Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-08-08

what a change Il would make In your homei
Do you see how everything there is being
desolatedi Would you not like TO bring
back Joy 20 your wife's heart and have your
children come out TO meet you with as much
conddence rs once they showedf Would you
not like to rekindle the home lights that long
ago were extinguished' 1t is not too late TO
change. 1t may not entirely obliterate from
your soul the memory OF wasted years and Q
ruined reputation, nor smooth out from your
anxious brow the wrinkles which trouble has
plowed. It may not call back unkind words
uttered or rough deeds done; for perhaps in
those awful moments you struck her IL
may not take from your memery the bitter
thoughts connected with some little grave.
But Il Is not too late 10 save yourself, and
secure for God and your family the re
maindcr OF your fast going life.
But perhaps you have not utterly gone
astray. may address one who may not
have quite made up his mind. Let your bet
ter nature speak out. You take one side or
the other In the war against drunkenness.
Have you the courage to put your foot
downright, and say TO your companions aud
friends, II will never drink intoxicating
liquor In all my life, nor viii I countenancs
the habit In othsrsp' Have nothing to do
with strong drink. 10 has turned the earth
into place Of skulls, and has stood opening
the gate to q lost world to let In its vitims,
until now the door swings no more upon its
hinges but day and night stands wide open
to let in the agonize1 procession OF doomed
men.
Do address one whose regular work In
life is to administer to this appetitef For
Gods sake get out OF that businessl IL a woe
be pronounced upon the man who gives his
neighbor drink, how many woes must be
hanging over the man who does this every
day and every hour Of the day.
Do not think that because human govern
ment may license you that therefore God
licenses you. am surprised to hear you
men say that they respect the Original
package" decision by which the Su-
preme Court of the United States allows
rum to DO taken into States like Kansas,
which have decided against the sale OF intoxl-
cants. have no respect for wrong deci-
sion. care not who makes 1t. The three
judges Of the Supreme Court who gave min
ority report against that decision were right
and the chief justice was wrong. The right
OF a State TO defend itself against the rum
traffic will yet be demonstrated, the supreme
court Notwithstanding. Higher than the
judicial bench at Washington is the throne OF
the Lord God Almighty. No enactment,
national, State or municipal, can give you
the right to carry on business whose one
effect Is destruction.
God knows better than you do yourself
the number Of drinks you have poured out
You keep list, but more accurate list has
been kept than yours You may call 1t
Burgundy, bourbon, cognae, Heidsieck,
sour mash, or beer. God calls 1t strong
drink Whether you sell 1t in low oyster
cellar or behind the polished counter Of
first-claSs hotel, the divine curse is upon
you. I tell you plainly thatNyou will meet
your customers one day when there will be
no counter between you. When your work
is done on earth, and you enter the reward
of your business, all the souls Of the men
whom you have destroyed will crowd
around you and pour their bitterness into
your cup. They will show you their wounds
and say, you made them" and point to
their unquenchable thirst and say, "You
kindled it." and rattle their chain and say,
You forged it." Then their united groans
| will smite your ear, and with the hands out
of which you once picked the sixpences and
the dimes, they will push you OF the verge
of great preclpices, while rolling up from
beneath and breaking among the crags of
death will thunder, "Woe to him that Civ
eth his neighbor drink"