Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-08-10

not need anything. And yet, gentle
men, it is dangerous if used to excess
injuring the system in various ways
, But the effect bearing most on your
: subject is its effect on the nervous svs
: tenn, and especially the brain: First
overstimulation; then hardening thai
, organ, affecting the mind accordingly
first, rendering the subject crazy; then
, stupid, with variations of insane man.
ifestations."
"Why, Doctor, you don't mean to say
that drunkard is insane?" Doctor
II do, most emphatically. And not on
ly insane, and therefore unaccountable
to the extent of his insanity. but he
ought to be sent to an asylum if con-
hrmed drunkard, and to be treated like
any other diseased man; and if only an
occasional drunkard, then he ought to
be confined during his temporary in
sanity. Yes, drunkenness is disease,
and the poor habitual inebriate is-or
ought to be-a subject Of sympathy and
human treatment, rather than of sport
or contempt; instead of calling him q
brute deserving contempt and abuse,
he ought to be pitied; and if you only
knew his terrible conflicts with that
unquenchable burning thirst for strong
drink, and the unutterable horrors that
fill his imagination, you would lift him
up from the ditch and give him very
different treatment from that which he
now receives"
| "Yes-yes, Brother NJ. d." says the
minister; that is all true, and yet 1
have different view on this subject,
if may be heard. Drunkenness is a
sin-the Bible SO teaches us. I will
quote few passages to substantiate
my statement: The works of the flesh
are murders and drunkenness.'-'L Let
us not walk in rioting and drunken
ness. Wine lisa mocker, strong drink
is raging, and whose is deceived there
| by is not wise.'-'Who hath woe? who
hath sorrow? who hath contention?' &c.
'They that tarry long at the wine; they
that go to seek mixed wine: then look
not upon the wine when it is red, when
it giveth its color in the cup &C.; at
| last it biteth like serpent and sting
eth like an adder. mo drunkard shall
| inherit the Kingdom of God.'-'Cursed
is he who putteth thecup to his neigh
bors' lips Yes, repeat, it is a sin,
| and must be treated like all other sins.
The only sure remedy is conversion.
The heart-the fountain-must be
changed. He must love God with all
his heart, and his neighbor as himself.
Then he will obey the commandments;
then he will do good to all nen;' then
he will seek peace and pursue it, then
he will be temperate in all things
Yes, religion is the remedy"
But" says A, ''facts are stubborn
things. All you say is doubtless cor
rect. But the Millennium has not come
the meantime drunkenness continues,
not only destroying the individual SUBJ
jects of it, but causing, according to the
best authorities, most of our troubles.
You can't open paper but what you
learn of difficulties, quarrels, fights,
murders, suicides, of families being
broken up and ruined, of society being
harrassed, of the public peace being
disturbed, of lawsuits being multiplied,
of the taxes being increased to meet the
extra expenses and of how life and prop
erty are being rendered insecure. Shall
we sit still and do nothing? Shall we
not try additional remedies? Prohibit
ton may not be the best remedy; we
may not be ready for it; but say duty
requires us to do something"
One great cause Contemporaries is the
social element involved. 1t has become
the custom to "treat." So that when
two gentlemen meet, to show them
selves social, they will treat one an
other. And where there are several,
No. treats and No. 2 treats, and No. 8
feels that, to be as social and polite as
the others, that he must treat also, and
so of No. 4, and SO. on, until some of
them are intoxicated; and after few
repetitions the habit is formed. This
custom is the training school-it utiliz-
es one of the greatest forces; it is the
stronghold and the prolific source of this
evil. Oh that some great reformer-
some lover Of his race-would change
the custom! 1 understand it is rare in
the older countries. Why can't it be
changed here?
These are the prevailing opinions on
this subject. There is some truth in
most Of them. We ought to consider
it without bias or prejudice. 1t ought
not to be made party question. Par
ty influence would only cucumber 1t.
Let it be considered on its own merits.
We want "the greatest personal liberty
consistent with the public welfare"
Let US consider it we'll thoroughly