The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-01-31
GRAND CEREMONIES.
kContinued From First Page.)

walls OF every brewery and distllery and cause
them to crumble and fall to the ground. 1 would
strike the lips of every man and close them
against the taste for liquor. 1t duty
to strive against intoxicating liquors.
When know it is the of so
much evil, my very heart rises up in arms against
1T.
Some time ago friend came to me and said:
Give me pledge l rather surprised at the
abrupt demand as had been trying for months to
get him to sign. and so l asked him
1 give you his in his
words: 4 have old acquaintance in the per-
son of a saloon-keeper. over whose bar 1 have
spent many a dollar; in conversation with him to-
day remarked that now had forty men work
ing for me. Che was a contractor). The saloon
keeper answered that he had more working
for him than that, and jokngly said, that
one of them. To-day was pay day, and as was
settling up my various bills 1 called him to set
tie Little account. AS paid him the money he
said: You see, was right you working for
me- 1 number of my men. and other men
also come into his place and saw that he was
right-that we had been working for him. 1 made
up my mind that l would work for him no longer.
and told him and here am to sign the pledge
He signed it. and about three months after he
walked into the same saloon; the propr etor
delighted to see him. The contractor complained
of large lump on his stomach. The saloonkeeper
was ready with his L told you so's,' and L
pected it if you gave up liquor when my friend
quietly pulled out his pocketbook filled with
money and said, this is the lump" You
see, am working for myself now
When you tempted to spend even
trie foolishly do not do it, put it aside. 1t will
multiply itself, and in few years you can be in
dependent of many temptations that would
sail you If you were without a dollar
when l see so many men, good men, who have
given up liquor and are now upright Christians it
strengthens me in my work All, what a fearful
curse is liquor 1t dashes away all hope from the
future. it closes the very portals of Heaven. The
B BILE says that no drunkard can enter Heaven.
Liquor is the very incarnation of the devil.
Physically il has well.known deleterjous effects
on the stomach. 1t is Unsuitable. it ever calls
loudly for more and still more, until finally the
poor wretch is driven mad. The time comes when
the appetite is SO strong that the cannot help
himself. How pity these men! 1t is the first
glass that must curse and avoid For after the
first glass comes the second, and then the third
and on until the soul is lost. When you leave
here you will meet with mighty combination that
will seek to drag you downward. Probably the
first Old acquaintance that you meet will invite
you to drink. My friends, you will indeed need
the grace of God to sustain you.
what a state society is in! In many of the
first families of the land liquor is offered as
symbol Of hospitality. The upper classes as they
are called, what are they doing? On their table
is wine. If our great men drink how can you
blame the poor man for following his example,?
Society it to blame for it! 1 protest against it!
Why! when the election day comes round. whose
hand is it that governs the ballot? How many
bow down before the saloon element! How many
fear il and dare not antagonize it, AS large
cities are great centres we will take one for ex-
ample. and perhaps it will be better. less person
al, ii we 60 a long way for it. In New York, out
of thirty aldermen, thirteen were saloonkeepers,
and nine of these held third.class licenses. and
doubtless would have rated still lower had there
been lower grades. These are the men that you
elect to Office to formulate laws for your own gov.
eminent. The poor man purchase from these
model lawmakers that which will deprive him of