Helena weekly herald., 1886-04-22
For the Herald.
Wilt 1t BE Heeded!
BY REV. +. ID. KELSEY.


BY REV. F. ID. KELSEY.
great man has fallen. fallen face to foe
in earnest combat; fallen in such wise that
had his manner of death been matter of
his own choice he could not have chosen a
more fitting time, place and circumstance.
That man was John 3. Cough, the modern
apostle of temperance.
He was in the midst of a lecture, telling
once more that old but ever interesting
story of his own early transgressions when,
stepping forth step or two. he cried out
in earnest tones: "Young men, keep your
records clean" Then was he stricken down
never to speak more; stricken in the
midst of his sentence. A more fitting
rhetorical climax to his long life of elo-
quence, industry and benevolence could not
have been invented than this dying while
uttering such a sentence, young mer, keep
your records clean"
These last words are fitting words for the
life-motto of any and every young man Of
this nation. Clean records! 1t is this
very thing we need Clean records Oh,
how defilements press in upon us! I! Clean
records! young men, keep your records
cleanr'
Clean of what? 1t is said of Cough, no
lecture of his was ever completed without
q temperance appeal. Clean of what? In
Coughs lips this could mean only, young
men, keep your records clean" of intem-
perance, whose very essence, spirit, being,
is filth The wine cup, the beer mug, the
whiskey jug, leads men into all sorts of un-
cleanness and filth. Like house out of
which the rightful owner has departed
and the imps of destruction and ruin have
entered in, such is the filthy condition Of
the soul of man into which the bats and
rats and vermin of intemperance have
entered.
We have in months past heard much
about the three RS There are three RS
of which it were well we did take notice ::
Reason, Righteousness, Religion, a trinity
of wisdom and treasure; but intemperance
drives all three out of doors and reduces
body, desires, fancies, tastes, aspirations,
sense of duty, soul and spirit to ruin, cor
ruption, uncleanness, filth and destruction
from which, Good Lord, deliver u.s."
''The purest treasure mortal times afford
| Is spOtless reputation; that away,
Men are but gilded loam or painted clay.
A Jewel in ten times barred up chest
Is bold spirit in a loyal breast.
Mine honor is my life; both grew in one
Take honor from me, and my life Is done
Richard H., 4. l., s. l.
Therefore, Young men. keep your
records cleanw Keep your records clean
of those sins which breed so fast and so
many other sins. Many have noticed how
spiders breed; large, round, grayish ball
is dragged behind; prick the ball with a
needle point, and hundreds of disgusting
little spiders spring forth in busy activity.
Intemperance is loathsome spider behind
which is dragged filthy ball full of in
Vulnerable little spiders as lOathsome and
despicable little spiders as the parent one.
If, therefore, young man, thou wouldest
keep thy record clean, eschew this prolific
spider, this that breedeth other sins two
hundred at birth-eschew intemperance.
If man would keep his record clean he
must escape the base, animal sins of lust,
passion, vice and sensuality; to these sins
intemperance is the way, the door, the
guide; for, "Who hath woe ? who hath
sorrow? who hath contentious? who hath
babbling? who hath wounds without a
cause? who hath redness of eyes? they
that tarry long at the wine, they that 60
to seek mixed wine; look not thou upon
the wine when it is red, when it giveth Its
color in the cup, when it moveth itself
Alright; at the last it biteth like serpent
and stingeth like an adder" Therefore
young men, keep your record clean" OF
this intemperance full of brutality, sensu-
ality. lust and vice.
Alas! alas who is he whose record has
been kept clean? Is not every man a
sinner, and the record page blOtted
Thanks be unto God, there is one whose
blood cleanseth from all sin, and who is
able to save even unto the uttermOst all
who come unto him. He was called a
friend of publicans and Sinners by his
divine assistance, though your sins be as
scarlet they shall be as white as snow
though they be red like crimson they shaI
be as wool" Thus, young men, make your
records clean.
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