Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-06-08
Temperance.

On the subject Of temperance we are
liable TO be misunderstood. Our aver
sion to the whiskey business Is likely to
be understood as aversion to the men
who engage in this wicked work. This
is unjust, and the distinction should be
kept clearly in mind.
We are ready to take to cur arms and
heart the man who either makes or /
sells liquor, ifhe will only quit bis dia-
bolical work. Such an one has soul
purchased by the blood Of Christ. That
soul has cost as much ss the soul OF
Paul, or Luther, or Calvin, or Wesley.
love the man and feel interested in
him because Of this more than this,
such an one possesses capabilities OF
substantial usefulness in the commune
ty. BE might be, and ought to be, and
by the grace of God may be, man Of
prayer. A man who will frequent
Gods house. A man who will keep
the Sabbath day holy. A man who
will set an example Of purity before his
family. A man who will be friend to
the poor. A man who will improve
society and make other men better. |
A man who will teach and advise other
M en- to love their wives and children
and make them comfortable and happy.
A man who will influence another man
to save his money, and spend his spare
time at home-fulflling his matrimonial
vows, 10 "love, honor, and cherish"
her who gave to him her young hearts
purest love. a man who may become
a model of fpiety, an ornament to socie-
ty, and leader in all that is yirtuous
and OF good report. A man who
might be welcomed into the best fami-
lies in the community. Is there any
rea,on why we should not be anxious
to see such an enc in business that
would allow US to take him gladly 10 our
hearts-love him and confde in him
and honor him? All this we would do
and more, so far as the man is con.
cerned, but the business in which he is |
engaged will not permit it. And a
very painful fact is, that hls business so |
dulls his finest feelings, so.emasculates
bis manhood, and so degrades him N
his own eyes, that be really seems to
glory in his own shame, and he appears
to enjoy life with all these disabilities
and foul stains upon him. Surely there |
IS enough in such a case to excite the |
sympathy Of all right-minded people,
and to call forth their prayers for his
salvation. And the best OF US might
have been in no better business, had
it not been for the grace Of God; and
what grace has done for one, it can and
may do for another.
To engage in and continue in the
sale of liquor so effectually isolates a
man from good society that he has o
correct judgment as to what constitutes
good character, nor has he any appre-
citation OF it. He comes to- regard 1t
as quite trivial matter and rather as
an amusement to listen to the driYelling
inebrate's profanity and filthy obsceni-
". He becomes man who jests about
prayer, religion and the sacredness Of
the Lords day. A man unto whom
bis family never look for example in
that which is good. A man who cares
little, If at all, who suffers through
poverty, ifonly be is making money; a
man who prefers that society shall not
be improved-that would iniure his
business; a man who cares not for the
unhappy wife and needy children of his
tipping customer, bat prefers that the
hard working man should pay him a
liqusr bill weekly Of three to FIVE dollars
or more, rather than take that amount
home on Saturday night in money, food
or clothing to his wife and children
a man who doubtless will sell liquor on
the Sabbath, and to minors or drunk
ards as he may have opportunity;
man who would rather see his ne ighbor
frequent bar-room than a church a
man who feels personally injured when
a drinking man is converted to God
man who will deem tia luxury to see
his neighbor dragged from the Lords
house and people, from the society of
the good and from an upright life into
the drinking saloon-into profanity,
RIGHTEOUSNESS, debauchery, degradation
and want a man who will become an
open ally of Satan in all that is earthly,
sensual and devellsh; a man who is
aabolically happy (') when he can de-
coy the noble youth away from his
father's wa!ch-care and his mothers
prayers, into the bar-room and then
send him reeling through the streets:
man who will sell whisky TO his neigh
Dor and then spurn him from his door in
bis beastly intoxication and stupor to
perish in the streets or become the
prey of bighwaymen man who lives
and labors 10 break up the foundations
of society and build up pandemonium
"A council chamber of evil spirits IN
every community man who would
rejoice to snatch his plous and reformed
fellow-cltizen and.ueighbor from within
sight of heaven-from within haillng
distance Of its holy inhabitants,I and
thrust him down soul aud body into
hell, provided he might have him fall
by the way of his bar-room and there
empty his pockets.