Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-09-29

tions of this earth have gone far
enough? Was there ever time when
sin was so defiant? Were there ever
before so many fists lifted toward God
telling Him to come on if He dare ?
Look al the blssphemy abroad, What
towering profanity! Would it be pos,
sible for anyone to calculate the mum,
Der of times that the name of the All
| mighty God and of Jesus Christ are
every day taken irrevereptly on the
| lips? Profane swearing is rs much for
hidden by the law as theft, or arson, or
murder. yet who executes it? Profan-
ity is worse than theft, or arson, or
murder, for these crimes are attacks
on humanity - that is an attack on
God.
This country is preeminent for bias
| phemy. A man travelling in Russia was
supposed to be clergyman. Why
do you take me to be q clergymanY
said the man. "Oh," said the Russian,
"all other Americans swear" The
crime is multiplying in intensity. God
very often shows what He thinks of II,
but for the most part the fatality is
hushed up. Among the Adirondacks
met funeral procession of a man who
two days before had fallen under a
flash of lightning, while Boosting. aft
er Sunday OF work in the fields, that
he had cheated God out of one day
anyhow, and the man who worked
with him on the same Sabbath is still
living, but helpless in, aid, under the
same flash.
Years ago, in Pittsburgh prison,
two men were talking about the Bible
and Christianity, and one Of them,
Thompson by name, applied to Jesus
Christ very low and villainous cpl
tibet, and, as he was uttering it, he fell,
A physician was called, but no help
could be given. After day lying with
distended pupils and palsied tongue he
passed out of this world. In Gene
terry in Sullivan county, in New York
state, are eight headstones in a line
and all are alike, and these are the
facts: In 1861 diphtheria ragged in the
village, and a physician was remark
ably successful in curing his patients.
So confident did he become that he
boosted that no case OF diphtheria
could stand before him, and finally de-
fed Almighty God to produce a case
OF diphtheria that he could not cure.
His youngest child soon after took
the disease and died, and one child
after another, until all the eight had
dind nf Hinh ba rio Tho
challenged Almighty God, and God ac-
cepted the challenge. Do not think
that because God has been silent in
your case, O profane swearer, that He
is dead. Is there nothing now In the
peculiar feeling of your tongue, or
nothing in the numbness of your brain,
that indicates that God may come to
avenge your blasphemes, or is already
avenging them? But these cases have
noticed, l believe, are only few
cases where there are hundreds. Fam
lilies keep them quiet to avoid the hor-
rible conspicuity. Physicians sup
press them through professional con-
fidence. 1t is very. very, very long |
roll that contains the names of those |
who died with blasphemies on their
lips.
Then look for moment at the evil |
of drunkenness. Whether you live in
Washington, or New York. or Chicago.
or Cincinnati, or Savannah, or Boston,
or in any of the cities of this land, count |
up the saloons five years ago. and see
they are growing far out of proper
tion to the increase of the population.
\ on people who are so precise and
particular lest there should be some
and raShncss in attacking
the rum traffic will have your son some
night pitched into your front door dead
drunk, or your daughter will come
home with her children because her
husband has by strong drink been
turned into demoniac The drink
ffend has despoiled whole streets Of
good homes in all our cities. Fathers,
brothers, sons on the funeral pyre of
strong drink! "Faster tighter the VIC
TINS! Stir up the flames! Pile on
the corpses, More men. women and
for the sacrifice, Let us have
whole generations on fire of evil habit;
and at the sound of the cornet. flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer
LET all the people fall down and worship
King Alcohol, or you shall be cast into
The fiery furnace under some political
platform,
| indict this evil as the regicde, the
raticide, the patricide. the matricide,
the uXoricde of the century. Yet un-
Ter what innocent and delusive and
names alcoholism deceives the
people. 1t is cordial" 1t is bit
ers." It is an "eNc-opener." 1t is an
appetizer" 1t is a 'digester." 1t is
IN "invigorator.' 1t is n settler" 1t
s might cap" Why don't they put
IN the right labels" Essence of Perdi-
ion" Conscience Stupefer," Five
DRAINS Of Heartache." Tears of Or
ohanage," Blood of Souls" "Scabs of
II Eternal Leprosy," Venom of the ]
Worm That Never Dies?" Only once ,
n awhile is there anything in the title
# liquors to even hint their atrocity,