The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DlVINES SUM-
DAY SERMON.
Subject: drunkenness the Nations
Curse" preached at Helena,
Montana.)
;; "Who sle,u all tlleseF'-u Kings,

TEXT: "Who slew all u.cseF'-H Kings,
<, 10.
see q long row of baskets coming up to-
ward the palace Of King Jehu. I Iam some
what inquisitive to find out what is in the
baskets. look in and l find the CORY heads
of seventy slain Princes. As the baskets
arrive at the gate Of the palace, the heads are
thrown into two heaps one on either side the
gate. In tho morning the King comes out,
and he looks upon the bleeding, ghastly
heads Of the massacred Princes. Looking on
ing emphasis: "Who slew all these"
We have, my friends, lived to see q more
fearful massacre. There is no use Of my
taking your time in trying to give you sta
tistics about the devastation and ruin and
death which strong drink has wrought in
this country. Statistics do not seem to mean
anything. We are so hardened under these
statistics that the fact that fifty thousand
more men are slain Or fifty thousand less
men are slain, seems to make no positive i'm
preston on the public mind. Suffice it to
say, that intemperance has slain an In
Vulnerable company OF Princes-the children
every neighborhood their are two heaps Of
the slain; and at the door Of the household
there .re two heaps of the slain; and at the
door Of the legislative hall there are two
heaps Of the slain; and at the door Of the
university there are two heaps Of the slain;
and at the gate Of this nation there are two
heaps Of The slain. When I look upon
the desolation am almost. fran;
tic with the scene, while /
cry out: "Who slew all thesei" I can answer
that question in half a minute. The minis
ters Of Christ who have given no warning,
the courts of law that have offered the icen-
sure, the women who give strong drink on
New Years day, the fathers and mothers
Of thousands Of Christian mon and women in
tho land who are stolid in their indifference
on this subject-they slew all these!
Ipropose in this discourse to tell you what
think are the sorrows and the doom Of the
drunkard, so that you to whom speak may
not come to torment,
Some one says: ''You had better let those
subjects alone" Why, my brethren, we
would be glad to let them alone if they would
let us alone: but when have in my pocket
now four requests saying: Pray for my hus-
band, pray for my son, pray for my brother,
pray for my friend, who is the captive Of
strong drink" I reply, we are ready to let
that question alone when it is willing to lotus
alone; but when it stands blocking up the
way to heaven, and keeping multitudes away
from Christ and heaven, dare not be silent
lest the Lord require their blood at my
hands
think the subject has been kept back
very much by the merriment people make
over those slain by strong drink. used to
be very merry over these things, having O
keen sense Of the ludicrous. There was some
thing very grotesque in the gait Of drunk
ard. 1t is not so now; for I saw In one Of the
streets Of Philadelphia sight that changed
the whole subject to me. There was young
man being led home. He was very much in
toxicated-he was raving with intoxica-
ton. Two young men were leading
street, men laughed, women sneered;
but 7 happened to be very near the door
where he went init was tho door Of his
mothers house. I saw him 60 up stairs. I
heard him shouting, hooting and blasphem-
ing He had lost his hat, and the merri-
ment increased with the mob until he came
to tho door, and as the door was opened his
mother came out. When I heard her cry
that took all the comedy out Of the scene.
Since that time when soc man walking
through the street. reeling, the comedy is all
gone, and it is tragedy Of tears and groans
and heartbreaks. Never make any fun
around me about the grotesqueness Of a
lrunkard. Alas for his home!
The first suffering Of the drunkard is in
the loss of his good name. God has SO ar
ranged it that no man ever loses his good
name except through his own act All the
hatred Of mon and all tho assaults of devils
cannot destroy a mans good name il he
really maintains his integrity. If man is
and pure and Christian, God
looks after him. Although he may be bonn
oarded for twenty or thirty years, his integ-
rity Is never. lost and his good name Is never
sacrificed. No force on earth or in hell
can capture such q Gibraltar. But when it
Is said of a man, 'sHe drinks" and it can
be proved, then what employer wants
him for workman? what store wants him
Tor clerk? what church wants him for a
nember2 who will trust him? what dying
man would appoint him his executor2 He
ais reputation--it goes down. Letters Of
recommendation, the backing up Of business
irms, a brilliant ancestry cannot save him.
The world SHES off. Why2 1t is whispered
IL through the community, "He drinks; he
lrinks." That blasts him. When man loses
lis reputation for sobriety he might as well be
It the bottom of the sea. There are men
lere who have their good name as thoir only
,apital. You are now achieving your own
livelihood, under God, by your own right
!rm. Now look out that there is no doubt
f your sobriety. Do not create any sus-
,icion by going in and out Of immoral places,
II by any odor Of your breath, or by any
,lare Of your eye. or by any unnatural Hush
,f your cheek. You cannot afford to do it.
FOR your good name is your only capital, and
when that Is blasted with the reputation OF
taking strong drink, all Is gone
Another loss which the inebriate suffers Is
hat of self respect. Just as soon as man
wakes up and find that he is the captive OF
,trong drink he feels demeaned. I do not
,are how reckless he acts. He may say, VI
ion't care;" he does care. He cannot look a
oure man In the eye, unless it is with positive
Sorce of resolution Three-fourths Of his nature
8 destroyed; his self respect gone; he says
things he would not otherwise say; ne does
things he would not otherwise do. When
man is nine-tenths gone with strong drink,
the first thing he wants to do is to persuade you
that he can stop any time he wants to: be
cannot. The Philistines have bound him hand
ewes, and are making him grind in the mill OF
= great hoFT5T. He cannot stop. will prove
It. he knows that his course Is bringing dis
grace and ruin upon himself. BE loves him.
self. If he could stop he would. Ho knows
his course is bringing ruin upon his family.
He loves them. He would stop if he could.
He cannot. Perhaps he could three months
Or a year ago; not now. Just ask him to
stop for month. BE cannot; he knows he
cannot, so he does not try. had friend
who for fifteen years was going down under
this evil habit. He had large means. He had
given thousands Of dollars to Bible societies
and refornatory institutions Of all sorts.
BE was very genial and very gener.
ous and very lovable, and whenever he talked
about this evil habit he would say: II can
stop any time" But he kept going on, going
on, down, down, down. His family would
,ay: II wish you would stop why" he
would reply, II can stop any time If want
,o.n After while he had delirium tremens;
ne had it twice; and yet after that he said:
II could stop at any time il ! wanted to-"
o. Li.aI ! 49, IfIlnt lrillod hinn2 R11nnl