Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-07-28

ana L0dNon! OISS III W Int! Tile
drink
Again, we will contend against these
evils by trying to persuade the respect
able classes of society to the Danish
ment of alcoholic beverages. You who
move in elegant and refined associa-
tions; you who drink the best liquors
YOU who never drink until you lose
your balance, let us look each other in
the face on this subject. You have,
under God, in your power the redemp-
ton of this land from drunkenness
Empty your cellars and wine closets of
the beverage, and then come out and
give us your hand, your vote, your
prayers, your sympathies Do that
and will promise three things: First,
that you will find unspeakable happi-
ness in having done your duty; second,
perhaps your own child; third, you
will not in your last hour have a regret
that you made the sacrifice, if sacrifice
it be.
THE PLOwSHARE OF DEATH.
As long as you make drinking re-
spectacle, drinking customs will prevail,
and the plowshare of death, drawn by
terrible disasters, will go on turning up
this whole continent from end to end
with the long, deep, awful furrow of
drunkards' graves.
Oh! how this rum fiend would like to
go and hang up a skeleton in your
beautiful house, SO that when you
| opened the front door to go in you
would see it in the hall; and when you
sat at your table you would see it hang
ing from the wall; and when you
opened your bedroom you would find
it stretched upon your pillow; and,
waking at night, you would feel its
cold hand passing over your face and
| pinching at your heart!
There is no home SO beautiful but it
may be devastated by the awful curse.
1t throws it's jargon into the sweetest
harmony. What was it that silenced
Sheridan, the English orator, and shat
tered the golden scepter with which he
swayed parliaments and courts? What
| foul sprite turned the sweet rhythm OF
Robert Burns into a tuneless babble2
| What brought down the majestic form
| of one who awed the American senate
with his eloquence, and after while
| carried him home dead drunk? What
was it that swamped the noble spirit OF
one of the heroes of the last war, until
in a drunken fit he reeled from the
| deck of a western steamer and was
drowned? There was one whose voice
we all loved to hear. He was one of
the most classic orators of the century.
| People wondered why a man of so pure
a heart and so excellent a life should
have such a sad countenance always.
They knew not that his wife was a sot.
| A CALL.
call upon those who are guilty OF
these indulgences to quit the path OF
death Obi what a change it would
make in your home! Do you see how
everything there is being desolated
| Would you not like to bring back JOY
to your wife's heart, and have your
children come out to meet you with as
much confidence as once they showed.
Would you not like to rekindle the
home lights that long ago were extin-
| guished? 1t is not too late to change.
1t may not entirely obliterate from
your soul the memory of wasted years
and ruined reputation, nor smooth
| out from your anxious brow the wrin-
kles 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! 1t
may not take from your memory the
bitter thoughts connected with some
little grave. But it is not too late to
save yourself, and secure for God and
| your family the remainder of your fast
| going life.
| But perhaps you have not utterly
| gone astray. I may address one who
may not have quite made up his mind.
| Let your better 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 and
| friends, II will never drink intoxicat-
| ing liquor in all my life; nor will
| countenance the habit in othersY
Have nothing to do with strong drink.
1t has turned the earth into Il place OF
skulls, and has stood opening the gate
| to a lost world to let in its victims, I'M
til now the door swings no more upon
its hinges, but, day and night, stands
wide open to let in the agonized pro
cession of doomed men.
Do address one whose regular work
in life is to administer to this appetite
For Gods sake get out of that bust
ness If 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.
GOD GRANTS NO LICENSE.
Do not think that because human
government may license you that there
fore God licenses you. am surprised
to hear you men say that you respect
the Original package" decision, by
which the supreme court of the United
| states allows rum to be taken in states
like Kansas, which have decided
against the sale of intoxicants. l have
no respect for a wrong decision.
care not who makes it, The three judges
of the supreme court who gave minor
ity report against that decision were
right, and the chief justice was wrong.
The right of state to defend itself
against the rum traffic will yet be dem
onstrated, the supreme court not
withstanding Higher than the judi
cial bench at Washington is the throne
of the Lord God Almighty. No enact
ment, national, state or municipal, car
give you the right to carry on bust
ness whose one effect is destruction.
God knows better than you do your
self the number of drinks you have
poured out. You keep list; but g
more accurate list has been kept than
yours You may call it burgundy
bourbon, cognac, Heidsieck, sou1
mash or beer God calls it strong
drink. Whether you sell it in low oys
ter cellar or behind the polished coun
ter of a first 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 be
tween you. When your work is done
on earth and you enter the reward
of your business all the souls of tn.