The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-30

done II glorious wo..t | think we are
colnins; at last ~ treat inebriation as it
ought to be treated. namely, as an
awful disease. self inflicted to be sure,
bat nevertheless "a disease. Once fast
cncl uIy)u II man SERMONS won't cure
him; temperance lectures will not Grad
;cate it; religious tracts will not remove
it; the Gospel of Christ will not arrest
it. Once under the power Of this awful
thirst the man is bound to go on, and
il the foaming glass were on the other
side of perdition he would wade through
the fires of hell to get it. Ayoung mnn
in prison had such II strong thirst for
intoxicating liquors that he cut off his
hand ut the wrist, called for n bowl OF
brandy in ORDER TO stop the bleeding,
thrust his wrist into the bowl. and then
drank the contents.
Stand not when the thirst is on him
between II man and his cups Clear
the track for llim Away with the
children; W. would tread their life out.
Away with the wife; he would dash
her to death. Away with the cross; he
would run it down. Away with the
Bible: he would tear it up for the
winds Away with heaven; he con-
sidcrs il worthless us IL straw. Give
me the drink Give it to me! Though
the hands of blood pass up the bowl,
and the soul trcmblcs over tie plt-tho
drink. give it to me! Though it be
pale with tears; though the froth of
everlasting anguish float on the foam
give it 10 ne, | drink to my wifc's
woe, to my childrcn's rags to my cter-
nal Punishment from God and hope
and heaven. Give it to me! the
drink
Again, we will contend against these
evils by trying to persuade the respect
able classes of society to the Danish
mcnt Of alcoholic beverages. You who
move in elegant aud refined associa-
tons; you who drink the best liquors;
you who never drink until you lose
your balance, let us look each other in
the face Oh this subject. You have,
under God. in your power the rcdemp-
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 sympatiiies. DO that
and ! will promise three things: First,
that you will find unspeakablo happi-
ness in having done your duty; second,
you will probably save somebody
perhaps your own child; third, you
will not In your last hour have n regret
that YOU made tho sacrifice, if sacrifice
it be.
rHK rIOwsuARK or DEATH.
As long as YOU make drinking re-
spectacle, drinking customs will prevail,
and the plowshaN 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 llcnd would like TO
go nnd hang up Il skeleton III your
beautiful house, So that when you
opened the front door to 90 in you
would see it In the hall; and when you
sat ut your table you would see it hang
tnc from tho 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 NJ your heart.
There is no home SO beautiful but it
may be devastated by the awful curse.
1t throws its jargon into the sweetest
harmony. What was it that snenced
the English orator, and shat
tered the golden scepter with which no
swaycd parlialnents and coultsf What
foul sprite turned the sweet rhythm OF
Robert Burns into t,lnel.ss babblc?
What brought down the majestic form
of one who awed the American senate
with his cloqucnce, and after while
carried him home dead drunk: Whit
was 1t that swamped the noblo spirit OF
ono Of the heroes of tho last war, until
tn drunken fit he reeled from the
deck of western steamer and was
drowned9 There WAS one whose voice
we all loved to hear. lie was one of
tho most classic orators OF the century.
People wondered why Il man of SO pure
heart and so excellent life should
have such IL sad countenancc always.
They knew not that his wife was sot.
A CALL.
call upon those who arc guilty OF
these indulgcnccs to quit the path OF
death OH what IL change it would
make In your home. Do you see how
everything there is being dcsoltcd2
Would you not Ike TO bring back JOY
to your wife's heart md 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 ogo were extin-
guishcd' 1t Is not too late to change.
1t may not entirely obllterate from
your soul the memory of wasted years
and q ruined reputation, nor smooth
out from your anxious brow tho wrln-
klcs which trouble has plowed. 1t may
not call back tlnkind words uttered or
rough deeds dono, for perhaps in those
awful moments you struck her! 1t
may no: 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 l may address one who
may not have quite made up his mind.
Let your better nature speak out You
tako one side or the other In the war
ogoinst drunkenness Have Won the