The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-05-06
Warming Words.
ser,non by Dr. Rankin. Of Knoxville.

Sermon by Dr. Rankin, of Knoxville.
Parents may be rs strict and eau
tious with their boys as possible, and
still it is with great difficulty that they
are kept in the path of rectitude.
Especially is this true in our midst to-
day. And why? Because this COM
munity, Notwithstanding It's renowned
institutions of learning crown every
hill, and its church steeples kiss the
clouds, has within its corporate limits
from sixty to seveuty-tive whisky es-
Establishments. This evil, within itself,
is sufficient to damn the boys of any
city on the globe, despite christian
nurture and the exercise Of parental
authority. And the most lamentable
feature of this evil is that these whisky
establishments are maintained largely
by the patroage Of some of our most
respectable and influential citizens.
And even some who make loud pro
fessions of religion and stand high in
the various churches of this city, fre-
quent these places daily, and if they
do not drink themselves, Cand many
of them do they lead young men into
such resorts and they sit down behind
the accursed blind doors and play cards
by the hour. Such conduct is repre-
hensiblc III the superlative degree, and
deserves to be denounced by evrey pull
pit in the land. 1t Is q compromise Of
selfrespect, an outrage upon morality,
and Il burning disgrace to every in
stinct of virtue and gentility. Can
you hope to prevent the boys and
young men from such sinks Of iniqui-
ty, when gray-haired men, and men
of church affiliations keep the ex-
ample before them every day of their
lives? The other day | incidentally
looked from the second story of one
Of prominent buildings into the rear
yard Of a leading grog-sfop; and, TO
my supreme disgust, | saw Just
outside of the door, miser-
able, ragged set Of wretches, drinking,
vomiting and embracing each ether in
frantic delight-the most horrible
sight | every saw. They look worse
and more fifty than Il collection OF
Shiny vermin. just through the win
dows Of the rear end Of the house
could see some ten or twelve feet into
the building. There l saw several ia
blcs with cards aRds and whisky upon
them. Around these there were men
more respectable, i'll appearance only
some were drinking; others playing
cards. l see those very men before
me to-day! They are men whom l
love; but / am heartily ashamed of
them. How a decent man can be
caught in such a place is mystery to
me. As their friend, / stand here to-
day and tell them Of their inconsisten-
cies and disgrace.
l have no meledication to pronounce
upon the poor creatures engaged III
! the whisky traffic. If there are men
for whom my hearts bleeds with pity
and commiseration, it is the men who
have so far lost all sense, Of human
welfare that for the sake of making
money, they viii deal out this heliisi
fluid by the glass and the barrel, anC
thereby corrupt public morals, degrad,
manhood, carry orphanage to children
wid0whood to- mothers, and butcher il
cold blood the hearts and the souls o
the sons Of men God knows that
! pity them with 81 pity that can find IL,
adequate expression Young men be
ware Of their influence, and shun it a
you would the poison Of the deadl,
viper.