The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-03-05
What Grace Has Done.

There seems, after all, to be nothing
that will ef1ectually cure the wretched
and unhappy inebriate from the evil
habits into which he has fallen except
the grace and power of Almighty God.
Human instrumentalities have hereto
fore, at least measurably, failed i'm this
great undertaking. Hence it is that
there is a constant appeal going up to
the church and the ministry in behalf
of those who have fallen victims to this
most terrible habit. One or two SER
mons year on the subject of intemper-
ance will not do. 1t ought, either ,di-
rectly or indirectly, to be kept con-
stanty before the people, and the
pulpit should earnestly and fearlessly
engage in this work. Let man be
soundly converted to God, and he will
abandon the use of intoxicating liquors
as well as every other evil habit.
We will cite but single instance,
out of many we are acquainted with,
of what the grace of God has done in
this particular. About a quarter of a
century ago, in one of the states of the
Union, there was an industrious and
respectable mechanic, living with his
wife and two children, in home of his
own, which he purchased and paid for
out of the proceeds of industry. This
home consisted of neat, well-furnish-
ed house, with about six acres of land
attached to it, which was very pro-
ductive, and upon which were several
outbuildings, OF convenient and suit
able character. His stock correspond
ed TO the size of the little farm-two
horses, as many cows, few agricul-
tural implimcnts, sheep, swine and
poultry. The trade this mechanic fol-
lowed was that of house-carpcnt
appropriating only his leisure moments
to the cultivation of the land upon
which his dwelling was erected.
If any one in this world can be said
to have been contcntcd with his sur
roundings, it was this plain, honest,
Woodworking mechanic. He was al
most idoizcd by his wife and children.
lie "owcd no man anything" and he
was respected and esteemed by all his
neighbors and acquaintance. In an
evil hour he was induced by friend
to take, with him, glass of intoxicat-
ing liquor, and from that time began TO
indulge in it frequently and repeatedly.
The result was that he became an bab-
tual drunkard. His business left him,
his work upon his land was neglected,
and he finally came to want. Article
by article of his personal property was
sold by him for money to crafty his
appetite, and in a short time every
thing was gone except few trifllng
pieces of furniture and two little cattle
he priced most highly, but which he
finally parted with for the following
sad price-he traded them to a LIQUOR
dealer for two barrels of whiskey.
which had been brought home and
safely stored away in the cellar.
About this time there was a revival
of religion going on in one of the
churches in the ncighborhood, and in
the evening he wandered down in that
direction, in state Of semi-intoxica-
ton. lie entered the house of God,
and while the solemn exercises were
going on became sober. When the i'm.
vilation was given, he rose in his place
aid asked the prayers of the congrcga-
ton in his behalf. People who knew
him well shook their heads, and whis-
pered to each other:
go that will not last long. He will
be drunk again tomorrow.
But he wasn't. The next night he
was at the meeting again, and the next
and the next, and finally he went homo
a soundly converted man. lie arose
the next morning, and sent for a neigh
Dor, who assisted him with the two
whisky barrels, and they were carried
from the cellar to the yard, and there
their heads were stove in, and the con-
tents ran ont upon the ground. Previ-
ous to this, however, he tapped a
single bottleful of it, and had pressed
the cork hard down, so that it could |
not easily be removed. This he placed |
upon the mantel-piece in the kitchen,
and then called his wife and children to |
him. Turning to his wife, he address |
I'd her in these words:
"Mary do You see that whisky-bottle |
there?"
eyes, john" she replied, 81 do, and |
nave often seen j. there before"
"Well, Mary" he said, "that whisky |!
bottle will stand there until / am car
lied out of this house a corpse. Let us
pray.
And there, in that cold kitchen, with
no eye TO SEQ them save that of the |
Saviour who had come 10 his rescue,
he husband, the wife, and tho two
lear little children, with their patched |
md faded garments, knelt in earnest
md sincere prayer. An appeal went
Up from that little home, TO him who
hears and answers, for the strength
which he alone can give. and for that
race which is sufficient 10 sustain
hem in life's trials.
Tho husband and father was a man
gain, "clothed and in his right mind.n
md ten years after, when love, and
,eace, and prosperity had sanctioned
,nce moro that little home, this hus-
,and and father was carried from
hence to the graveyard, and the whis-
~ bottle, was still standing upon the
,itchen mantle, where he had placed il
ears before.
Signing of temperance pledges is all
light. and we do not object 10 it;
,ut o how important IL is that The
Ict should be accompanied by an entire
hange of heart, and by confiding nj
he same time our whole future to him
Who alone can 6aye.- GChristian Of |