Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-08-01

: Ieall upon those who are guilty OF these
i'm lulgcnccs to quit the path of death. On!
wat IA change ii would make in Your nome!
YOU see how everything there Is uelh9
dcsointcd? Would you not like to, BRING
back jov to your wife's iiaart. aud nave
your children come out to meet You WIN rs
! much confidence. as once they showed
/ Would YOU not like to. rekindlc the nome
lights that long ago wcro cNtlngulshed IL
is not too late to change. 1t may not en-
tirely obliteratc from your soul the memory
! of wasted years and a ruined reputation
nor smooth out from your ANXIOUS prov
the wrinkles which trouble has ploWed. 1T
may not call back unkind words uttered or
rough deeds DONE, for perhaps IN those
awful moments you struck her. III may not
take from your memory the bitter thoughts
| connected with some little grave. But 1t is
not too late to save yourself. and secure ,or
| God and your family the remainder oil your
fast going life.
! But perhaps you have not utterly gone
astrnv. may address one who may not
nave quite made up his mind. Let your
better nature speak out. You take one she
or the other in the war against drunken
ness. Have you the courage to put your
foot downright. and say to your COM
| panions and friends. II will never drink in
toxicating liquor in all my life: nor will 1
countenance the habit in othcrs?" Have
! nothing to do with strong drink 1T has
turned the earth into Il place OF skulls. and
has stood opening the gate to Il lost world
| to let in its victims. until now the door
swings no more upon its hinges. but, day
| and night. stands wide open to let in the
agoniZcd procession of doomed men.
Do l address one whose regular work in
life is to administer to this appetite? For
! Gods sake get out of that business! III Il
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. l am surprised to hear you
men say that you respect the Original
| package" decision. by which the Supreme
| Court of the United States allows run to be
taken in states like Kansas. which have de-
cided against the sale of lntOXicantS. l
have no respect for a wrong decision. l
care not who makes it. The three judges
report against that decision were ri ht 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 not withstanding. Higher than the
judicial bench at Washington is the throne
of the Lord God Almighty. 10 enactment.
national. state or municipal. can give YOU
the right to carry on u 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 a more accurate list
has been kept than yours. You may call it
burgundy. bourbon, cognac, Heidsieck.
sour mash or beer. God calls it strong
drink. Whether YOU sell it in low oyster
cellars or behind the polished counter of u
flrst-class hotel, the divine curse is upon
you. tell you plainly that you 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 aroun you and pour
their bitterness into your cup. They
made Them" and point toltheir unquench-
able thirst and say, You kindled it," and
rattle their chain and say, You forged it"
Then their united groans will smite your eur,
and with the hands out of which you once
picked the sixpenccs and the dimes they
will push you off the verge of great pre-
cipices. while rolling up from beneath and
breaking among the crags of death will
thunder, Woe to him that giveth his neigh
Dor drink"