Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-10-23
HOPE FOR THE DRUNKARD
A New Phase of the Temper.
ance Question.

ance Question.
In the afternoon, we found our
way back to the Mission, looked
in upon the Bible class, and saw
one poor fellow who described
himself as drunkard, a hummer,
penniless, helpless, fricndless,
homeless, without food or shelter;
though the son of well-todo pa
rents, well educated, Il telegraph
operator, shorthand reporter,
who could be earning liberal
wages, but was ruined by drink.
He had been in the Mission be-
fore, had wept, and struggled,
and tried and fallen. Seated by
his side, we drew out the story
of his helplessness, and then pro-
ceeded to explain to him some Of
the causes of his failure. He was
on the verge of delirium tremens.
A mental, moral and physical
wreck.
We spoke to him of tobacco,
which, by its narcotic power, sub
dues, benumbs and stupefes the
senses, until demand arises for
stimulant. This demand is met
by intoxicating drink, the excite
ment caused by which, calls for
some sedative, and then tobacco
comes in play again; so with al
cohol to excite and elevate, and
tobacco to depress and narcotize,
the man is between the upper and
the neither millstones, and gets
pretty thoroughly ground up. We
also pointed out the fact that
nearly all lovers of strong drink
use large quantities of stimulants
and condiments in connection
with their food. The drunkard,
sitting at the table, reaches for
the saltcellar, the pepperbox
and the pepper-sauce bottle, and
covers his food with a compound,
which, if applied to the outside
of the stomach, would probably
draw a blister in less than TWEEN
ty-four hours. When he has
scorched and burned and torment
ed and drugged his tongue, throat
and stomach with these unhealthy
condiments, and articles of food
and drink, everything else be-
comes insipid and tasteless, and he
is under the necessity of having
something hot, burning, singing,
and so he flies to drink.
We pointed out to the man,
that if he wished to escape from
the curse of strong drink he
should entirely let alone all slim
ulants, condiments and poisons of
every kind. That he should
drink pure water or milk, live on
fruits, vegetables and food pre-
pared without these things which
cause so much thirst: and if he
would take these proper and easy
precautions, he might soon re-
cover his normal tone, and be
able to resist the appetite for
strong drink.
He listened with the deepest
interest, it was the first time he
had ever had the matter explain
ed to him. He had been lectured
at and preached to and scolded
He had been discharged or had
left places again and again on ac-
count of intemperance. Eleven
times from ONE place. He had
been exhorted and warned; but
had never been told just how to
get out of the slough of despond
into which he had fallen. The
whole line of thought was new to
him, and he seed to gain hope
from the considerations present
ed; but he was hungry, faint and
sick and had nowhere to lay his
head. 1t did not take long to
furnish him with some simple,
healthful nourishment; arrange
ments were made by which he
could find shelter and food, and
SO we gave him words of cheer
and babe him do his part and look
to God for help.
A week later we called at the
Mission. We found our tele-
graphic friend with whom we
talked the Sunday before, "a
door keeper in the house of the
Lord. = He had been sober for
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