Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-08-08

drinking customs viii prsvat, and the plc.sv
share of death, drawn by terrible disasters,
VIII o on, turning no this whole contin snf
from end to end with the long, deep, awful
furrow OF drunkaris graves.
OH how this rum fiend would like TO &C
and hang up skeleton in your beautiful
house, Sd that when you opened the front
door 10 go in you would sea 1t In the hall;
and when you sat at your table you would
see it hanging from the wall; and when VOC
opened your bedroom you would find II
stretched upon your pillow; and, waking at
night you would feel its cold hand pass
ing over your face and pinching at your
heart
There is no home so beautiful but it NAV
be devastated by the awful curse. It throws
its 1argon into the sweetest harmony. What
was 1t that silenced Sheridan the English
orator, and shattered the golden scepter with
which he swayed parlaments and courtss
What foul sprite turned the sweet rhythm
OF Robert Burns into a tuneless babble,
What brought down the ma eStic form of one
who awed the American Senate with his elo
quence, and after a 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 or 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 man OF so pure a heart and SO excel
lent life should have such sad countenance
always. They knew not that his wife was
Sot.
call upon those who are guilty of these
indulgen nc ss to CAN'T the path Of death Oh,
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 much
confidence as once they showed? Would you
o. l.
ago were exiting ushed? 1t is not too late to
change. 1t may not entirely obliterate from
your soul the memory of wasted years and a
ruined reputation, nor smooth out from your
anxious brow the wrinkles which trouble has
piowed. 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 memery 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 re-
mainder 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 and
friends, II will never drink intoxicating
liquor in all my life nor will I countenance
the habit in othersP' Have nothing to do
with strong drink. 1t has turned the earth
into place of skulls and has stood opening
the gate to 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 agonized procession Of doomed
men.
Do address one whose regular work in
life is to administer to this appetite? For
Gods sake get out Of that business! If 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. l am surprised to hear you
men say that they respect the original
package decision by which the SUI
preme Court of the United States allows
rum to be taken into States like Kansas,
which have decided against the sale of intoxi-
cantS. have no respect for wrong deci-
sion. care not who makes it. The three
judges of the Supreme Court who gave min
GRITTY 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 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.
the number of drinks you have poured out.
You keep list, but more accurate list has
been kept than yours. You may call it
Burgundy, bourbon, cognae, Heidsieck,
sour mash, or beer. God calls it strong
drink. Whether. YOU sau it in low oyster
cellar or beuur1 u1o polished counter or
first ass 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
around you and pour their bitterness into
your cup. They will show you their wounds
their unquenchable thirst and say, ''You
klndled 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 off the verge
of great precipices, while rolling up from
beneath and breaking among the crags OF
death will thunder, ''Woe to him that Civ.
eth his neighbor drink"