Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-08-07
SUNDAYS SERMON
ONE OF REV. DIR. TALMAGEs
STERLING DIsCoURsEs.
su bject: 1.-THE Curse of Intemper-
ance.'

Joseph's brethren dipped their brother
coat in goats blood, and then brought thu
dabbled garment to their father, cheating
him with the idea that ferocious anima
had slain him. and thus hiding their infa
nous behavior. But there is no deception
about that which we hold up to your OBJ
servation to-day. A monster such a,
never ranged African thicket or Hindostan
Jungle hath tracked this land, and with
bloody NAV hath strewn the continent
with the mangled carcasses of whole genera
lions, and there are tens of thousands OF
fathers and mothers who could hold up the
garment of their slain boy, truthfully ex
claiming, ut is my sons coat; an evil beast
hath devoured him" There has in all ages
and chimes been a tendency to the improper
use of stimulants. Noah, as il disguised with
the prevalence OF water in his time, took to
strong drink. By this vice Alexander the
Conqueror was conquered. The Romans at
their feasts fell off their seats with intoxica-
ton. Four hundred millions of our race are
opium eaters. India. Turkey and China have
gToaned with the desolation, and by it have
been quenched such lights as Haley and
DeQuincey. One hundred millions are the
victims of the betel nut, which has specially
blasted the East Indies. Three hundred
nilliG8s chew hashish, and Persia, Brazil
end Africa suffer the delirium. The Tartars
employ murowa, the Mexicans the agave,
fty taken from sugar cane, while great
multitude that no man can number are the
disciples of alcohol. Toit they bow. Under
10 they are trampled. In its trenches they
fall. On its CHASTITY holocaust they burn.
Could the muster roll of this great army be
called, and they could come up from the
dead, what eye could endure the reeking,
fostering putrefaction and beastliness?
What heart could endure the groan OF ag-
ony?
Drunkenness. Does it not Jingle the bur-
glars key? Does it not whet the assassin's
knife2 Does it not cock the highwayman's
pistol? Does it not wave the incendiary's
torchi Has 1t not sent the physician reeling
into the sick room, and the minister with his
tongue thick into the pulpit? Did notan ex-
quisite poet from the very top of his fame
fall gibbering sot into the gutter on his way
20 be married to one of the fairest daughters
of New England, and at the very hour the
bride was decking herself for the altar, and
did he not die OF delirium tremens almost un-
attended in hospital! Tamerlane asked for
160, 900 skulls with which to build pyramid
to his own honor He got the skulls and nd
built the pyramid. But il the bones of all
chose who have fallen as a prey to dissipa-
ton could be piled up it would make vaster
pyramid.
Who will grid himself for the journey and
try with me to scale this mountain of the
dead, going up miles high on human car
casses to find still other peaks far above,
mountain above mountain white with the
hleached bones of drunkardsi
The Sabbath has been sacrificed to the
rum traffic. To many of our people the best
day of the week is the worst. Bakers must
keep their shops closed on the Sabbath. 1t
is dangerous to have loaves of bread going
out on Sunday. The shoe store is closed
severe penalty will attack the man who
sells boots on the Sabbath. But down |
with the window shutters of the |
grog shops Our laws shall confer par
ticular honor upon the rum traffickers. All
other trades must stand aside for these. Let
our citizens who have disgraced themselves |
by trading in clothing and hosiery and hard |
ware and lumber and coal take off their hats
to the rumseller, elected to particular honor. |
1t is unsafe for any other class of men TO be |
allowed license for Sunday work. But swing |
out your signs, oh ye tratiickers in the peace I
of families and in the souls of immortal menl |
Let the corlxs fly, and the beer foam, and the |
rum go tearing down the half consumed |
throat of the inebriate. God does not seel
Does He? Judgment will never GOMEZ T
viii iti
l do not know but that God is determined |
10 let drunkenness triumph, and the hus-
bands and sons Of thousands of our best fam
lies be DESTROYED by this vice. in order that i
our people,. dIildIei iiSt i
up and demand the determination OF this
municipal crime There is a way of driving
down the hoops Of barrel so tight that they
break We have in this country at various
times tried to regulate this evil by tax on
whisky You might as well try to regulate
the Asiatic cholera or the smallpox by taxa
don. The men who distil liquors are for the
most part INSCRIPTIONS, and the higher the
tax the more inducement to Illicit distilla-
lion.
Oh! the folly Of trying to restrain an evil
BY Government tariff. If every gallon Of
whisky made, IL every flask OF wine pro-
1uced, should be taxed a thousand dollars, it
would not be enough to pay for the tears it
has wrung from the eyes of Egidows and or
phans, nor for the blood it has dashed on the
Christian Church, nor for the catastrophe of
the millions it has destroyed forever
l sketch two houses in this street The
arst is bright as home can be- The father
comes at nightfall, and the children run out
10 meet him. Luxuriant evening meal. Graf
nlation and sympathy and laughter. Music
n the parlor. Fine pictures on the wall.
Costly books on the stand. A well clad
household. Plenty Of everything to make
home happy.
House the second Piano sold yesterday
BY the sheriff. Wife's furs at pawnbrokers
shop. Clock gone. Daughters jewelry sold
10 get flour. Carpets gone off the floor.
Daughters in faded and patched dresses.
Wife sewing for the stores. Little child with
An ugly wosnd on her face, struck in an an
cry blow. Deep shadow of wretchedness
falling in every room. Door bell rings. Lit
lie children hide Daughters turn pale.
Wife holds her breath. laundering step in
The hall. Door opens Fiend, brandishing
ais fist, cries, ''Out out. What are you do
ing herey'
Did call this house the secondf No; it is
he same house. Rum transformed it. Rum
smbruted the man. Rum sold the shawl
Rum tore up the carpets. Rum shook his
ist Rum desolated the hearth. Rum
hanged that paradise into hell.
sketch two men that you know very well
the first graduated from one of our literary
Institutions His father, mother, brothers
md sisters were present TO see him graduate
They heard the applauding thunders that
greeted his speech. They saw the bouquets
,ossed to his feet. They saw the degree con-
erred and the diploma given. BE never
ooked 50 well. Everybody said: what
noble browl What fine eyel What grace
'ul manners. What brilliant prospectsp All
he world opens before him and cries, "Hur-
-ah hurrahE
Man the second lies in the station-horse.
The doctor has just been sent for to bind w
he gashes received in fight His hair Il
matted, and makes him look like wild beast.
l. - =. / .