Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-05-04

TO the work and shut up all the grogshops
Of large village. Thirty women, with
their song and with their prayer And if
1000 or 2 600 Christian men and women
with an especial ordination from God
should 90 forth feeling the rosnonsibility
of their work and discharging their mis-
sion they could in any city shut up all the
grogshops.
But must not dwell on generalities.
must como to specifics. Arc you astray?
If there is any sermon / dislike, it is a
sermon on generalities. I want PERSONAL
ties. Are you astray? Have you gone so
far you think you cannot get back? Did l
say few moments ago that man might
go to point in incblTation where he could
not stop? Yes, I said it, and | rcitcrate
it. But / want you also to understand
that, while the man himself of his own
strength cannot stop, God can stop any
man. You have only to lay hold of tho
strong arm of the Lord God Almighty
He can stop you. Many summers ago 1
went over to New York one Sabbath even
ing, our church not yet being open for
the autumnal services. Invent into a room
in the Fourth ward, New York, where a
religious service was being held for re-
formed drunkards and / heard a revela-
ton that night that had never heard be-
forc--l5 or 90 men standing up and Civ
ing testimony such as l had never heard
given. They not only testified that their
hearts had been changed by the grace of
God, but that the grace of God had extin-
gushed their thirst. They went on to say
that they had reformed at different times
before, but Immediately fallen because
they We're doing the whole work in their
own strength. But as soon as we gave
our hearts to God, " they said, land the
love of the Lord Jesus Christ has come
into our soul the thirst has all gone. We
have no more disposition for strong drink. "
1t was a new revelation to me, and
have proclaimed it again and again in the
hearing of those who have far gone astray,
and stand here today to tell you that the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot
only save your soul, but save your body.
look off today upon the desolation. Some
of you are so far on in this habit, although
there may be no outward indications Of il
you never have staggered along the
street.-the vast majority of people do not
know that you stimulate, but GCd knows
and you know, and by human calculation
there is not one chance out of five thou
sand that you will ever be stopped. Be
ware. 1 nero are SOlile vi you WHO tTc lily
warm personal friends to whom | must
say that, unless you quit this evil habit
within ten years, as to your body, you
will lie down in a drunkard's grave and
as to you immortal soul, you will lie dowr
in drunkard's hell! 1t is u hard thing
to say, but it is true, and l utter the warn
( ing lest l have your blood upon my soul
Beware! AS today you open the door OF
| your wine closet let the dccanter flash
that word upon your soul, "Bcware" A:
you pour out the beverage let the foam a
the top spell out the word, Beware" II
the great day of Gods Judgment, when
| hundred million drunkards shall come III
to get their doom, want you to testify
that this day, in love of your soul and il
fear of God, gave you warning in REGARD
to that influence which has already beef
felt in your home, blowing out some of it
lights prcmonition of tho blackness o
darkness forever.
Oh, if you could only hear intemperanc,
with drunkards bones drumming on thu
top of the wine cask the Dead March
of immortal souls you would go hom
and kneel down and pray God that rattle
than your children should ever become
the victims of this evil habit you NIGH
carry them out to the cemetery and pu
them down in the last slumber waiting
for the flowers of spring to come over thu
grave-sweet prophecies of the resurrec
ton. God hath balm for such wound
but what flower Of comfort ever grew OF
the blasted heath of drunkard sepul
! char