The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-22
Some Objections Answered.

We wish 10 call the attention of our
readers to a certain line of argument.
which is very popular with those who.
while they condemn drunkenness iu the
most unmeasured terms, insist that
moderate drinking is good and harm
less in itself and does not lead to drunk.
enness. On this ground they call the
advocates of total abstinence fanatics y
and. attempt TO bring ridcule and con
tempt upon their warnings and tea CHI
ings.
81 seems 10 me-" says one of these
sophists, "that total abstainers go to
very unwise extremes when they for.
bid he use of all kinds of into xicating
drinks entirely. There are many things
vey dangerous when unwisely used,
that are quite harmless if persons act
wi h care and caution. Now suppose
a ,erson were to say, "A great many
people who ride are killed by being
thrown from their horse, or out of
their vehicle, when driving. The re-
fore in order that no person be mi ired
in this way, would advise every one
J to give up the use of horses, and 20
afoot.' And no one should learn top
swim, for swimming is very danger
ons pursuit; people a:e apt to get the
tramp or venture into to deep water,
pr too far into the rapid current, an
thus are drowned. SO, because ac-
;idents happen to some all should aban-
don this practice. Then there is
EIRE-a good, useful, indispensable
servant as q master, what is there
go relentless, so destructive, so terrible ?
But who says, Put out all the fires, and
destroy all The matches, SO that no
more can be built? Now it seems to
me that strong drink is very much like
fire good servant, but bad master,
and don't think we are called upon to
condemn its use altogether, because it
may become dangerous" There ar
guments may seem sound and unan-
swerable, but let us look at them u
moment. Admitting that all these
things have danger in some degree in
them, there is wisdom in conquering
the danger, because we reap certain
good from it. He who conquers a res
tive horse, or learns to ride or drive
well, will find it ON advantage; and he
whose business leads him to- travel in
ships, if he can i'm, has twice the
chance for his life in case of wreck that
the man has who can not swim; and
they who manage fire well and care
fully, find their reward in the comfort
and conveniences it bestows. Now all
these things are good, useful and neces-
sary. But suppose that people took
the trouble to 60 into danger for no adj
vantage, that they had all the risk and
gained nothing by it; would not that
be foolhardy, and troubling themselves
TO no purpose?
Now STRONG drink 10 full 40 danger
GUS as fire, without its uses. People
NAV and do oct nftnn onneumod hrt
never get benefited by it. Strong drink
is FESTIVE horse, that never carries
his rider SO well as the rider could 90
with out him, and very often throws
him in the mire and tramples him to
death. And many a one has been
drowned by drink, but no one ever got
any good by learning to swim upon
its dangerous waves.
Then, too, there is a property in all
alcoholic drinks which leads to a desire
for them in constantly increasing guam
titles. The one glass satisfies you now
soon you will want two glasses, or
your one glass twice or three times
day. AS in the use of opium and other
narcotics, there is constant demand
for more, more.
Young man, don't take the first glass.
Ii this bit of advice comes too late to
meet your care, here is another that
will apply; whatever progress You
may have made in this rapidly de-
scending path-STOP.