The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-03-12
A True Story.

In the central part of Pennsylvania,
in town of about two thousand iDhab-
itants, Bacchus reigned supreme. The
young men were fast becoming his vic
tins. Protractcd meetings were held,
but seemed to be ofno avail. One eve
ming at the close of the exercises, let
ter was read, stating that Colonel s., a
reformed inebriate, would like to come
and labor in behalf of the temperance
cause.
Many objected, but correspondence
was opened aud the Colonel engaged.
The day came, but the Colonel, who
had been drugged on the way, appear
ed at the meeting very much intoxica-
ted. lie was taken from the lecture
room and told that it was of no use for
him to do anything in that place. He
pleaded with them: "Do not send me
away; give me chance to redeem N.Y.
self. | have not tasted liquor before in
two years" He wept bitterly and
knelt and prayed most earnestly. The
crowd below, who overheard him, were
moved to tears. He was kindly pro-
vided for, but his cravings were so ter
rible, that the next morning he was at
his cups again. While under their it,
fuence, he made most excellent tenn,
perance addresses TO the young men.
This continued for nearly three days.
The expressions of indignation
against him were strong; yet, in spite
of all opposition, one of the committee
said to Colonel SIS wife, who had come
in search of him: "When he gets all
right, bring him back to me, and l will
go to every member in The congrega-
ton and ask permission for him to
speak in the church, if it is refused.
will apply for the town hall, and il that
fails, he shall stand upon nay porch and
speak," The Colonel did return a re-
newed man. He signed the pledge
again, and confessed his sin before
crowded house. al leaned upon my
own strength, said he, l pulled my
hand out OF Gods hand, and so / fell"
He was intensely interesting as he de-
scibed his struggle to get hold OF that
hand again, how, over and over, he had
knelt down in the snow upon the high
road. He continued speaking thus
every night for two weeks.
AS result of his labors, one thous-
and three hundred signed the pledge, a
woman's temperance union, also one
among the men, were formed. The
town was canvasscd for signers to re-
monstrance against the liquor license,
the result of which is, no license! One
of the best physicians of the town is on
his feet again; one of its lawyers looks
like a new man, and has since joined
the church, and there is joy in many a
home because of it. The friends of
Bacchus pour forth their venom in such
expressions as 81 could kill that Col. S.
for if he had not come here the license
would have been granted" and like
expressions against those who were the
means of lifting him from the gutter.
One of the churches has decided that
it will expel any member who signs an
application for license. They consider
that it is disreputable to put their names
to such an application and have them
published in the town paper. One hotel
which has had license for sixty years
is closed, and the people rejoice, not on
account of the landlord, but because OF
the saved ones, the happy homes, the
order and sobrcty which now prevails.
Col. S. has done agreat work In two
other towns, and still the work goes OH.
|-[Christian at Work.