The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-10-14
The Cure Of Drunkenness.

Hon. Thomas IL. Ward went to the
Kelley Institute of Dwight, ILL.,. which
endeavors to cure drunkenness by BIZ
chloride of gold, and great improve
meut was experienced by him. AT the
close of his residence at Dwight he
made an addrt IS to the club Of reformed
men. In the course of this address the
eX Congressman said: 81 have taken
the treatment through the prescribed
pc riod and am about to 90 away. | be-
lieve that | am thoroughly, radically,
permanently cured of the appetite for
Intoxicating drinks. But now, my
friends, will you permit me to speak a
few plain words Of caution and admo-
milton to you? | address myself particu-
larly to the young II en- of the club. |
beg you to believe that in al this world
it is impossb c fer you to find anyone
who is in deeper sympathy with you
than | am. What You have suffered,
have suffered. Your eXpert nee has
been my experience, and | share with
you in every hope which gladdens your
hearts, aud so | am sure you will be-
lieve | can be actuated by. none but
good motives in what am about to
say. Because of my greater age, my
more varied than yours. You have the
enthu iasm which belongs to youth.
Enthusiasm is often good thing to
have, but it may also be very danger
Gus thing when not tempered and con-
trolled by sound judgment. Day after
day at the me etings of this club have
heard men exclaim in their Joy and
gratitude: : l know am cured Il am
certain | shall never drink again. But,
my friends, in the nature of the case,
it is impossible for you TO know the flu
ture-we may hope and believe, but
none OF us can know until we shall
have been tested by time and tempta-
tons, Let us never be forgelfu Of th e
sorrowful past; of its broken promises;
its violated pledges; its solemn vows
ruthlessly trodden under our feet.
Why, my friends, the whiskey habit is
the deadliest foe of the human race. |
have seen men who were fearless in the
presence of a battery, fall PROSTATE be-
fore this terrible foe. | have seen the
noblest men 90 down in dishonor under
the shafts of this subtle and most treach-
erous enemy. Temperance societies
have not saved you; the church has
not saved you; the prayers of wives
and mothers aud sisters and daughters
have not saved you. Time and again
you have arisen, only to fall again, each
fall lessening your will power, and the
next fall is sure to be greater than the
last. Did you ever hear what fall
that old Virginia darkey got in his
dream? He said he had dream, and
this is the way he told it: Il dreamed l
was layin' at the foot oh Jacobs lad
der, and de angel oh de Lord he come
and say; Get up, JIM" and | got up;
and de angel say: Climb dat ladder,
JIM" and / clumb; and then he said
"Clmb higher, JIM" and l clumb
higher; and then he say: Climb still
higher, JIM" and cumb higher and
higher, and pretty soon get to de top,
and dun couldn't climb no mo-; and
de angel OBJ de Lord he say: Jump,
jim, jump land 1 jumped, and l got
the wust fall since the fall OBJ Adam.
My friends, it is my sincere conviction
that the man who comes to Dwight and
takes this treatment and then goes
back TO whiskey will get his final and
his fatal fall. For myself, ! am sure il
would mean swift and certain desruc-
ton, for the last hore would forever
fade from my heart. Better, far better
it would be for any one of us that he
had never come here at all than that he
should come and 60 away and strike
his colors to the enemy"