The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1890-08-29
TEMPERANCE E COLUMN.
WHEN OLD 8; 5 kNoUeH 4 70 pR1Nk !,
- -
KINsLkf We. t. o.

- "a "a
WHEN OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK
Nearly .three-fourths OF. a century
ago, a quiet village in northern Yer,
mont was startled by seeing posted up
at different places papers headed in
large print, :
evils OF 1RrtMfERANSceEh;; NSceh;;
and the astonished people read that on
such night man would lecture up
on the above subject. Such thing
had never been heard of Eefore.
Since the origin of the village tina
people Lad gone tn the tavern far
rum, and this and hard cider were
found on every table. Even 1.-The par
son" got rather to joyous at times, yet
his good feelings were overlooked, and
lie stiii Told of the Savior's love-
But all We're not happy here Many
homes showed the hight resulting from
too much induluence in drink, and i'm,
poverished wives and children could
easily be found, yet none seemed TO see
any remedF;, and so the foul blight
still remained uhtouched: It /. was
thought to be the misfortune of the
family resulting from the frowns of
Providence.
On the night of the lecture the house
was crouded by motley mass. all eager
to hear what could be said. Here
were the rich and the poor. the tavern
keeper and his victim, the red-nosed
father and his suffering, squalid, fam
lily. The speaker told i'll plain and
simple language of his lGe-how as a
drunkard he was welded TO tic ,ittox,
icating beverage, till, like demon,
it had destroyed honor, pride, and in
dustry, and made a very brute of him:
He told of his once happy h6fne, of his
devoted wife aud children, and then
described his downwdfd course, till
finally he and his family were driven
out as outcastS. While thus homeless
and friendleSs, Christ i'll His mercy
touched the heart of that drunkard,
and he saw himself in all his wreched-
ness and vileness; and OH his bendtd
kffees asked the blessed Jesus to take
away his fiery appetite, and give him a
| clean heart solely and wholly devoted
to Christ. Jesus heard and blessed
him, and in time he was enabled to-
buy back his old home, and now his life
was blessed by a happy family and =
comfortable hoifie:
L will not attempt to follow the
speaker through but his words sank
deep in the hearts of the people, for ALI
saw in his picture of their own trua
condition, and when the speaker told
of the happy change resulting from
casting aside the dfink hffhies; tfftiny
determined to try the same experiment..
AT the close, pledge was shown
and all invited to sign it who wished,
! anu many crowded forward and signed
their names. Among the number was
beardless, tow-headed boy, but he
was crowded out and sadly returned t,y
his seat. a temperance organization
was proposed and the motioR carried,
and rs they wrote out and arranged
the plan of Organization, the boy who
was turned back, rose to his feet and
said: Il move that all be allowed tU
join who are old enough to drink.
Such manliness from boy surprised
the people. THAT boy" said an old
man, lis Horace Greeley who is print
ing our newspaper. Iwant him in our
society, and second the mGtfoh'''
The motion vas carried, and voting
Greeley was invited to sign the pledge
and was made one of the officers, aud
became one of the most earnest workers
in the order.
! a few months before this. WheIl-sErs. /.
Greeley took a last embrace of her
noble boy, she said, 'sIIor;Ice, if you
Will promise me never to touch any
kind of Intoxicating drink can bear
the parting betterf'' Mother, God
helping me, will not only abstain
from its use, but 1 shall do all in my
power to get others to abstain from It's
use alsO," replied the boy.
How nOhly this iifteenxxeaf-o1d hoy
keept hfs pledge in after years. During
a busy life when men looked upon him
rs the greatest writer Of his age, he
still kept his pledge, and died temper
ate to the last. Temperance men, let
Horace Greeley condition. Of n1eHlber-
ship be yours. It is easier to: take &
boy in tender years and keep him safe
from this drink evil, than to try to
break him when the appetite is there
IL Union Signal.