The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-04-18

! put IN writing would read something lik,
| this: In the name OF disease and appetite
and death, amen. Ibequeath to my children
| MY evil habits, my tankards shall be theirs,
reputation shall be theirs. Share and share
alike shall they in the infamy. Hereto af
fix my hand and seal in the presence of all
the applauding harpies of hell"
From the multitude of those who have
the evil habit born with them this army is be-
ing augmented. And am sorry to say that a
great many of the drug stores are abetting
this evil, and alcohol is sold under the name
Of bitters. 1t is bitters for this and bitters
for that and bitters for some other thing,
and good men deceived, not knowing Their,
Is any thralldom Of alcoholism coming from
that source, ere going down, and some day
man sits with the bottle of black bitters OF
his table and the cork flies out, and after il
flies fiend and clutches the man by hi.
throat and says: AHA! have been after
you for ten years. l have got you now
Down with you, down with toue' Bitters
All! yes: They make mans family bite,
and his home bitter and hisdisposition bitter
and his death bitter and his hell bitter. Bit
ters A vast army all the time increas-
ing.
1t seems to me it is about time for the IL.
600, 600 professors Of religion in America to
take sides. 1t is going to be an out and out
battle with drunkenness and sobriety, be-
tween heaven and hell. between God and the
devil. Take sides before there is any further
national decadence, take sides before YOUR
sons are sacrificed and the home of your
daughter goes down under the alcoholism of
an lmbruted husband. Take sides while
your voice, your pen. your prayer, your
vote may have any influence in arresting the
despoliation Of this nation. II the II on, 600
professors OF religion should take sides on
this subject it would not be very long before
the destiny of this nation would be decided
In the right direction.
Is drunkenness a state or national evil?
Does it belong to the North, or does it belong
to the South? Does it belong to the East, or
does it belong to the West? All, there is not
an American river into which its tears have
not fallen and into which its suicides have
not plunged. What ruined that Southern
plantation?--every field fortune, the pro.
prietor and his family once the most aftluent
supporters of summer watering places. What
Threw that New England farm into decay and
turned the roseate cheeks that bloomed at |
the foot of the Green Mountains into thu |
pallor OF despair What has smitten every |
street OF every village. town and city of this |
continent with moral pestilence? Strong |
drink
To prove that this is a national evil 1 call
up two States in opposite directions-Maine
this. State of Maine says: 1T is so great
an evil up here we have mathematical 1t as
4 State" State of Georgia says: at is so
great an evil down here that ninety counties
IF this State have made the sale of intoxica-
ing drink criminality." So the word comes
Up from all parts of the land. Either drunk
,nness will be destroyed in this country or
he American Government will be destroyed
ami free institutions are COM
ng into death grapple.
Gather up the money that the working
lasSes have spent for rum during the last
hirty years, and / will build for every work.
ngman house, and lay out for him a gar
en, and clothe his sons in broaicloth
nd his daughters in silks and stand at his
ront door a prancing span of sorrels or
ays, AMI secure him policy of life insur-
nee so that the present home may be
7ell maintained after he is dead. The most
most overpowering enemy of the |
Torking classes is Intoxicating liquor. 1t is
ne anarchist of the centuries. and has boy
otted and Is now boycotting the body and
lind and soul of American labor 1t an
ually swindies industry out Of large per-
entage of its earnings. 1t holds out its ,
lasting solicitations, to the mechanic or
perative on his way to work, and at the :
OOH spell and on his way home at even =.
de. On Saturday. when the wages are !
ild, 1t snatches a large part Of the money
lat might come to the family and sacrifices ;
among the saloon keepers Stand the .
loons of this country side by side. and it is
irefnIiy estimated that they would reach >
ON New York 20 Chicago
MS EVIL Is pouring Its vitriolic and dam.
ible liquors down the throats OF hunirsis !
thousands of laborers, and while the
binary strikes are runous. both to en-
oyers and employees, proclaim universal .
riKe against strong drink, which strike. if !.
pit up, will be the relief of the working
asses and the salvation of the nation. / J.,
III undertake to say that there is not a !:
althy laborer in the United States who. ],
lthln the next twenty years, if he will re. ;,
SO all intoxicating beverages and be saw =
=; may not become a capitalist on a small l
ale. d
Oh, how many are waiting to see if some- d
ing cannot be done for the Stopping of in ;
importance! Thousands OF drunkards wait u
: who cannot go ten minutes in any direc- 4
IN without having the temptation glarng =
lore Their eyes or appealing to their nos !"
Us, they fighting against it with enfeebled /"
III and diseased appetite conauering, then o.
conquering again and sur &
nderlng again, and crying, "How .
az, Lord! how long before these Y
famous solicitations shall be gonem u
nd how many mothers are waiting TO see !"
this national curse cannot lift? Oh, is l.
at the boy who had the honest breath who u
mes home with breath vitiated Or dis 20
Used! What change! How quickly those "a
bits OF early coming home have been ex- o.
anged for the rafting Of the night key in u
door long after the last Waterman has on
ne by and tried to sac that everything was Al
god up Cor the night an
Oh! what change for that young man. 60
10 we had hoped would do something in IA
'rcha1dise or in artisanship or in profess 20
n that would do honor to the family name. on
Is after mothers wrinkled hands are folded ~
I'm the last toll! All that exchanged for u;
rtled look when the door bell rings, lest III
netting has happened; and the wish that
scarlet fever twenty years ago had been OK
al for then he would have gone directly !"
the bosom Of his Saviour. But alasl 70
Or old soul, she has lived to experience %