Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-08
PICTURES.

=
ana rest quietly in the soft cushioned
pewS, enjoying the song and the sermon,
finding their cares lulled to rest. their
troubles forgotten, in the contemplation
OF the heavenly home portrayed by the
minister. lie repeated again the text as
he closed the Bible, this time softly, and
with rapture in his uplifted eyes And
Mere shaH in no lciSe enter iato ii dnWhinq
that defleth, neither whatsoever qcorketh
dbomtndtion, or makeh lie, bm then
lchich are ,criHen IN the Lambs book Of
life.
Under the very shadow of the beauti-
full church, about which ever fingers the
atmosphere of prayer, and not square
distant, CLEANS the rosy light of the
high license saloon. The doorway is
wreathed with vines, beneath which
swing gided cages of sleeping birds
Flowers and birds in saloon? Light
and warmth and welcome in a saloon ?
All how skilfuly the enemy of souls
/
it be revealed us it is,-thiS den of death
blood instead of bloom would be upon
the door-posts. and skeletons would
dangle amid the vines or pave the marble
floor. Instead. it is binding in its beauty.
The voice of song is heard. the song of
the light-hearted and carc-free. the song
of the wine-full The clink of glasses.
and of coins dropping into the full Golfers
of the man who deals out the wine that
| llasheth crimson in the light.
They pass in and out, young men with
life and hope before them; old men with
life and hope behind them. Gray hairs
in saloon. Clustering brown curls in
saloon. Sturdy, dignified manhood
business men, men in responsible places,
men welding the pen that educates the
world, these men in saloon: Oh what
IA train of unseen things appear to my
startled vision, As the goblcts are
drained, what pictures of wife's trust IA
child's love, mothers prayers! What
troops of undone duties to their fellow
men. what wrong Influences follow their
foot steps! Could they see these shad-
ows haunting them, these imps of dark
ness eXulting over them. these men
would never enter the saloon door again.
They see only the CLINT and sparkle; they
feel only the quckened pulse, the flash
of the eye, the sudden rush of jubilant
spirits. They see not the dregs. Why
mar the fleeing present with the thought
of dregs: Have they not all eternity to
taste them? A tottering step pauses in
the doorway; a face half-idiotic turns
one appealing glance at the sleek man
who pours the wine, and the boy with
the clustering brown curls, with his
sweet, boyish face, so dear to some moth
er, goes hOme HOME.
The father and mother and sisters. re-
turning from church. have long been
lost in sleep. a loud ring at the door bel
resounds through the house like the
voice of doom. The mother starts in
wild alarm. 1t cannot be Willie. my
boy, for he has night key. All. moth
er, your boy cannot use the night key to-
night. His hands have no cunning. hi,
brain has lost its power. Limp anC
ScnselesS, the policeman found him in
gutter, the beautiful boy over whose
brown head your hands have so Otter
caressed. My boy drunk" echoe,
: through the halls, but the agOnizine
shrek cannot reach the senses locked by
the last glass. The proud father pace,
the floor. and the sisters sit silently il
tears. How like a mockcry seemed tina
picture of heaven the minister drew. tn,
; soft cushions, the mellow light, the eX
quisite song! Like them they were a
rest, and their brothers feet were all tn,
time seeking the way of death. Dregs
Dregs! Were there dregs too in the cup
Mey drained:
The night wore on. Was it because :,
= exhausted the minister could not sleep
f The parsonage was on a quiet street, fa
e from the glare of saloon lights, far from
= the tramp of homeward-going rioters
= He turned and tossad on his pillow
= Why did that appeal of devout temper
= ance woman in his church keep comm!
f to his mind 80 sir, the young men o
= our city are going to ruin. If only thu
= church members would arouse to tn
+ danger. If only the ministers would de
A clare the arhole counsel Of God." Tn
A whole counsel! The whole counsel
a Why do those words come to mock me
a Have | ever failed in my duty? Why
C half my wealthy church members us
e wine on their dinner tables. The youni
: ladies use wine at their parties, and W
: use wine at the sacrament. Ny bushes
is to preach the Gospel. Why does tina
5 woman's face haunt me, and 'the Who'll