The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-29
TOTAL ABSTINENCE AND ALCOHOL

TOTAL ABSTINENCE AND ALCOHOL.
Total abstinence from all that can
intoXicate, " is watchword as ancient
as creation, and was once as broad as
the universe. When God created the
world and rested from His work, He
pronounced it every good" each thing
good in itself and good in its connac-
tions; the light good for the eyes: the
air good for the lungs; the food good
for the stomach; water good for quench-
ing thirst.
Had each been made differently from
what it was, or had either not been
made, man could not have existed.
Light, whose particles had been of a
size that was even visible, would have
destroyed the eyes; air, whose compo-
nent parts varied only in its proper
tions, would have been death to the
lungs; ten thousand fields OF poisonous
grain would not have been food for a
single stomach; and oceans of brandy,
gin or rum would not have quenched
thirst in man or beast. He who made
man and beast knew what was best for
them; and therefore for thousands of
years, millions after millions in sue
cesson, of fish, fowl and beast, have
been blessed in His dominions; all, in
observing the laws of their physical
nature; and from ripping streams and
gushing springs, issuing from natures
own fountain, man could drink the
beverage prepared by God himself to
nourish and invigorate His creatures
and beautify His footstool." without
dethroning his reason, destroying his
health, or by slow but certain degrees
committing suicide.
Happy had it been for the race had
man continued in this state of primevAl
temperance. But, alas! man. tempted
to evil, withstood not the attack, but,
basely yielding. became corrupt in
heart, and speculative in thought and
desire, and, according to the Apostle,
myain in his imaginations and his fool
ISM nedtU 'r.-,- d.~sI-eed ;, Proface:,,o.
themselves to be wise they becar1ife
fools, who changed the truth of God
into lie, and worshiped and served
the creature more than the Creator"
Here began the ravages of sin and
misery, and as "vain man would be
wise" age after age has been toiling
for something better than that which
has been SO bountifully provided by his
All-wiSe Creator, and so would fain
find happiness by inverting the order
of nature in the qualification of his
evil lusts. passions and appetites by in
ventions of his own.
This spirit of speculation has spread
everywhere, and the cursed lust for
gold has taken advantage of the NOR
bid cravings of this most unhallowed
appetite, and men with unholy, specu-
lative designs have invented that which
is often represented as sovereign
panacea for the worlds evils, and
have presented their proposed remedy
in the form of alcoholic drinks.
But instead of removing tine worlds
evils it has increased them in both num-
bers and magnitude; feeding this
strange, unnatural appetite, causing it
to rage with more malignant fury, fill
ing the earth with sorrow and misery,
lamentations and woe, as facts and our
daily observations abundantly prove.
From our best information, the first
alcoholic mandatory by dstillation
was erected in Arabia, in the form of
chemical laboratory; but long before
this, the baneful principle was obtained
by fermentation, and was essentially
the same as that obtained by distila-
ion. After the secret of the speedy
transformation was discovered the work
Of incompetence seemed to take new
mpetus and wherever this principle
aas spread, everything lovely and of
good report has withered under its in
duence.
The history of the old world is full of
painful facts testifying to the baneful
effects of alcoholic drinks, and the
history of our beloved country is no ex-
eeption to those facts. During the
years of the late rebellion intemperance
made more widows and ORPHANS than
we're made by tie direct stroke of war.
But why refer to the past for facts while
:heae proofs are brought to our very
doors every day? We scarcely take up
1 public journal but our eyes are
greeted with revolving and heart-sick-
snng details of robberies and murders
committed by men, aye, and women,
90, while i'll state of intoXication.
Neither are these revolving crimes con-
ined to men and women, but even chill
lren of tender years are drawn into the
whirlpool of strong drink, and our
,ensibilities are shocked while reading
accounts of crimes and murders Perpe-
rated by boys not yet in their teens
PeU. w. II. Thomson, tn Union Signal.
A SIGNIFICANT FACT'comeS from Liv-
.rpool, Eng, in the announcement that
jharos Of the Cocoa Temperance rooms
opened there in 1875 are now at q 100