The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-05-19

We wish TO call attention of our
readers L. n certain line at argument.
which Is very popular with those who,
while they condemn Drunkenness in
the most uhineasured terms. insist that
moderate drinking is good. and harm
less III Itself AMI does not lead TO
drunkenness. On this ground they
call he advocates of total abstinence
fanatics" aud attempt to bring, ridi-
Guile and contempt npom their warn
ings and teachings.
seems TO me-" says one of these
sophists," that total ubstainers 10 to
very unwise extremes when they for.
bid the use of all kinds of intoxicating
drinks entirely. There are many
things very dangerous when unwisely
used, hat are.qniie. harmless if persons
act with care and caution. Now sun
pose peisOnEweie TO say, "a great
many people who ride are killed bv be-
ing thrown from their horse, or out of
their vehicle, when driving. There
fore in order that no peason e injured
III his way, l would advise every one
TO give up the use of horses, and go
afoot.' And 10 one should learn to
swim. for swimming is q very danger
ons Dnlsnit: na"nIef.r-s.I, -, %. Tho
cratbp or venture Into the rapid cur
rent, and thus are drowned. So, be-
cause accidents happen to some, all
should abandon this pratice. Then
there Is lire, good, useful, indispen-
sibie servant-but as Il master, what Is
there SO relentless, So destructive, SO
terrible? But who Gays, Put out all
the fires, and destroy all the matches,
30 that no more can be built? Now
}it seems to me that strong drink is
very much like fire "A good servant,
but bad master, and l don't think we
Are called upon to condemn its use al
together, because it may become dam
1erous." These arguments may seem
sound and unanswerable, but let us
look at them 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 1t. lie who
conquers FESTIVE horse, or learns to
ride or drive well. will find it an adj
vantage; and he whose business leads
him TO travel in ships, If he can swim,
has twice the chance Tor his life in case
If wreck that the mGn has Tho can not
swim; and they who manage fire well
and carefully, find their reward in the
comfort and convenience it bestOws.
Now all these things are good, useful
and necessary. But suppose that pee
pie took the trouble to 20 into danger
for no advantage, that they had all the
risk and gained nothing by 1t; would
not that be foolhardy, and troubling
themselves to no purpose?
Now strong drink is full as danger
GUS as fire, without it's uses. People
may and do get often consumed, but
never yet benefited by it. Strong
drink is a FESTIVE horse, that never car
ries his rider so well as the rider could
go without him, and very often throws
him in the mire; and. tramples him to
death. And many 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 property in all
the alcoholic drinks which leads to O
desire for them In constantly increas.
ing quantities. The one glass satisfies
glasses, or your one glass twice or
three times day. As in the use of
opium and other narcotics, there is a
constant demand for more, more.
Young man, don't take the first
glass. If this bit of advice comes too
ate to meet your case, here is another
that will apply: whateve, progress
you may have made In this rapidly de-
scending path stop. - Our Young
Men.