Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-04
SUNDAY TOPICS.
REV. Q. N. AFFORD DELIVERS A SERMON TO
The ORDER OF MECHANICS
Home Life Portrayed by Rev. J. A. Fullerton at tie
Thomson NJ. z. Charch-Dr. SwOpe Talks
Relative to the New Year.

At the morning services at the Third
Presbyterian church, yesterday, the
pastor, Rev. c. NJ. Afford, preached an
anniversary sermon to the Order of
United American Mechanics, which
order was well represented. He took
his text FROM Prov. &c, Cor. s.2l, aud
] Tbess. 5-S.
Gentlemen Of the Order Of United
American Mechanics" he said, ''it
gives me pleasure to welcome you TO
our service this first Sabbath morning
Of the New Year. IL is not my intention
10 attempt to instruct you on the work
ingS Of your order, for you are far
better acquainted with il than | am;
but 1 have chosen as the theme OF the
hour, your most excellent mOtto-'In-
dustry, Honesty aud Sobriety.' These
4 three graces beautifully harmonic.
4 II a man is honest he will be indust-
. trious, aud il he is honest and indus
trious, he will be sober.
The first star 10 your constellation IS
Industry. This word is too bright, and
life is too intense and short for any man
70 be idle. God expects every one 10 be
industrious. Honest labor is honorable,
and every man should be at work
Perhaps the greatest curse OF Europe Is
the idleneSS Of so many men. Pauper-
ism everywhere abOundS. rejoice that
very few born Americans are troubled
with this disease. Laws should be
passed 20 keep the chronic pauper out
OF this country. The man who will not
work ought not 10 be supported by any
government or people.
Honesty is the second star In this
constellation. Dishonesty is the great
est scOuTge Of the race. Avoid 10, for 10
will ruin you and il is found every
Wherein the farm, in the shop, be-
hind the counter, aud at. the desk. It
enters every trade, every profession,
every form OF labor. A man who loses
his place becauSeS he refuses to be dis
honest, will not be long in finding a
new one. Be honest with yourself and
every time you do dishonest act you
stj1e conscience and wrong yourself
IL you discharge this duty 10 self,
you will have no trouble in being honest
with your fellOwmau. Take the golden
rule as your guide. But we must also
be honest with God. However honest
we may be with ourselves or fellow
man, il we refuse to give God what we
owe Him, we are still dishonest. Gull
tivate candOr with God, SO that you can
be loyal 20 your watchword, Honesty"
The third star in your constellation
Is sObriety. Intemperance is the great
est sin Of our day. Intemperance de-
stroys the physical man. IL undermineS
his constitution, and takes away the
strength from his strong right arm.
$ Young men are beginning to see that
stimulantS are weakening. When they
are preparing for the boat race, the foot
ball, the wrestling match, they always
abstain from strong drink. Iutemper-
ance is rUinOuS 20 the mind. Alcohol
turns the LIQUID brain TO almost solid.
1t ruins the intellectual part Of man, but
above all 10 ruins the soul, destroys the
morals, degradeS the character. A man
will not long be Industrious or honest,
after he has surrendered his SOOriety.
There appears TO be a misunderstanding
in this city about what SObriety means.
There is a difference Of opinion as to
when a man steps over the line OF
sobrIety TO drunkenness. IL ten drinks
make a man drunk, then one drink
makes a man one-tenth drunk. That is
good arithmetic. The trouble with
most people is in placing the whole
weight of responsibility on the tenth
drink. and none en- the first nine. The
man who takes one drink has stepped
over the line OF sObriety, aud can no
longer claim TO be true 10 this pledge
"Honesty, Industry and SObriety.'
This is a high platform your have
adopted, but none too high for true
American citizens. Take your stand
mon ii, and be true to it. You are
now celebrating your fifteenth anniyer-
sary. You have had struggles In the
past and will have greater ones IN the
future. Your great work is before
You. The subjects of capital and labor
and immigration, are becoming more in
tense every year. Stand BY your colorS,
holding aloft the banner with this IN
cription-"IndUStry, Honesty, and So
briefly"