The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-04-18

50 100. II lew ID aiISA warn Guc
physician said to him, "Here is
some medicine, give it to this pa
tient; but, mark, it is poison, give
it in drops; give it in small broken
doses" The poison had been dis
solved in brandy. He smelt the
brandy. The old habit came over
him. He did not give it to the pa
tient, but drank it himself. Tie
dose came near killing him. He
knew it would, but he was a slave
and was bound to his master.
knew well lady in a distant
State who contracted the habit of
eating morphine or opium. Her
husband refused to buy it. She
would get it secretly; she would sell
her clothes for morphine. She
would have been willing to die, and
would gladly have given her life
for the horrible poison. She could
not break off from her madness, and
died at last the victim of a habit
which she could not overcome. She
was wife and mother, but she lost
sight of these holy ties in her fond
ness for opium. l have seen many
woman ruin her health by the
foolish habit of tight lacing. l
have known many man that did
not live out half his days because
of the wicked habit of drinking
liquor. l have seen a man suffer
ing untold horrors because he had
brought on the govt by. eating large
quantities of the richest food. l
have seen many homes dark, dreary
and desolate because the parents
had contracted the habits of idle
ness. Idle habits waste mind and
muscle, and bring want and woe.
The one habit OF drunkenness has
produced more crime, and saddened
more homes, and crushed mora
hearts than you could count in
years. The habit of gambling has
robbed the young, killed time, har-
dened the feelings, and turned many
a man almost to a fiend. The habit
of doing all for self has made mans
heart as hard as stone. The habit
of profanity has destroyed often all
respect for religion, all reverence
for God and all regard for the
pious. The habit of RIGHTEOUSNESS
has sunk those, once pure and good,
to the lowest dens of infamS, 41d
caused them to engage in scenes
vile enough to fill the bosom of
fiend with shame.
So, then, habit rules the world.
All human beings form habits either
good OF bad, Good habits help the
benevolent to give with a liberal
hand. They assist the righteous in
doing justice and loving mercy and
walking humbly with his God.
They make him strong in the pres
ence of temptation, and give him
power to conquer. They give au-
thority to virtue, increase to power
of conscience and proclaim God su-
preme. They help in every work
of piety to God and of duty to man.
They give more energy to prayer,
and greater strength to high re-
solve. They make the family de
light and fill the home circle with
joy and peace. When you become
men and women you must say that
you never became the slave of bad
habits; that you never learned to
eat opium or drink brandy; that
you never made appetite your mas
ter; that you never INDUCED in pro
family or vulgarity; that you learned
to pray while young, and that you
kept it while you lived.
L have written to you so much
on habits because now is the time
to form your habits for life. write
to you because have seen the
great and noble surrender 10 a bad
habit and ruin their prospects for
this world and for the world to
come.
You are on the voyage of life.
You must sail over this sea until
you reach your port in safety; or
until, wrecked and ruined, you sink
to rise no more. Bad habits rise-
up like huge breakers, to split the
ship and send tie freight TO the
bottom. They come over LIES voy-
age like successive storms which |
will sweep you to ruin and to death.
l knew one man who, by one single |
habit, ruined an entire Beighaor-
hood of promising young men
Their life voyage ended at the be
ginning amid darkness and despair.
Ruined by the influences Of one bad
habit, they brought sadness to their
homes, YFeachedsess TO their friends
and ruin to themselves.
You that have studied geography
know what there is upon the'coast
IF Norway, terrible whirlpool, and
hat when once vessel gets within
hat whiri 40 power can possibly 4 ]
arm away its dreadful doom. 1t is
said that once a royal party moved