The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-03
FREE TO ABSTAIN.

The Sunday.school Times concludes re-
cent valuable article. entitled "A Sensible
View of Total Abstinence" as follows
To-day it is evident that there is dan
ger in wine drinking. Unlike other articles
OF food and drink, alcoholic beverages so
invite to excess by their very use that their
user is exposed to peculiar temptation to
indulge In them more and more freely, until
his appetite is hopelessly subject to their
control As matter Of prudence, therefore,
it is manfestly safer. to abstain from wine
drinking than to run the special risks that it
involves No man can say that he Is above
temptation OF beyond peril in this matter;
for If he will but stop and look at the facts
in the case, he will see that men fully his
equal in intellectual power, in personal
character in strength Of will, in social
standing. and in spiritual attainments,
have already succumbed to the tempta-
tion to drink to excess, while no
men who was a total abstainer ever became
drunkarJ. Moreover, in view of the dan.
gers to others, who are under tho influence
of his example, in his family or in the out
side community, the man who can abstain
from wine drinking ought to do it for the
sake of those who LOOK to him for wise lead
ing. Granted, for example, in another
sphere, that there be no sin in the thing itself.
in the making of ones home, with ones fami-
ly, in house where poisonous sewer gases
find their way through the drain pipes into
the living rooms; granted, also, that some
dwellers IN that house have remained alive,
while others had died from the poisonous
laden atmosphere, would it be wise or right
to seek home there for ones self. or ones
loved ones, with the risk involved. while
another house, OF like advantages, and OF no
higher cost that is wholly free from sucn
perils, is open to his cnoice?
''lu short, even though the Biole does not
explicitly command total abstinence as the
duty of every child OF God, the Bible evi.
IDENTIFY leaves it free to every child or God
to be total abstainer II he wishes to be;
and therefore it is for ths Christian believer
to do, and to deem it his duty to do, that
which. in the light of all that be sees and
knows is the best and safest thing to do.
Looking around him every man sees that
better men than himself have become
drunkards through attempting to be mod
crate drinkers; and he knows that there IS
no certainty { at he will not drink to excess
if he drinSs at all while be is perfectly safe
80 long as he remains total abstalner-as
be is privileged to remain. Every man sees,
moreover, that his example in this matter
Is sure to influence some who are obviously
weaker than himself, therefore that, II be
drinks at all, he may lead these persons to
drink TO excess. Having the choice between
drinking and abstaiuing, and knowing tnat
by drinking he imperlis himself and lmperus
Others, while by abstaining he secure safety
for himself and for others. how can no
choose drinking without sinningE
TEMPERANCE NEWS AND EorEs.
Nine counties of California are succsss-
fully enforcing prohibitory and restrictive
ordinances against the liquor traffic.
The Joliet GIl.) Woman;s Christian Tenn
perapcs Union distributed 1900 bouquets 1T
the oenitentiarg on flower mission day.
The trust distilleres of Illinois are short
eninp their output of whisky, but they say
it is not to shorten the supply, and that
prices will not be affected.
John E. Thornton. sixty five years old,
was hanged at Fort Snith, Ark. recently
for the murder Of his dau yhter, while drunk.
Before his execution he appealed to the
spectators to abstain from tue use OF liquor.
The Louisiana Woncn's Christian Temper
ance Union has had SnccesStul year anu -
enlarging It's borders III every direction.
Strong and earnest workers have been EN-
gagged an will spare no pains to advance
white-ribbon interests in New Orleans and
the State generally.
The Secretary OF the Navy has approved
the finding of the court martial, which re-
Gently tried Chief Engineer Burdette c:
Gowing, at New York, upon the charge OF
druukness while on duty. The court found
him guilty and imposed sentence Of two
years suspension from duty.
beer saloon on wheels is the latest in
vention in Portland, Me A hack stands by
the curb, as il waiting for passenger. A
man who is in the secret. gets in, and the
hack starts ON a trip around the block. The.
occupant lifts the front seat. finds a bottle
and a glass; takes drink, and puts the
money in box aud closes the trap When
this vehicle gets back at the starting place
the men gets out, and the hack is ready for
the next customer.