The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-17
TEMPERANCE.
BY MISS O. s. BURNETT.
Address to Young Men.
PART SECOND.


Some of you may have wondered
what my last article had to do with
temperance. Just this-the surest way
to escape the consequences of drunken-
ness is to lay the foundations of char
acter SO broad and deep that tempta-
ton, by whatever name, will be power
less to move you.
But this may not be enough, so will
be more definite in this.
To one and all l would say, let
"toueh not, taste not, handle not" be
your platform, for l tell you that
drunkenness is but the ripe fruit of
moderate drinking. Obey the injunc-
tons of the wise man who said: Look
not upon the wine when it is red,' for
AT the Ast it biteth like serpent and
stingeth like an adder. The end of
drinking could not be better expressed.
l"LRe a serpent''-that type of Satan;
Like an adder" whose sting is death.
At first it Is not SO. The first effects
| are pleasing; the future is bright and
joyous. But this delusion soon passes
away, then cometh lain, shame. the
head and heart ache; the whole man is
degraded. The viper's fangs have
pierced his soul. AT the last'-ot the
last! But Oh! who can BELL when the
last shall ever come? When shall the
victims last groan be heard7 When
will the last horror seize upon his
wretcbed sonl2 For mo drunkard
shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Eternity an eternity such as this. Oh,
stop and think now, just nOwl
The experience of the world for 8 COO
years confirms The saying of the same
wise man, wine is a mocker ana
strong drink is raging" Yes, young
men, wine is mocker. 1t promises
much. but ii gives nothing. II deceiyes
as to quality and effect. 1t defrauds
you OF your earnings, and pays you IN
coinage that brings only shame. 1t
tells you you can be moderate drinker;
herein is the danger. Ittells You you
can stop when you have a mind to, but
you cannot The demon binds you at
first with the faintest silkeu bands, but
his power increases till he holds you with
firmer grasp, and iron hand, till you
are drunkard, first in the sight of God j,
then IN the sight of your feilowmen,
and yet you are not one in your own
estimation. You are self-deceiyed.
No one who reads this thinks it pos
sible that he should lose his health,
have his senses i'm paired, his character
ruined and life rendered wretched by
the use of strong drink. Of the mil
lions who have been lost to health,
happiness, home, heaven. not one sup
posed, in the flush of youth that he
| Hll h r1Jo
drunkaVd'S grave! What words! The
drunkards of to-day were innocent
children a few years ago, and the
drunkards of a few years hence will be
the boys of to-day, the tipplers. surely
wine is moeker.
| If drnnkard's graves are recruited
from the RANKS of the young, il hearts
are broken and homes destroyed, If the
best and bravest of the land go down
what must We do to avert so terrible a
calamity? There is no safe road put
total abstinence. A moderate drinker
you may not remain. The spirit may
be willing, but the flesh is weak. Give
it up, my brothers, and be free men, not
slaves to a debasing appetite. Save
yourselves from ruined life and blasted
reputation. OR will you rather clasp
the letters that are beginning to bind
some of you, and at the command of
this demon, rum, remain an abject
slave? What grand thought to be Tree
men, living as one created in the image
of God should liVei
| Young men, be true to yourselves
lfYield obedience to the dictates of an
honest heart. Think of your manhood a:
think Of your honor; think of the
grand possibilities that lie before you
Is the precious boon of freedom, of
Esoberness, of responsibility, of tenn
poral and eternal happiness not worth
the struggle? If Others go down in
the conflict, do you stand firm? And
that you may be truly safe, place your
feet on the Rock of Ages" and your
hands in the hands of the Infinite !;
then you shall pass through life In
safety. and safely reach the haven of
eternal rest.