The Brookhaven leader., 1884-01-03
TIE DEMON ALCOHOL.

Total abstinence from all that can
intoXicate,' is a 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 It's proper
tions, would have been death to the
lungs; ten thousand fields of poisonous
grain would not have been food for
single stomach: and oceans of brandy,
gin or rum would MT have quenched
thirst in man or beast. He who made
man and beast knew what was best for
them; and therefore for thousands of
wears. millions after millions in sue
cession, of fish, fowl and beast, have
been blessed in His dominons; 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,n 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,
"vain in his imaginationS and his fool
ish heart was darkened." Protesting
themselves to be wise they became
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 the 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 ahundantly prove.
From our best information, the first
alcoholic manufactory by distillation
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-
| ton. After the secret of the speedy
u W dS ulSCONClCu Vic NOIh
of intemperance seemed to take a new
| impetus; and wherever this principle
has spread, everything lovely and of
good report has withered under its in
| tiuence.
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-
ception to those facts. During the
years of the late rebellion intemperance
made more widows and orphans than
were made by the direct stroke of war.
But why refer to the past for facts while
these proofs are brought to our very
doors every day? We scarcely take up
public journal but our eyes are
greeted with revolving and heart-sick-
ening details of robberies and murders
committed by men, aye, and women,
too, while in state of intoxication.
Neither are these revolving crimes con-
fined to men and women, but even chill
dren of tender years are drawn into the
whirlpool of strong drink, and our
sensibilit:es are shocked while reading
accounts of crimes and murders perpe-
trated by boys not yet in their teens. -
Reu. W. II. Thomson. iR Union Signal.
| THOMAS V. HYDE ended three years
| I~,,1t- at Db;Io1alDhia bx, failinor 1aa 4