Richland beacon., 1888-06-16
Evils Wrought by Alcohol.

Alcoholic beverages are insidious and dan
gerous potions, to be handled by their
votaries, on peril of body and soul, with ex
IRENE caution. AS a matter of fact, the
caution often fails, and alcohol damns to
horrid misery innumerable victims. The
draught must be, indeed, moderate and in
frequent that will not cloud the mind, I'M
steady the limb and stir up passion A'coho',
demon-like in cunning and malicious intent,
I courts admission into the mouth amid smiles
| and promises. 1t f1atters and caresSes to dis
tract the prey from its perfidy, and. mean
while, it sinks its fangs into palate and
stomach, to create an irritation which its
| own fluid alone can temper it shoots its
venom through every nerve, which in cease
less vibration will afterward c.amOr
for a renewal of its fatal touch. The
craving for alcohol. begotten of "a.
cohol, ever wakes stron ger: the moment
comes when it is a wild passion. fierce
madness. it commends and obtains the mot
fearful sacrifices In slavery to it wo;nai
forgets honor; the father in heliish laughter
casts to the vendor of liquor that solitary
dime that would stay the starvati III of the
child; the husband pawns the coat of the
dying wife. The power of alcohol is mystic
rious. The muscular giant crouches i'm terror
before its shrine, youth yields up freshness
of mien and hopes of fortune, and mOcks for
its sake a mothers tears and brides love-
Old age at its bidding puts on the garment
disgrace and sin Intelligence will not ward
off its arrows: poet. orator and statesman go
forward chained to its chariot into Manner
tine gloom. Piety does not withstand the
fury Of its breath. The very cellars of Le-
banon have been laid low. the royal oaks of
the forest have been uncrowned and flung
into the deep valleys of ignolniny and
death.
The evils wrought by alcohol are dreadful
There is no other element in the material
world eQualing it in evildoing. There are
posons more potent, but they kill quickly,
while alcohol gnaws away life slowly. so as
meanwhile to pile upon its victim the full
weight of sorrow and sin. Observe its ac-
cursed work-tearing up by the roots all
virtues bringing into action the latent
passions, breathing particular vigor into the
vilest and most beasCly. closing out heavens
light from the mind which expires in dense
darkness, and heavens grace from the soul,
which loses all semblance with its creator.
1t reaches out over the body its clammy
hand, Wrestling from it strength and firm
ness, planting deeply in the blooi channels
tie seeds of disease and death. o spirit Of
wine, be thy name demon, for demon thou
art
This the first instalment of nlcohors havoc.
The drunkard becomes for it an entrenchel
camp, from which in concentric circles it
hurls ruin upon men AMI women. who re-
fusing its domination in their own hearts
are yet, despite themselves, brought under
its vengeance. The home is made desola'e.
How sacred the home! 1t is Gods appointed
treasury Of pure and sweet love. There hap
piness bubbles forth from everything springs:
virtue terminates and blooms i'm native soil,
watered by propitious dews from the ski s.
The homes of the land are the sO,ial units of
which the aggregate Is the II 1T on. The
nation in its wider sphere of action is the re-
Election of its homes. The poisonous breath
Of alcohol passes over the home: it is the
passage of death. The drunkard's soul ex-
hales hatred and sin: hearts of wife
and mother break in anguish; the cease
less tear-drOp of sorrow gil tens on
the eye-lid. and the veil of gloom
and despair darkens their faces. Infancy is
joyless the atmosphere OF shame and crime
leavens the whole nature of sons and daugh-
ters, and the putrid masma thlckens the air.
which other families and the nation at large
must breathe. AlcohOl's hellis' work goes
beyond the drunkards home. There is phys
ical and moral contae ion: other homes are
smitten, and alcohol lifts no its sceptre with
in their enclosure. The drunk Anness of an
employe endangers an entire industry: that
of trusted guardian of public interests
Poverty is beyotten, the sober and indus
trious are taxed to relieve it. TIE p ~oilucers
diminish, the drones increase, the course Of
general prosperity is RETARDED. Crime stalks
forth, suggested and emboldened bv drink:
and robberies and assaults, and murders and
wrackages of holy purity make up the rec
ord of its riotings
Alcohol's evil fruits are not limited to
earth. Drunkenness is a heinous sin which,
unrepented of, forbids the doors Of Paradise
to open. 1t is a sin-making sin, and nearly
all the doings Of the soul which it hiss sub
dued are SO many SINS. The Christian who
loves the Savior and for His sake loves sous
redeemed by Him. stands appalled, before the
dread ravages of alcohol In the spiritual
world.
Citizens OF America, know and realize the
danger! Evil-baaring alcohol Hoods your
land: its murkv AMI noxous pillows are
dashing against your no mes, and their angry
crests riss to the very submits OF tn. pillars
upon which are set your free republican in
situations Bishop Ireland.