The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-06-06
A TOTAL ABSTAlNER.
Many Sound Reasons for Refraining From
Alcoholic Stimulants.

Alcoholic Stimulants.
In the first place-frst not in impor-
tance-because always have been one,
not having known anything else to be
when l was Il child. | went on being
u teetotaler until was able to reason
about the matter for myself. And l
think there is L great deal in children
Being thus brought up abstainers as d
matter Of course, as though there were
nothing else for them to be. We can
not tell how soon habits exert their
power upon children. Therefore, let
them be put IN the way of this good
habit as soon as possible. They will,
IN very many instances, be much more
apt to remain in the habit than to ac-
quire it at later periods of their life.
As to why have continued to be
total abstainer, number of reasons
might DC given. l think the first that
operated with me was the observation
OF the misery caused by over-indul-
gence in strong drink. l was too young
then to view this in the light of a sin.
But going about even as boy, saw
for myself what trouble thus ensued.
and l remember distinctly saying to
myself; y will not drink such things,
for some one day may be making the
same trouble for Others"
After awhile l learned that drunk
enness was sin, and then l thought
it best to go on not drinking such
things assAyere the means of commit
ting the sin. | saw many drinking,
so tar as | knew, temperately; but |
did not feel sure that could resist the
temptation to intemperance. So | con-
Guided that it was safer for me not to
drink such things at all.
And lest, by allowing myself the use
of milder stinulants, might go on and
indulge in stronger and deadly stimu-
lants, | made up my mind not to drink
tea or coffee, which | have always
looked upon as stinulantsprather than
as articles of food. Thus it is, then, |
can say that | have never tasted tea,
and coffee only once. In this same
category have also put tobacco, which
l smoked only thrice-many years ago
| can not but believe that this life
long abstinence from the one class of
stimulants has helped me against the
other.
Further, l am total-a bstainer be-
cause by myself being one l can the
more successfully per uade others to
be such. l am quite aware of the
force of other arguments, and
that a man who himself is not a
teetotaler, but is strictly tenn
perate, may, with consistency, urge
one to become such who is intemper-
ate. But l think those of US who have
had experience in the work will agree
in saying that it is, as a rule, far easier
to give up intoXicants altogether if he
knows that we have done the same.
l find an additional reason for being
total abstainer in the firm belief
which l have long entertained that
thereby my heath and strength are
the better assured. l hope that | NAV
be allowed, simply as furnishing evil
dence to this effect, to say that in vari-
Gus ways l have gone through great
deal of work and exposure, calling for
at least much of physical endurance.
have never had headache, and for a
period of over fifty years had no neces-
sity for medical prescription. For
the exceptional health and strength
graciously vouchsafed me, feel that
am chiefly indebted, under God, to my
abstinence from all stimulants.
DO not know that economical con.
siderations have had any weight with
me. Not that it would not have beer
necessary for me to take them into ac.
count, but simply because the Others
were sufficient to keep Inc from what
certainly would have been, with my
convictions, not only needless but ar
unjustfable expense. There are those
to whom the financial argument comes
with force that does not with then
seem TO attach to any other argument
Indeed, it requires but little effort K
show how unwise it is to spend then
money for that which is not to apycni
necessary if taken as a beverage, anC
is to very many undesirably hurtful
Ii other considerations failed with me
/ should certainly be moved by thi
one of judicious and legitimate ex
penditure.
have thus in a simple way-anC
egotistically of very necessity-ad
Gacsd, according to request, some o