The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-05
ALCOHOL AND THE SOUL.
Drink Debases Human Nature and Dwarf
Moral Growth.

Moral Growth
The human family too often fail to
understand the meaning of the word
soul; and as it is our intention to con-
slider the effect of alcohol on the soul,
it will be well for us to inquire what
this mysterious power is.
The soul is conscious self. 1t is the
ego of ones existence without material
consideration, com bning all the pow
ers of intellect, sensibility and will.
1t will be discovered from the forego-
ing definition that it is not the purpose
of this article to consider the eject of
alcohol on the system farther than the
relation of mans senses are connected
with conscious self, and not with phys
ical self.
The progress of soul-life, or the in
Prospective power of man, has no foe
more deadly than alcohol. 1t has
affected the consciousness of the entire
human family. AS l pen these words
l feel that my soul has been injured by
this great evil; not that l have ever
used it, or that my ancestors were given
to its use, but because the moral
growth of the soul of a world-its con-
scious self-has been injured and l am
part o. that injured humanity
We can not, in this article, which we
feel might be extended to the length
of three-volume book, treat this sub
iect biologically or sociologically. We
will simply ask what is the effect of
alcohol on the intellect, sensibility and
will.
The word intellect comes from the
Latin words inter, between, and legere,
together, and thus suggests to the
mind a power which gathers from
mans surrounding that which we call
knowledge. Have you ever noticed to
what extent the use of intoXicants in
juries mans power to discriminate, be-
tween right and wrong? 1t Injuries,
sometimes beyond repair, the cores
pondence between consciousness and
reality, making unreal things to APP
pear real. This is seen in it's worst
stage in what is known as traumatic
delirium, but may be noticed in the
common drunkard who finds enjoy
ment in the satisfaction of vile pas
sions to the injury Of moral life. The
is also of Il nature to cause doubt
that hesitancy between right and
wrong-to be favored by error. This
may be seen in it's advanced state when
the drunkard ceases to hesitate before
using uncandid expressions or execu-
ting vile thoughts; when he seems to
enjoy the polite method of robbery
known as gambling, and kindred vices.
But under this heading should be
considered the jury that comes to
ones power of introspection. When
man becomes addicte to the use of al
coholic drinks he loses II portion of his
retrospective power We have often
seen the heavy drinlser who seemed to
live as though his soul were merely
series of sensations. This is seen in
various degrees in the drunkard, Justin
proportion as he cultivates passion and
neglects candor or meditation on self.
Consciousness is a part of intellectual
self, which can not be defined. Every
attempt to define it moves in circle
1t only admits of self-evident affirma-
ton. ! comprehend my power to rea-
son, therefore | am. Alcohol has
ISDuCucy W SluIJlly one reason, Jnert-
fore it limits ones consciousness, thus
injuring the very base of his soluble
ing. You may have noticed its injury
to mans sense-perception, or power to
perceive through his senses. You may
have noticed this in the drunllard who
has lost his love for the beauties of art
and nature, and varied stages may be
seen of loss of nse-perception.
Delirium is but the confusion of
sense-impressions The nervous organ
ism has had its effect upon the sensi-
bility of man and delusion follows. If
a nerve be irritated in any unnatural
way it may convey impressions to ones
senses. Thus continued use of alcohol
may go so far as to in ure that organ
ism of ones body that receives impress
lions of forms, and causes unnatural
currents to produce a flash of light,
and cause in the auditory nerve a
sound, thus undermining sense-percep-
ton, one of the grandest faculties of
the soul.
When we consider the effect of alco-
hol upon the sensibility of man, our
consideration broadens to his sensation
and ssntimonk Under the former We