The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-07-26
THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.
A Lecture by A. 8. Green, Of the Nashville
institute, Nashville, Tenn

Christ and in the beatihcation and christian
ization of mankind. The world must be en-
lightened, elevated, christianized. Sin and
the devil, ignorance and crime, superstition
and prejudice must be subdued. They now
stalk abroad fearlessly in the wide world, car
rying misery, pauperism and wretchedness to
the homes Of thousands. The christian teach
dispel the darkness Of sin and misery from the
w'etched and miserable homes, and substi-
tute in their places the light and purity of the
gospel.
From the christian teacher, good and kind,
The way to life we constant find,
He is an ever acting leaven,
That lifts men up to life and heaven,
The Christian teachers are to take the first
and most prominent places among our people
in teaching hem the evils and consequences
Of intemperance, and how those evils may be
remedied. Our people need to be instructed
concerning incompetence under the three fol-
lowing topics. land you will please pardon me-
for entering at large upon these subjects): w.
The agents that produce intemperance, as
wines. whiskies, rum>' gins and all intoxi-
cants: (2). Its effects upon the human system;
Cd. Its cause 81 misery. crime &c. W.
The agents that produce intemperance are
produced by means of lamentations and dis
tillations, the chemical product of which is
alcohol or spirits of wine. Spirits of wine or
alcohol is a virulehe poison, and when taken
into the system vtiates the delicate organs.
an as a consequence produces many and
various disabilities.
1t has been systematically proven that
half gill of pure alcohol will kill dog in less
than three minutes. Persons who drink wines
or whisky imbibe the alcohol in a diluted
form, and are thereby enabled to take the poi
son, sometimes for years, without any per-
ceptble effect; but it is as truly poisoning and
wasting the system as though. it were some
potent arsenical draught.
The physiological effect of alcohol is first to
arouse stimulation, but this effect is very tran
sient, and 10 followed by variable degree of
depression. At first it sharpens the appetite,
and quickens digestion, but its habitual use
impairs both. It is argued by some, in sup
port Of their drinking habits, that alcoholic
drinks inure the body. and enable it to endure
more cold than it otherwise would; but it is
the experience of DR.. Hayes. and other ex-
plorers of the Arctic regions, that alcohol does
not enable the body to resist the influence Of
cold, but on the contrary is always injurious.
(2) The effect of intemperance as the cause
of crime, misery, &C., think, is quite abso-
lutely authenticated; if not, few facts will be
sufficient to convince the impartial and candid
mind. When we read the history of different
nations, and even that of our own, we invol-
unfairly shudder at the account of SO many
thousands who have been cut down in the
prime Of life and manhood by the crueties of
war;
We heartily give our support and sympathy
to the many widows and orphans, whose hus-
bands AMI fa,hc were victims to that merci
less agent, who We rome to whom TO look for
coincidence nor support
Bur. my dear friends. many thousands more
than have ever fallen in war, have been levelien
midst the goddesses Of COntentment an Hap
piness have reigned supreme. have been re-
duced to misery, poverty, and degrad ,tion.
Thousands of bright and happy children. who
loved the sunshine and peace of their homes,
and the pleasant places around the hearth
stone, have been, by that cruel monster. rum.
driven from their homes into the cold and
heartless world.
60 Thousands Of persons spend all their
earnings for liquor, and as a consequence,
sheir families are abandoned to want and mis-
ery. A person who drinks habtually will buy
the poisonous and damnabe stuff in prefer
ence to any thing else. If he can't get the
money with which to buy, he often steals or
CANDLES, which is the same thing. In the year
1871 The people of the United States expended
more money for rum and tobacco than they
did for bread the staff of life; $3.50, ooo, 600
was spent for tobacco in its various forms, and
only $500, ooo. 900 for bread during the year.
J his work of corruption is rapidly increasing
both against the laws of God and man. The
drunkard's road is very popular and destruc-
tive one. From an accurate estimate II appears
that this road is carrying Coo, 900 passengers
per year. mostly young men. down to the con-
dit a Of common drunkards. 1t is carrying
multitudes OF the brave and noble young men
of oar army down to destruction. 1t has car
ried TO disgrace, poverty, and destruction,
many of the most talented men in the country.
rom the bar, the bench. the pulpit, and tbs
halls of congress. 1t carries more than ST.
500 600, 900 annually to destructionl All other
crimes on earth do not destroy so many Of the
human race as drunkenness. II the families
OF drunkards averaged five persons, it carries
untold want and wretchedness to more than
t,soo 600 persons large proportion of whom
are women and children. 1t sends annually to
the aims house 10000 $4,000 places are
licensed to sell spurious liquors in the United
States and territories! 800 600 persons are en-
ployed in these grog shops: if we add to them
fs,e number employed in distilleries, we shall
have at least $4,000 persons employed in
senIine their fellow mOrtals t. premature
grave Crime is mostly caused by drunken
ness: criminals are an expense to the Tilted
STATES $4,000, 900 per year, The liquor