The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-22

drink. Now the teachings Of reason anC
judgment are unheeded, Conscience
goads and lashes him in vain. The de
sire for drink consumes his very being
To obtain it, property is sacrificed, rep
utation barteTed. health destroyed
Parents, wife, children with fearful eyes
and bleeding hearts, gather about him
IN his downward course, and plead with
him to stop. But all in vain. On, on
he plunges through tears, and entreaties
and broken hearts, and premature graves
with headlong rage to ruin.
Occasionally the wretch, aroused to a
consciousness of his condition, tries to
liberate himself. You can almost hear
the clanking of his chains in his frenzied
efforts to break them. But his attempts
are fruitless. His resolves powerless to
overcome the habit that binds him. All
poor man he forged that chain himself.
Link by link he wound that coil about
his own nature. By INDUCING in the use
of Intoxicating liquors, he gradually sur
rendered himself to the control of appe-
tite, until, by an memorable law of his
being, it conquered him. And now he
has no power to extricate himself from
its despotic, deadly rule.
By what name shall we designate this
deadly agent-this fell destroyer of hui
manity? 1t has been very properly
named brain poison. And this is the
most appropriate appellation by which
to distinguish alcoholic poison from any
other. The law requires that drug
gist selling poisonous article, shall la
bel it conspicuously, poison" as a
warning to the inexperienced. would
have brain poison painted on every bar
rel of Intoxicating liquor. would have
these words engraved upon every de-
canter in the bar-roOm. l would have
them on the glasses to glare in the face
of every drinker.
And this poison is unlike any other
known. Its ravages begin at the very
fountain of human action. 1t commences
its deadly work upon the highest and
noblest part of man. 1t invades the do
minion of the mind, and attacks first the
citadel of thought. The man who drinks
this poison, deliberately robs himself of
the distinguishing attribute of his hui
mainly, and brutalizes his own nature.
l often wish the drinker could look into
this delicate, and complicated portion of
his physical organism, and behold the
deadly work of alcohol upon it; and also
upon the mind itself, l think he would
pause in his work of self-destruction.
and dash the poisonous beverage from
him forever,
] have 1welt thus largely upon the
effect of alcohol upon the brain, because
desire to impress this fact, particn-
larly, on the minds of all who hear me.
The liver, stomach and other parts suf-
fer from its effects; but its most deadly
work is upon the brain.
We nave, in the facts presented,
satisfactory reason for personal total
abstinence. Many other considerations
might be urged, but l contine myself to
this one. And l ask, is it not sufficient?
Would any man who values his man
hood require anything furtheT9
And now, in view of what has been
SAID, l desire to utter a few words of
warming call upon all who hear me,
and especially the young men, to avoid
the poisoned cup. Touch it not, there
is ruin in it. 1t allures and exhilarateS
for time, but in the end it stingeth
like an adder; and with an effect as
fatal. The only safety is in total absti
nence. The person who takes but an
occasional glass, unconsciously enters
the beaten road to drunkenness and
ruin. Will any who are here be deceiv-
ed by it? What folly! Is it wise to
drink that which deprives you of your
manhood? Which rObs you of reason,
and brutalizes every power? | tell you
there is deception in the cup. 1t prom
Uses strength, but imparts only weakness.
1t seems to be the cup of pleasure, but
it yields only sorrow and pain. Happi-
ness appears to smile upon the surface,
while beneath is hidden unutteratle
woe. Does it pretend to be the elixir Of
life? All! death is lurking there. 1t
may be offered as the tabled nectar Of
the gods, but it's victims find it to be the
deadly beverage of hell. And multi
tudes are being deceived by it. 1t is al
Turing them onward. Many take an oc-
casional glass without imagining that
they are upon the declivity; they do not
percei re the descent because it is so
gradual. Thousands have gone that way
before, without any thought of danger,
who are now forever lost. Just beyond
the point where the occasional social
glass is INDUCED in, the descent is rapid.
The fall is often sudden and uneXpect-
ed. The habit once fixed, and the man
goes down. From health to sickness
from strength to weakness; from honor
to shame; from responsibility to dis
grace; from success to failure; from
wealth to poverty; down, down to death
and ruin. Are there any who imagine
that there is no danger? Just look
around you. The destructive work is
apparent on every hand. Where, | ask,
is there one who has been elevated, en-
obled by the use of Intoxicating drink?
Is it possible to find one person who has
been raised socially, intellectually or
morally by the use of ardent spirits? l
answer, no. not one!
Alcohol, used as beverage. is a
blighting curse at all times, and in all
respects. 1t touches the physical or
ganism, and the beauty and strength of
manhood are blasted by the touch. 1t
enters the abode of the mind, and its
immortal overs are degraded and ruin
ed. 1t invades the family circle, and
domestic happiness, that "Only bliss of
paradise that has survived the fall" at
once droops and dies. How many hearts,
once light and happy and hope
full, has it crushed! How many
eyes, once radient with joy, has 1t
filled with tears! How many noble,
promising young men has it dragged
down to infamy and shame! How
many premature graves has it dug! Is
Intoxicating liquor blessing OF curse?
Is wine a mOcker, and strong drink
raging? Let those answer who are con-
fined within prison walls for crimes
committed while under its influence.
Ask the widows and orphans of the
homes which have been desollted by its
power Let the thousands answer who,
with drnnken recklessness have rushed