Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-01-14
THE CURSE OF DRINK
REV. DR.. TALMAeE CALLS A HALT ON
DISSIPATION

the Topic ''The Song of the Drunkard."
Tas Power and the Evils of Intemper-
anoe In the Use Of Liquor.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-This discourse
Of DIR. Talmsge is from a most unusual
standpoint, an arousing call to reforma-
sion from dissipated habits, and must do
wide good. The text was Psalms Xix, 12,
"I was the song of the drunkards.
Who said that Was 1t David or was Is
Christi 1t was both. These Messianic
Psalms are like telescope. Pull the In
strument to a certain range, and 1t shows
you an object near by. Pull it to another
range, and it will show you objects far
away. David and Christ were both, each
in his own time, the song of the drunk
ards. Holiness of doctrine and life always
did excite wicked merriment Although
David had fully reformed and written a
psalmody in which all subsequent ages
have sobbed out their penitence, his enc
mics preferred to fetch up his old career
and put into metric measures sins long be-
fore forgiven. Christ, who committed no
sin, was still more the subject of unholy
song; because the better one is the more
iniquity hates him. Ofsthe best being
whose voice ever moved the air OF whose
foot ever touched the earth it might be
said:
The byword of the passing throng,
The rulers scoff, the drunkard's song.
The earth fitted up for the human race,
in congratulation the morning stars sang
song. The Israelitish army safe on the
bank of the Red sea and the Egyptians
clear under the returned water, Moses sang
song. One of the most important parts
of this great old book is Solomon's song
At the birth Of our Lord the Virgin Mary
and old Simeon and angelic prima donnas
in lowering clouds sang song. What en-
richment has been given to the world g
literature and enjoyment by the ballads,
the canticles, the discants, the ditties, the
roundelays, the epics, the lyrics, the dithy-
rambs But my text calls attention to a
style of song that l think has never been
| discoursed upon. You sometimes hear
this style of music when passing saloon,
or residence in which dissipation Is as
cendant' or after you have retired at night
you hear 1t coming out of the street from
those who, having tarried long at theiI
cups, are on their way home-the ballad
| of the inebriate, the serenade of the alco-
holized, or what my text calls the song Of
the drunkards.
| For practical and saving and warning
and Christian purposes l will announce tc
you the characteristics of that we'll known
cadence mentioned in my text First
remark that the song of the drunkardt
is an old song. Much of the music of the
world and Of the church is old music.
First came the music of percussion, the
clapping cymbal, which was suggested by
a hammer on an anvil, and then the sigh
| ing of the wind across the reeds suggested
the flute, and then the strained sinews Of
the tortoise across it's shell suggested the
| harp But far back of that, and nearly
back as far as the moral collapse of oul
| first parentage is the song OF the drunk
ards. That tune was sung at least 4 ,24;
years ago, when, the deluge past, Noat
came out of the ark, and, as II disguised
with too much prevalence of water, he tool
to strong drink and staggered forth, for al
ages the first known drunkard. He sound
ed the first note of the old music of inebri
acy. An Arab author of A. d. 1910 wrote
"Noah, being come out Of the ark, ordered
each of his sons to build house. After
ward they were occupied in sowing and IL
planting trees, the pippins and fruits o
which they had found in the ark. Th
vine alone was wanting, and they ooult
not discover it. Gabriel then Informed
them that the devil had desired 1t, and in
deed had some right to 1t. Hereupon Noal
summoned him to appear in the field ant
said to him: oh, acoursedl Why hast tho'
carried away the vine from me3' Because
replied the devil, lit belonged to me.
Shall part it for your said Gabriel. 9
consent said Noah, 'and will leave him
fourth That is not sufficient for him,
said Gabriel. Well, will take half, re
piled Noah, 'and he shall take the other.
THAT is not sufficient yet, responded Ga
briel He must have two-thirds and thol
one, and when thy wine shall have boile
on the fire until two-thirds are gone tn
remainder shall be assigned for thy use.
A fable that illustrates how the vine ha
been misappropriated.
1t Is an Old Song.
Benhadad and 80 allied kings, rioting l.
pavilion, took up the same bacchanal
Nabal was rendering that drunkards' son
when his wife, beautiful Abigail, cam
back from her expedition to save her hus
band. Herod was singing that song whe
the daughter of Herodias wheeled in tn
dance before him. Belshazzar and thou
sand lords renewed that song the night th
handwriting came out on the plastering G
the wall and the tramp of the besiegin
host was heard on the palace stairs
Ahasuerus sang that song when, afte
seven days of oarousal, he ordered WASN'T
to come into the presence of the roarin
guests without her veil on--a Januar
storm trying to command June morning
Oh, yes, the song of the drunkards is a
old song. King Cyrus boasted that h
; could drink more wine than his brother
Drunkenness was so rife among the Lace
demonians that Lycurgus had all tn
vines of the vineyards destroyed. Pat
excoriates the Corinthians for turning til
communion of the Lords supper at churc
into a carousal. Isaiah mentions til
drunkards of Ephraim. So much wei