The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-06-01
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generous men who gave freely and without
stint.
But the best thing I eau do this evening
is to tell you how God saved me. l am
here to testify to you that the way of the
transgressor is hard. The men who drink
are not mean. You will find good, noble
hearted men who drink and who keep sa-
looms. The first thing to do is to reach
these men. You will find that they have
hearts as well as those who never slipped a
drop of liquor. They love the purity of
their wives, their children. When a man
is hurt by intoxicating drink his friends
drop off; he grows bitter; he INDUCES more
freely in drink; he is ruined. l never could
tell you all l have suffered. l was in a
prison in Portland three months, while my
family was nearly destitute. l was almost
hopeless. My two eldest boys came to me.
They gave up their schools at Portland and
did errands for charitable merchants to
buy bread for their mother. In this way
they kept starvation from the house. To
me they brought little gifts which they
took out of their meagre supply at home.
The time came when they did not come be
cause they had nothing more to give me.
One night letter came to me from my
wife telling me that she was starving; that
there was not a morsel of bread in the
house. l can never tell you how l suffered
that night, nor how much relief l felt in
telling God of all my troubles. l read the
18th chapter of John, and as l stood in
that dark room, / felt somewhat of the
power of God within me- Mr.. Perry, my
stern-visaged jailor, appeared at the door,
lost control of myself. How could ask
help of him? l sat on my bed and shield
ed my face with the open Bible that he
might not see the scalding tears that blind
ed me. He did not pass by. He said:
"Don't be discouraged; there will be better
times for you.' said, 90 Read this letter
that came to me just now; | wish you
would make an appeal for my starving
family" He replied: " will see you re-
leased this very dayp'
That afternoon l was one more a free
Ao pfioSSu I1AtuobSC-PiaSC
some one ran up to me from behind, pair
of arms was thrown about my neck-it
was my oldest boy. He thought l had es
capped, and said "this way, father; our
house is only few doors Of" When l
told him l was coming home to stay, he
darted off in a run. Soon l came to the
little house-my home, l should not have
known it, so bare it was of furniture, so
desolate. My wife was standing at the
door. l said: "Mother, God help me l
shall never taste another drop or sell it,"
She knelt down and asked Gods help that
might keep my VOW. l have kept it, and
God helping me, l will keep it! [Great
applause
have often walked the streets of Port
land hungry, willing to work but unable to
get anything to do. The time comes to
every man when he must assert his man
hood, though you perish in the act. Many
in this city are walking about to night
hungry, homeless, without work. To
them I would say: Don't accept charity
of any man. Don't lean on any one, look
iuS alilleSSly aTouuu lOf SoIuetulDS 10 tuTu
up. If you must have aid ask man
plainly for what you want"
l had only been at home three weeks
when my wife died. Think of my poverty
then, bereft of my wife, destitute of money.
l could get nothing to do. On July 3rd,
1871, the time came when my children
must be separated. My wife's last words
to me were: "Don't let the children
be parted and grow up strangers to each
other" Yet it could not be helped. l had
to send them to an orphans asylum. Food
Or clothing l couldn't get for them At the
last meal we took together, my eldest son
begged me to take part of his bread, be-
cause would need it more than he. Alb,
you little dream of the terrible cup placed
to the lips of the man who has fallen under
the temptation of strong drink. l know
it, and would use every means to sweep it
from the earth-every means that is hon
orable and manly. | know something of
the sting of intemperance, yet | am only
one of hundreds of thousands who have
suffered. l have bought my release from
this scourge. 1t is a grand thing to stand
restored to manhood, with freedom, chill
dren, home.