The times., 1892-03-25
Drink and the Drinker.
An Address delivered by Rev. E. B. Ban
"a croft at the M. E. church, Sunday
evening, March 20.

u ~ croft at the M. E. church, Sunday
evening, March 20.
speak tonight not as a citizen, not as a
preacher, but simply as man among men,
for manhood is the foundation of life i'm any
sphere. What is right for the man is right
for the citizen, is right for the preacher. TO
declare against evils of every kind, both
those of the individual and those of the
nation, is one of the pressing duties of every
child of earth however humble his sphere.
1t is no less right to sit down and see an
enemy with its visible uplifted banners
making bold approaches upon the morals
and virtues of peoples minds and hearts
than it is to sit down and see with uncon-
cern malicious foe enter our country with
fixed purpose to go through its breadth
and length, ransacking, pllaging and de-
vastating the possessions OF peaceful citi-
Zens, leaving as result many innocent ones
homeless and dear ones friendless. 1t would
be as unreasonable to remain Indifferent to
the rising vices of society as it would be to
stand still and without effort to save see the
swelling tide of mighty river overflow its
hanks and take from you those on whom
you were wont to bestOw the highest affec-
tiOn. 1t would be as unworthy of sanction
and applause to remain idle, inactive,
amidst the scenes of danger to the purity OF
manhood and wOmanhOOd as it would he to
treat with negligence the indicative symp-
toms of any direful, infectious, deadly dis
ease. And the evils of intemperance in our
own hOnOred land have reached that magni-
tude and enOrmity that to compare it thus
to malicious foe, to the mighty flood or
the pestilential disease is to use words that
paint but small portion of the picture
which represents the dreadful reality. You
cannot picture the misery, wretchedness,
broken hearts, ruin and damnatiOn that fol-
low intemperance.
The picture of burning lake, or low
abOdes of frey fends and tOrmenting
demons gives but feeble intimation of its
eternal horrors. One gets the canvass ready
for the picture, picks up the brush with
which he Is to execute it, uncOvers the dish
in which is the material that is to be used.
AS he dips his brush into it there rise from
it such volumes of blacklist smoke and in
tolerable OdOrs as not only to disgust and
enrage but fairly paralyze highest efforts.
There is scarcely one family that has not
in some way felt the evil and disgrace that
come from this frightful habit. In the con-
sideration of the theme l desire to ask and
answer the question for myself. l am a
young man. l desire to be true to the prin-
ciples of right. l desire that my example
shall be helpful and not injurious. l have
frequent opportunities and solicitations to
taste the wine cup. Many tell me it is
pleasant and not harmful Others look
upon it as containing the germs of greatest
evil. AS a wise young man will not touch
the liquor until know its contents and the
probable consequences.
First, let us then ask what scientists,
physicians and competent authorities say on
the subject. A most eminent professor of
hygiene at one of our foremost universities,
II. n Martin, says: "The study of alcohol
as an article of diet leads therefore to the
result that it cannot fairly be regarded as
food. Unfortunately alcoholic drinks are
not merely useless but positively hurtful
when taken regularly even in what is called
moderation" Among these drinks he classes
malt liquors, as beer, ale, stout and porter,
cider and perry; wines as claret, sherry, port,
champagne and catawba; distilled spirits & S
brandy, rum and whiskey and their com
pounds, as gin, pineapple rum, etc. 1.-The
alcohol from these drinks is absorbed and
carried in the blood through the body and if
steadily taken day after day acts upon and
alters for the worse nearly every important
organ. Physicians have recently come to
recognize that men who in common phrase
were never in their lives under the influence
of liquor may nevertheless be drinking
enough to do them great injury" There
fore, accepting this statement which is con-
firmed by the credited scientists and physi-
clans of this age, as a wise-wOrthy young
man / must totally abstain from the wine
cup.
Second, must totally abstain, because
am not sure would not drink to excess even
~. Nl,.G
the first glass that enthralls the appetite and
leads the young man to fearful doom.
How many thousands there are that attrib-
ute their present misery and guilt to the
first glass and wish they had spurned it with
righteous contempt. The memory of that
one glass casts an impenetrable gloom over
the whole life. A young man once said, 81
never was intoxicated or anything like il but
once in my life, and on the occasion to which
/ refer was not so far intoxicated but that
/ knew everything which occurred. | went
home. l had been with some young COM
paniOns. l assembled the stairs, whisting
and screaming, frightening the servants. l
never should have done It il had not been
drinking. l was not right. My mother came
up and said George, l never believed that
my son would get so low / shut my fist
and struck her terrible blow i'm the face.
This hand was stained with my mothers
blood and now looking at that hand 1 would
give IL to be cut off If could forget the blow
given in that one act of intoxication, the
first and the last Of which | was ever
guilty" One cannot be sure that he will