The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-05-18
STRONG DRINK.
LECTURE DELIVERED by Nh. ID. NJ.
CROWLEY, IN THE KAuMAKAruI
CuuRctt. MAY TIN. 1888.


Strong drink is subject of vast
Importance to all of us, for ii relates
To our welfare in many ways: our
health, our family interests, our
social and material comfort, and
above all our relation to, and ac-
countability in the great hereafter.
The oldest and best of books, the
Bible, is full of warning concerning
the use of Intoxicating wine, de-
clares it mocller," that it "bites
like serpent and stings like an
adder" and that "no drunkard
shall inherit the Kingdom of Heav-
en-" The declarations OF Scripture
are confirmed by the teaching of
nature and our own every day ex-
perience. We know it is mocker
in every respect, we know the veno-
nous sting of strong drink poisons
the life blood of the fairest, ablest,
and purest of earth. 1t is no res
pecter of persons. History tells of
heroes, prophets, priests, and kings
who have fallen by its power, and
the sad lessons of life prove that
neither genius, learning, position,
nor strength, is proof against it. AS
fountain of misery and woe, strong
drink stands without rival. From
it streams the tears of widows and
orphans, the low sad wall of agony
which ascends to Heaven day and
night from broken hearts; by it the
highest hopes and prospects of life
are blasted, and the very innocence
Of childhood grows old with ignor-
ance and vice. BY it beauty is
clothed in rags and shame, and man
hood shorn of its godlike glory,
each repeating the sad warning to
beware of these drinks. 1ntoXica-
ton destroys all that is best and
noblest in our nature; and can we
not look back even here in Honolulu
and remember valuable lives de-
stroyed ""t down in the flower of
mani ripped of almost every
shire, ,lf-respect and swept into
dru rd's grave. If some of
them could appear before us tonight
and speak how their tones of remorse
would freeze our very marrow. The
most deplorable of the many wrecks
of humanity that l have seen was
doctor, man once eminent in his
profession. Sometimes people would
try TO catch him little sober
to obtain his advice. Upon entering
house he would ask nervously,
"Do you drink, do you drink? Put
it away, put it away. Don't touch
it'll" Alas! he had not power to
follow his own advice, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the law fixed
penalty of $3.50 upon any one caught
supplying him. Yes, the drink is q
terrible power; it holds man in
the iron grip of the Devil, and it
sometimes moves him when nothing
else will. l was present once at a
meeting where the returning officer
officially announced the result of a
ballot for the return of q member of
the Victorian Legislature. The sue
cessful candidate had thanked the
electors in sober, neat speech.
Then came the defeated candidates
turn to speak. He was slightly in
liquor and assured those present
that they had all done wrong in not
electing him. He kept on talking
foolishly, his friend pulling at his
coat tails to get him to stop, but no
use. Then came man to wind
ward of him with a glass of hot
brandy and water, and he turned
and followed that glass of liquor
just as a hungry mule would follow
a bag of corn. l know / need not
give you instances of how drink
makes man ridiculous. You see it
yourselves.
But someone will say, eyes, that
is all very true, when men take too
much liquor they act foolishly. 1
don't take much, but l must have
some to help me to get through my
work" Another says, ~ am not
in good health and l must have a
little wine, or beer, or spirits, to
help me to get along" There can
be no greater delusion than this.
Remember that all these things are
water with a small portion of poi
sonous liquid known as alcohol
added. A friend of mine was prais-
ing the quality IF champagne wine
on his table-boasted of it As no
watery stuff. 1 ventured to differ
with him and told him it was simply
three-fourths or more water, the rest
alcohol, sugar, little tiavoring
essence and carbonic acid gas, and
for this he paid $50 dozen. Now
the human body has no use for any
of these things, except the water
every fibre of the body is fed by
water; introduce any other liquid
and you produce disturbance, dis
ease, and probably instant death.
was present once at large fire