The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-24
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
COMMON SENSE AND DRINK.


cf Man.
There was never any science that has
seemed to me so beneficial and so use
full as this very simple science of teach
ing why people should abstain from
strong drink. There is common sense
in science, and when science is not
common sense, it is not, strictly speak
ing, scientific in its character Science
is simplicity. 1t is nature speaking to
man. When we look at the details of
life and consider how they are put to-
gether-so that living creatures may
be brought into action, and may exist
and have power, and may go through
the phase which we call life-we see
that, with regard to the means by
which a living being is brought into
existence and carried through it, there
are certain methods for the construc-
ton of the body, for the supply of its
wants and necessities, and for the
maintenance of it's power, which re-
main inviolate. Men may change their
views and opinions, but these eternal
laws go on.
So when we come to the investiga-
tion of the food and drink of man we
find that, according to nature, there is
one principle at work, and none other.
There are two things given us to
live upon in nature things which are
combustible and things which go to
build up the body. These we call food.
Then we have something given to us
TO carry these solid parts of food
round the body and dispose of them in
H. = u L.
distributes his goods up the rivers, and
SO on. The bearer of all these SUBJ
stances which go to build up our
bodies is a fluid, and that fluid is
water 1t makes up sixty-four per
cent. of the weight of all our bodies,
and it carries like a mighty river all
through our vessels the food which we
require. In nature we always find this
water present. The smallest or the
largest animal cannot live without this
fluid Beasts require no other fluid
than water. 1t is not until we come to
man, and then only to n very small
part of mankind, that we see any inter-
ference with this universal law of ma
ture.
Man must at some period of his his
tory have dropped upon stray kind of
product which exists in nature, and,
thinking it different from water, began
to drink it. He called it wine, and
then spirit, when he had discovered
the art of distillation. Then serious
evils took place. He was off the line,
was not running with the natural state
of things, but by and by men began to
learn. Then not learned men but poor
men began to think it wise to return to
natural principles. Poor men rather
more than fifty years ago began to
start this great principle that man
should be content like the rest of crea-
ton with the natural fluid sent to him.
There has been a great controversy
as to whether it is not bad to give up
the fluid alcohol. You will ask: Is this
fluid positively harmful? Yes, it is
harmful. 1t changes the natural order
of the body and produces fascinating
effect for the moment. 1t quickens
the pulse and the breathing, ex-
cites the mind, leads to sudden
impulses which make men or
women feel for the time that they are
strong and happy, but in all that it
things. Everything is carefully or
dered as to time in the human body,
and II this regulation be but preserved.
there is long stage of life before
every living man. But nature will not
be interfered with. Change that order;
put into the body a substance like al
cohol, which is foreign to it, which
quickens the pulse, the breathing the
impulses, and the thoughts. and you
hasten the period of death. That is
the popularity of all, or nearly all,
those persons who indulge largely in
strong drink-they become premature
ly old. And so. is it not common sense
and common science too, when we see
effects like these following misuse of
the substance before us. that it is bet
ter for every man. woman and child
never to vary from the natural course
of nature so as to induce these pleasur-
able sensations and this quickened life
in the organic life? / think you will
all be of opinion that this is the right
and proper view for everybody to take
We are all born to drink no other
fluid than water Why should we ever
depart from it? Why break the pledge
which nature has given, and make
man cease to be what he was intended
TO be? Not one bit of good ever comes
from the trial. When we take a
pledge with nature, there is no service
rendered ourselves by the breaking of
it. This substance called alcohol goes
to form no tissue or give warmth. 1t
imperfcctly dissolves everything in the
way of food which comes in contact
with it, interferes with the digestion
and the distribution of food, produces
false products in the body. disease in
the organs of the body, sadness always
after time. alteration of the mind, so
that at least fourteen per cent of the
unfortuAates in our asylums are there
because of its presence. II makes
diseases. some of which are specifically
its own and are called after it: and we
can calculate by figures what will be
the value of life in person who is
freed from this agent, and the value of
life in one who continues to take it.
= oly