Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-03-29


over cur country like the sirss Of hslTi
L. II wise economy, i il Just econo-
my, Is It safe economy, Is it fair FOR
the public good that these Springs
should exist? What are these Springs?
Dsstikleyaesy Let the general govern
lnsnt dry them up. Let the sunlight
Ct their fairness. honesty and judge
meat evaporate every drop. save that
distilled for specified purposes. What
are 50 millions Of revenue to $50
millions as is consequent upon their
alIowance. / consider this to be the
nlIimatnm Of human effort, and be-
lleve this conntry would save for her
self aud for her people an amount
which nunhefs conld scarcely describe.
But. ladies and gentlemen. II am
for the adoption and application Of q
principle, and of a means. which /
eunhesitatingly assert to- be greater
than any / have enumerated. It ia
for every man, woman and child, op-
posed 70 intemperance, TO constitute
themselves individually as commit
tees to assail this evil. we so bewail,
with the Word1of God, acting under
the Grace Of His Spirit. This is, to
be done by our example. and BY our
aggressively preaching the promises
and threatenings of our Divine Law
6iver. These means have never been
tried in vain. The smallness Of the
effects is due to the lack of the ap-
probation of their principles and
power. Words ever fail TO express
the power Of example. On our great
Western praises tiny spark falls
from lighted match, fame arises
from under your feet. the breezes fan
IL. Wider, wider and wider it grows
until the whole earth seems to be
ablaze. while the heavens become as
luFid as the flames which rush and
! roar and leap ssfroms acre to acre
from mile to mile-so win one act of
morality, due effort made to extend
it, so spread by the breezes of God 5
Spirit that the whole earth will feel
Its glowing influence and-heaven will
applaud the act with the "well done
good and faithful servant. Practi-
cally, how slight is the resistance
shown the evils of intoxication by our
exampleg In sorrow do we speak,
what encouragements rather are
shown? | attack my own profession
first. How often do ministers of the
Gospel, we who should zach as St.
Paul did-temperance-Instead of
avoiding all.appearance of this evil,
wink at and coHnteaance those whom
we know tosbe guilty? How easily
) are we led to- eassociate with-laugh
and jest with-men whom we know to
be drowning their bodies and souls in
beer and whiskey and introduce them
to our wives and children and to our
fellow-mep :? Charity, or the fear of
giving offence. may lead us to do this.
But we stretch the mantle of charity
too wide 30 that-we rsnd it. We are
so tolerant that we encourage intoxi-
cation. Greater would be our aver
sion to this, sin were we to scorn its
practice in ourselves and others by
keeping aloofftom those who practice
1t. In politics, what encouragement is
given2 Why, in our day, our halls sofleg-
] islation are filed With personifed beer
cans and whiskey barrels. lie is the
most popular man who treats the
most aud who drinks more than he
treats In medicine, if a st. Mary 8
man has chill, he is bound to get
his wife TO call in that physician whom
he knows will prescribe qninine and
whiskey, and that physician knows
he will get the largest fee who gives
very little quinine-and very much
whiskey The merchant tells us that
his customers will desert him if he
does not sell whiskey The farmer
!. in the Winter gives his hands whis-
key to. keep the cold ont and in July
gives them more to keep the cold in I
In social circles, OH what a grand
field for good Why does the father
of that lovely child allow to cross his
threshold one whom he knows one
week ago was drunk-deadly, beast
" drunk Aye, father, better for Won
TO see her cold and stiff in death >
embrace o. like as Virginius of old
did to his daughter, Virginia. s'lift
high the steel and smite her In the
side / have seen the crowded par
lori have seen the brilliant ball
room. and there walked vice and viz
tue hand in hand. Woman, the most
highly favored Of Gods created be-
ings, whose spotless Innocence seems
70 reflect the purity Of angels, whose
blushes must resemble the flowers
that carpeted the pathway Of Eden.
artless and pure and sweet as the
ehrystal dew which wings of seraphs
scatter l--hut who is her companion /?
What flush is that upon his cheek p
the flush of winei What causes his
unsteadiness, his rashness, his lsvity,
his coarseness e---strong drinkl What
foul odor greets her 2--whiskey ! And
yetsshe favors him with her smiles,
her hand-perhaps her heart-her
soul What soul 90 duA that could
not upiilE the curtain of her future
and show a bruised-a broken heart
0 woman If you knew your power for
good Why not with your virtue stem
the torrent that threatens to over
fiow your happiness Why, one stern
look from q woman's eye will quiet a
tempest Of passion when y volume ol
man s utterances would be swep;
away You do not know the inAn
ence for good you have over tie heart
and life Of man until you exercise il
| have always found that when Z
,,-~vr.,, ~,,..f,e., -. L.. ...a =.