The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-08-28

rumv' and 1t would wake up the echoes Of
the damned: 'Give me ruml Give me
rum Give me ruml In the future world,
do not believe that it will be the absence
OF God that will make the drunkard's sor-
row; do not believe it will be the absence
OF light; do not believe it will be the
absence Of holiness; think 1t will the
absence OF stroIg drink. 0 'look not upon
the wine when it is red, when it moveth
itself Alright in the cup, for at last it biteth
like serpentand it stingeth like an adder"
But want in conclusion to say one thing
personal, for / do notlike q sermon that has
no personalities in it. Perhaps this has no
personalities in it. Perhaps this has not
had that fault already. l want to say to
those who are the, victims of strong drink,
that while declare that there was a point
beyond which man could not stop, want
to tell you that while man can not stop in
his own strength, the Lord God, by His
grace, can help him to stop at any time.
Years ago was in room in New York
where there were many men who had been
reclaimed from drunkenness. Iheard their
testimony, and for the first time in my life
there flashed out truth l never under
stood. They said: 1--WE were victims Of
strong drink. We tried to give it up, but
always failed; but somehow, since we gave
our hearts to Christ, He has taken care Of
u.s." believe that the time will soon come
when the grace of God will show it's
power here not only to save mans
soul, but his body, and reconstruct,
purify, elevate and redeem it. l ver-
lily believe that, although you feel
graphing at the roots of your tongues an
almost omnipotent thirst, if you will this
moment give your heart to God He will help
you, by His grace, to conquer. Tryit. 1t is
your last chance. have looked of upon
the desolation. Sitting under my ministry
there are people in awful peril from strong
drink, and judging from ordinary circum-
stances, there is not one chance in five
thousand that they will get clear of it.
see men in this congregation Of whom
must make the remark that, If they do not
change their course, within ten years they
will, as to their bodies, lie down in
drunkards' graves; and as to their souls,
lie down In drunkard's perdition. know
that 1t is an awful thing to say, but
can't help saying it. o, beware! You
have not yet been captured. Beware! As
We open the door Of your wine closet to-day,
may that decanter fash out upon you.
Beware! and when you pour the beverage
into the glass, in the foam at the top in
white letters, let there be spelled out to your
soul, "Beware!'' When the books of judg-
ment are open, and ten million drunkards
come up to get their doom, want you 70
bear witness that to-day, in the fear Of
God, and in the love for your soul, told you
with all affection, and with all kindness, to
beware Of that which has already exerted
its influence upon your family, blowing
out some of its lights-a premonition
Of the blackness Of darkness forever.
o, If you could only hear this mo.
ment, intemperance, with drunkard's bones,
drumming on the head Of the wine cask
the dead March Of immortal souls, methinks
the very glance of wine cup would make
you shudder, and the color Of the liquor
would make you think of the blood of the
soul, and the foam on the top of the CUP
would remind you Of the froth on the mani
ac's lip, and you would go home from this
service and kneel down and pray God that
rather than your children should become
captives Of this evil habit, you would like
to carry them out some bright spring day
to the cemetery and put them away to the
last slecp, until Ut tho call of the south
wind ~ nowerswould come up all over the
grave sweet prophecies Of theresurrection
ID lns = balnrfor such . wound; but whai
ilower Of comfort ever grew on the blasted
heath Of drunkard's sepulchrel