The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-01-15


have an invitation from one OF superior
name. Each one drank not only when
he felt like it. but when the other felt
like 1t. Neither wanted TO seem lack
ing IN sOciability when he was invited
80 100000 men every year are treated
INTO hell. Together are they manaeled
d evil habit. together they travel to
ward their doom, together they make
merry over the eowardice or puritan.
zeal sentiment Of those who never in
dulge. together they join their voices
in the song of the drunkards. II the
one proposes to stop. the other will not
let him stop. When men are getting
down themselves they do not want
their associates to turn back Those
who turn back will be the scott and
caricature of those who keep on. and
there will be conspiracy to bring them
back TO their old places and their old
environment, and so have them renew
the song of the drunkards
There looms up in my memory one of
the best and noblest friends ever had.
He had been for 80 years a consistent
member of the church. | knew not
that at about 81 years of age he had
! followed the sea and habits of inebria-
cy had been fixed upon him. But con-
verified to God he began new life. Yet
/ it was 50 years war against the old
appetite: but about this struggle [
knew nothing until he was dead While
absent during my summer vacation |
received a telegram announcing his
death and asking me to come and Off
ciate at his obsequies. Iarrived at the
moment the service was to begin. and
had not much time to make inquiries
about his last hours. In my remarks,
without any limitations, l extolled his
virtues while living, and spoke of the
heavenly raptures into which he had
entered. Afterward | found that
he had died of delirium tremens
in the hospital, because he was
so violent he could not be sutfi-
GENTLY restrained in his beautiful
home. He had been seized in the street
with violent pains of body. and went
into an apothecary store to get medical
relief. Something there given him set
on fire his old appetite for strong
drink, and utterly irresponsible, he
went from liquor store to liquor store,
until a raving maniac, the officers of
the law bound him and took him to
the hospital, where he died. Some
time after | said TO the doctor in the
hospital. OF what did he die?" and
the answer was. Congestion of the
brain | said: Doctor. | want to
know the bottom facts. for | was his
pastor. and he was one of the best
friends l ever had. Was it delirum
tremcns?" and the doctor responded
Yes" Did | regret that at his obSe-
quies | had eXtolled his virtues and
spoken OF the heavenly Joys upon
which he had entered? No. l do not
think that my friend was any more
responsible for the mode of his taking
OFF than a typhoid fever patient in de-
lirium is responsible for leaping out
of the fourth-story window. But while
we were heartbrOken about his going
away, | think that in the saloons. To
those who heard OF his membership of
the church and the tragedy OF his de-
parture, he became. as did the David
the drunkardS.
Furthermore. the last characteristic
of the drunkards' song is 50 tremea-
dous that l can hardly bring myself to |
mention it. The drunkards song is a |
song. Once start that tune, |
and you will keep it up. You have |
known hundred men destroyed of |
strong drink. You cannot mention five |
who got fully started on that road and |
stopped. The grace of God can do any
thing. but il does not do everything. |
Religion saves some. Temperance So
cieties save some. The Bowery Mis-
sion saves some. The Central Mission
some. But 100000 who are annually
slain by strong drink are not saved at
all. have been at a concert which
went on for % hours, and many peO-
TOO long: but % per cent. OF
hose who are singing the drunkards'
song will to the last breath of their
ungs and the last beat OF their hearts
keep on rendering it. and the galleries
If earth and Heaven and hell will
tay filed with the astounded
pectatorS. 1t is such a continuous
md prolonged song that one feels like
making the prayer which a reformed
once made: Almighty God,
f it be Thy will that man should SUI ,
er. whatever seemeth good in Thy :
light impose upon me. Let the bread 4.
f athictiOn be given me 10 eat. Take
rom me the friends of my confidence.
let the cold hut of poverty be my
welling place and the wasting hand
f disease inhict its painful tOrments.
let me SOW in the whirlwind and reap
4 the storm. Let those have ME in de
ision who are younger than l. Let
ne passing away of my welfare be like
he feeting OF cloud and the shouts
Z my enemies Ike the rushing OF =
-aters. When l anticipate good. let !
vii annoy me. When l look for light. =
t darkness come upon NE. Ley the l
errors of death be ever upon me. Do :
Z this. but save me. me-ciful God.
ave me from the fate of a drunkard.
men
You see this sermon Is not 50 much 7