The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-30
FORTY YEARS A DRUNKARD.

An old man with snow white hair and
mustache and trembling voice, but with the
impressive eloquence which heartfelt convic.
ton and sincerity produce, stood up In the
Water Street McAuley Mission on q recent
night, and, while women wept and bearded
men uttered fervent amens, told the story
of his conversion and rescue from career
of confirmed drunkenness which had lasted,
with brief intermissions, nearly forty years.
The man was Reuben Johnson-"Uncle
Rube," as he was familiarly called by the
frequenters of the mission. he said he was
over seventy years of age. Many years
ago, betore rum had obtained complete do
ninion over him, he was we'll known as q
skilled mechanic and operator Of printing
presses. He was converted year ago at
the McAuey Mission, and at the same time
ceased drinking.
1t is customary at the McAuley Mission
when convert has remained faithful TO his
pledges Of reformation for year to hold an
anniversary meeting over him and get him
to mount the platform and tell the story OF
his life and conversion. On recent night
was "Uncle Rubes" anniversary, and, as he
is considered, not to speak irreverently, the
star convert Of the mission, there was a
great gathering there Of people interested In
its work
In plain, unaffected language, and with
none Of that ostenration OF piety which con-
verts sometimes display, Uncle R9Re" told
his story. He began to work whehAe was
fourteen years OF age, finding emPloySsnt
in the press room OF a newspaper. WithH(S
earnings he helped support his widowed
mother, who was devout Christian. He
was Of sociable disposition aud soon learned
to take glass of beer now and then with the
men on pay day. A little later he occa-
sonally took glass of sweetened gin. de
was promoted rapidly and earned good
wages.
As his wages increased he drank more fre-
quently, but without any suspicion that he
might some day become slave to the habit.
After he reached manhood he occasionally
got tipsy, but he always managed to conceal
such lapses from his mother. He married
when he was thirty. Three years later he
lost his mother, and year after that his
wife died. While his wife was living he only
took an occasional glass, but after that sad
bereavement he abandoned himself to drink.
II could always endure physical suffer-
ing" he said. "but mental anguish made me
a coward, and went to rum for solace.
Then, when lgot sober my conscience would
chide me and accuse me, and to escape from
self reproacn would again have recourse to
drink. And so it went on, until before l
was aware Of it, the habit had enslaved me
would could not break"
Itwas soon after he began drinking stead
lily that, at a hint from his employers, he
gave up his situation in the pressroom,
where he had been getting SIS a week. He
never again worked at his trade, and for
years lived a most precarious existence,
swiftly sinking toward the gutter. He cared
little what hard shifts he was put to for food
as long as he could satisfy his craving for
rum.
About fifteen years ago he obtained ad-
mission to ON inebriate asylum in the hope
that he might there be cured Of his terrible
appetite. But after staying there three
months he found that its intensity had not
been diminished, and in a few hours after
leaving it he was as drunk as he had ever
been in his life. He went back 20 the asylum
several times, but always with the same re-
suits. "The only advantage that the place
offers to the drunkard," he said, lis that
he can't get drink there. Except for the
absence Of rum the atmosphere Of the place
is that of third-rate barroom. There is no
Christianizing influence about it."
Except for brief intervals Of respite when
he was in some asylum johnson lived for
years the life of drunken sot. Five years
ago he went to the McAuley Mission,
hungry, destitute, ragged, verrnin in:
fested-a wreck physically, mentally and
morally" He got converted, as he thought.
After keeping sober for few days he was
consigned to the care of convert in Brook
lyn. But he found that this convert had
lapsed from grace and was drinking freely.
The temptation proved too much for him.
Again he fell, this time il possible lower
than ever For three years he lived almost
literally in the cutters, without hope of any
sort, except the faint one that if things
came to the worst he might escape by sui
eide.
A year ago he again visited the mission
for the purpose Of getting. nights lodging.
Again the prayers, the hymns and the ad-
dresses so wrought upon him that again he
was led to hope that he might be saved and
escape the terrible curse that had afflicted
him more than half his life.
II had no iaith in myself said the old
man, while tears of gratitude stole down his
cheeks, but asked Jesus to help me, and
He did it. I am Christian now. The old
thirst for drink has gone."-Ne0 York
Herald.