accomplish
ment of the ends mentioned, As to the
prospect for the Providcntial aid look d
tor, YOU will le rn, 10y waiting and watch
ing, that Providence helps those who
help themselves, and the devil take the
balance. That part at my essay relative
to the past and present Of the temper
ance cause in our country, | will bring to
a close, hoping that the seed that have
been sOwn during the existence of this
temperance revival will he like bread |
cast upon the waters-gaIhered many
days hehce-and that il may live TO bless |
and gladden. MANY homes and hearts |
and be the instrumentaliiy in substitute
ing companionship and happiness for
loneliness and sorrow in thousands OF
rum>cursed homes, long years after Fran
els Murphy and the writer OF this have
passed away and been forgotten. That
portion of my essay relative to the proh> !
approach with Eesitancy and many miss
givinss fearful that my thoughts aud
opinions will he so at variance with the |
stereotyped orthodox notions OF temper
ance that have been bequesthsd to us by
u preceding generation as to subject me
to the charge of heterodoxy. or, worse |
still, of being an enemy to the cause of
temperance reform. Some of my MUIR
ply friends. with more zeal and ardor |
than judgment and forethought, tell us
that this temperance revolution is the
iswning OF a temperance millennium; that !
his reform measure is to be pushed on
over the head of all opposition, until
not only the drinking class have been
embodied within its protecting arms.
hnt until the dea 'ers and manufacturers |
ere p7oselyted, have empreid their decan
ers, surrendered their license. and ahan-
ioned the field to us victorious Murphys |
This, | would infer, is their opinion OF
he probable future of the temperance
canse. Well, a thing must first he pos.
-ihle before it can be recorded among the
possibilities. and il You will follow me
through brief survey of the analysis of
he case, | think | can demonstrate to
the satisfaction of the most sanguine !
Murphy that what you predict or prom-
Use yourselves doesn't come within the
range of possibilities There are in the
United States somewhere about one huns
bred aud forty thousand drinking saloons,
which give employment to an average OF
two men TO each saloon, making two
hundred and eighty thousand engaged in
the business of retailing intoxicating
liquors by the drink. There are at least
an equal number, including distillers,
wholesale dealers and druggists, engaged |