Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-01-17
been so much quoted, and caused so much

! been so much quoted, and caused so much
discussion and controversy:
Speaking honestly, cannot by the
arguments yet presented 20 me admit tho
alcohOls through any gate that might distin-
guish them apart from other chemical bod
les. l can no moro accept them as foods
than | can ChlOroform, or other, or meth
ylal. That they produce a temporary ex-
citemert is true; but as their general action
is quickly to reduce animal heat, i cannot
see how they can supply animal force. i
see clearly how they reduce animal power,
and can show a reason for using them In
order to stop physical pain or TO stupefy
mental pain; but that they give strength
l. O., that they supply material for construc-
ton of,fine tissue, or throw forceinto tissues
supplied by other material-must be an err
ror as solemn as it is widespread. The true
character of the alcohols is that they are
agreeable temporary shroud3. The savage,
with the mansions of his soul unfurnished,
buries his restless energy under their shad-
ow. The civilized man, overburdened with
mental labor or with engrossing care, seeks
the same shade; but IL Is shade, after all,
in which, in exact proportion as he seeks IL,
the seeker retire5 from perfect natural life.
To resort for force to alcohol is, in my mind,
equivalent 10 the act OF searching for the
sun in subterranean gloom until all is night.
That gives my argument in "A nutshell,
and every day live 1 am more convinced OF.
its truth l am as sure of it as hat two and
two make four, and arrived at il by q chain
Of logical reasoning and scien ific r, search
which has never yet been successfully dis
puted. My feet are planted on the rock Of
truth in this matter.
"Now came the struggle, whether should
continue moderate drinker or who herI
should declare myself And / determined
to declare myself, and give up the use of
alcoholic drinks altogether. l found /
worked better for the determination and
was every way healthier, and have never
seen any reason to regret it, either in myself
or others
"You must understand, did not at first
give up prescribing alcohol in my practice
But then found / never knew what 1 was
wing, so prescribed il pure, mixed w On
water in proper proportions just like any
other drug. Commonly it is called pure
spirits of wine Then knew exactly what
II did when prescribed. But 1 gradually
began to give il up, even in that form, aid
now scarcely ever prescribe itn
"What should you recommend as a substi-
tutem
~ don't believe in substitutes was the
doctors prompt reply. "They deceive, NOR
ally and physically For faintness | always
prescribe a recumbent position, fresh ar,
cod water TO the temples, and for drink,
hot milk and wafer or beef tea. 1t is fifteenl
years since | became q total abstainer, AND
have never seen an injury or falling OF any
kind from the adoption of total abstinencf.t
i have never gone in for what mly be Gal'ed
tho enthusiasm OF the matter; take my
stand on physical principles
ION the whole think public opinion is
coming round to our view. Everything is
being given up but moderation; on that
point | think people are still deceived. They
consider they arc practicing modecstiop;
they are really producing disease insidious-
ly"
The statistics OF the inland revenue re-
turns show that the consumption OF alcohol
ic liquors is steadily declining. And with
out in the least degree disparaging the noble
work of many other men and women in the
temperance cause yet one of the most po-
tent influences in that decline of the drink
traffic has been the scientific temperance so
logically wrought out and so psrsistently
advocated by that genial man Of science III
Manchester square