Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-02-07
Temperance =" Fanatics"

Mr.. Cough says that there are many per-
Sons who talk about temperance men as be-
ing fanatics. They tell us we are rabid on
this subject of temperance. | ask any re-
formed drunkard If it is not right to be
rabid against an evil that has scorched and
blasted and scathed and SCARED us till we
carry the marks of it to the srsve2 Young
men sometimes have an idea that man
can SOW his wild oats and get over il. You
put your hand in the hand of giant and
he brushes it, Still it may be healed, and
by and by in some sort it may be useful
hand, but it is mutilated one its beauty
and symmetry have gone forever. We who
have passed through this fire know some
thing of its awful scourge, we know some
thing of the terrible struggle to get out of
it. | think we ought to be what they call
fanatics. They tell us that we exaggsrate
the evil of drunkenness. Do we 2 Let me
appeal to the intelligent and ask tho ques-
ton, " Do we exaggerate the evil of drunken
ness ?" No, sir, we cannot. God never
gave man a mind capable of grasping the
extent of the awful evil of drunkenness for
time and for eternity. You have boy, a
brightsyed, beautiful fellow, round in limb,
with pearly teeth, ruby lip and rosy cheek,
symmetrical aud beautiful. Oh, how you love
him as he springs into your arms in the
morning and puts his face to your cheek
You press him to your heart. How you
love him, as you say to visitor. Have
you seen my boy ?" and to him, " Come,
old fellow" How he will spring into your
arms. Oh, how you love him What
would you do to save that child from curva.
ture of the spine "Do anything" What
would you give "All my properly" What
would you sacrifice every luxury under
heaven" What would you suffer =? "Try
me. That boy SO straight of limb, so beau
tiful, so perfect, so symmetrical-tha boy
a poor, crawling cripple, deformed upon the
floor of my house No, no, do not ask
what | would do, give, suffer-anything p
was at the house of family where there
was crippled child. When four years of
age it had fallen out of swing backward
the child was twenty three years of age
then. The body had developed, but it was
very strange case. Physicians came to
see it. The limbs had grown very little, it
had baby's hands and feet. tell you, to
see that little creature working over the
carpet like turtle made me shudder more
than ever shuddered to see reptile. That
child once said to its mother "Mamma, |
| shan't trouble you much longer ?" g Trouble
us, my darling? Why you are the light OF
our home We are learning lessons of
faith and trust and patience from you every
day. Why, darling, when God takes you
from us it will be dark day to our home. "
Yes, mamma, but | want to go, because
when see Jesus | shall stand up straight
shan't l mamma" There may be some
beauty and glory around crippled child
there may be something lovely and sweet
something to be desired about a crippled
child even, but is there any hing about a
drunken one? No, not ray of light but
! such as comes lurid from hell. There is nc
comfort nothing Joyous, or delightful, moth
ing one can love to contemplate. If it be
fanaticism to try and save our boys and
young people from this curse, then let us
| all become fanatics of the most rabid sort
and it is to be hoped that our disease may
be so contagious that we shall give it tc
everybody, even to those old fogies who are
now laughing at us. The sooner they gel
bit hard and become rabid on this temper
ance question the better for all concerned.