Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-05-05
SALOON KEEPERS TEMPERANCE LECTURE

SALOON KEEPERS TEMPERANCE LECTURE
The temperance people have had a
great deal to say, and we on this side
have kept pretty quiet, that is, we have
not lectured in public much; but l
think it is time we tried to do some
thing to gain a new foothold. We did
did not know just what to do, only il
talking will do the work on the TEN
perance side, why won't it on ours?
We are generous-we can afford to
be; we have money, more than all the
temperance folks put together; and it's
very easy work to just stand behind
the counter and pour something from
a bottle into a glass, and fill up the
money drawer, To be sure, we some.
times have to kick a man outdoors,
when he hasn't any money, and does
not know enough to 60 home, and has
no wife to come after him; but that's
easy when you get used TO 1t. Then it's
kind of hard sometimes to give a young
fellow his first glass of liquor, especi.
ally If l know his mother; but then
you can do this easy when you get
used to it. Then it's about the hardest
thing l ever did to take a little bundle
from a poor, tatterd man, in pay for a
drink, and open it, and find a pair of
little baby 3 shoes. or a little girls doll
or little boy 8 sled. Those things were
hard work; but l got used to them, and
now it's easy.
One thing l know, if l was fighting
under the temperance flag, l wouldn't
march up to a rebel and pat him on
the back, just for the sake of coaxing
him to vote for me the next day. And
one thing l wouldn't do if l was a tenn
perance minister. If a saloon keeper
should hand me a ten dollar bill as |
was going by his saloon, l wouldn't
take that bill and old it up and put it
in my pocket and say, THANK you,
SIR" l don't think near as much of
the kind that will do that as l do of
men like Elder Pennyworth. He had
a big family to provide for, and the
church couldn't pay him much. One
day when 1 met him in the street, l
took out a twenty dollar gold piece and
offered him, He didn't touch it. but
said, putting his hand on my shoulder,
my dear friend, l thank you for your
kindness. God knows how much Ineed
money, but l wouldn't dare use it.
You know it is written, The wages of
sin is DEATH I'm afraid to help use
such wages" That's all he said, and
those few words have given me more
hours of sober thinking than anything
else l ever heard. l tell you, that
minister | respect, though l s'spose if
his prayers should be answered, l
should fail in business in less than q
week for want of customers. Gospel
Lights.
is THE SALOON "a HORRIBLE THING?"
To a Western city, a few weeks ago,
a pure country girl, fourteen years old
and very ignorant of city ways, came
looking for work as a domestic servant
to help support her father; she found
her sister who had preceded her, and
got employment, for she was neat,
handy and pretty. On Sunday she took
a walk and met some young men
friends of her sister, and upon invita-.
ton entered the family entrance" of
a saloon to have a glass of wine; just
at daybreak she was carried out of the
place drugged, debauched, insensible,
insane from rum and terror, and taken
home to her mother to die-or worse.
That saloon is doing business tonight
and is as lawful as a church.
In Rhaway, New Jersey, a young
married woman fed on whisky by a
medical i%gnoramus, became a slave to
drink, and at her own request was put
by her devoted husband in q hospital
for inebriates, and in Que time return
ed home cured and almost too happy,
the old grief was forgotten and the lit.
tie house was Heaven for the three.
One morning the husband, starting to
his work, tossed a little roll of bills to
pay the rent with. She thrust it in the
bosom of her dress and went on singing
about the golden streets of the new
Jerusalem. When the work was done
che took M the baby and walked across
the city 10 the landlords. Ii was the
first time her husband had trusted her
alone with money. She was excited.