The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-11-22

by this worse 'massacre than that of
Bethlehem. Homes far and wide
may be found presenting the sad and
painful picture Of broken-hearted
mother, sister, pouring out their
heartaches in bitter wailings and
lamentations over the fallen husband,
father, son and brother-fallen under
this blighting curse.
Many father has gone and stood
before the grated bars OF the prison
cell and looked upon the boy of his
pride and there wrung his hands iu
agony as the sad picture of disgrace
was being presented to his eye. Alb,
the world is full of mourning Davids,
bending over drunkards' graves,
pouring out the soul-bleeding cry,
"Would God I had died for thee; oh,
Absolom, my son, my son!" The
voice of many mothers may be heard
in homes dcsolate and sad, exclaim-
ing as the heart would break, in Ian
guage too tender and full
"Where is my wandering boy tonight?
The boy of my tenderest care,
The boy that was once my JOY and light,
The child of my love and care"
In conclusion, let me add this
much, my closing words, to all:
Avoid as you would a plague this
fearful destroyer of peace, health, life,
body and soul. And as you value
character, happiness and the approval
of God or man, 'Look not upon the
wine when it is red," for be assured,
as you "tarry long at the wine and go
to seek mixed wine, so sure will be
seen the handwriting upon The wall. !"
Oh, shall the record be, :'Found want
ing" or shall it be, found trusting?
while that hand is writing writing
on the wall
Shakespeare, on the spirit of wine,
said: 20 thou invincible wine, if thou
hast no name to be known by, let US
call thee devil ." Shakespeare is
right, and it is alarming to know The
lamentable truth that this "devil''
may be seen in the Christian church.
SO here I would sound out another
kneynote of warning to church mem
bers--be it ashamed to such who
drink whiskey; that it is the reputa-
bic Christian wine drinkers who are
the men who send forth from the
high places of society, and sometimes
even from the portals of the sanctu-
ary an ursuspected, unrebuked, but
powerful influence which is secretly
and silently doing on every side
among the young, the aged, among
the females, its work Of death.
In Gods name, my brother, let the
deadly serpent alone. Hear your
Saviour speaking to you: "Take heed
to yourselves, lest at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting
and drunkenness and cares of this
life and so that day come upon you
unawares. "I'or as a snare shall it
come on them that dwell on the face
of the whole earth" Remember,
brother man, that the church of Jesus
Christ is the great bulwark that
shields our Christian civilization
against anarchy and intemperancc,
with its train Of lawlessness and barbe-
risn. And, aside from all personal
considerations, it would seem to be
evident that the public morals and
the public veal would be best pro-
noted by great temperance reform.
When whiskey men and dispensa-
ries are made to see their error in
dealing out the accursed stuff to their
fellowmen; that it is wrong TO deal
in an article so damnable and de-
grading to society; made to see that
it is unjust, contrary to law, reason
and conscience to sell it; made to see
that he is traitor and enemy to
peace and good will; enemy to vir-
tue, morals and human happiness,
and is an abuser of all that is holy,
sacred and divine, then tie day of
Joy, peace, good will and prosperity
will surely come to our now distracted
land.
No man or institution can be rec
ognized by a people loyal to God and
truth; to be friend, citizen, neigh
Dor and well-wisher to the country's
welfure-who deals in whiskey and
sells it to sons and fathers and h.s-
bands and neighbors.
"Sawmills don't pay without logs
to saw, neither can bar-rooms or dis
pensaries pay without our sons and
fathers and husbands to run them.
The great need of the hour for pub
lie morals and public veal, lies in a
great temperance reform, a complete
turning over, and away with the in
famous and iniquitous business. The
duty of the church and the nations
people in regard to all forms of in.
temperance is set forth in no uncer-
tain sound, as recorded in Rev. 1874,
5. It is high time to awake, oh, ye
Christian people, and heed the living
voice that speaks to US all today.
Now a parting word and l have
dore. Let US have the grit and
oo,,oro to COW Nol to vrr0no on1
Yes! to right, every time as long as
life lasts. "When sinners entice thee,
consent thou not" "Enter not into
the paths OF the wicked and go not
into the way of evil men; avoid it,
pass not by it, turn from it and pass
away" "For they eat the bread OF
wickedness and drink the wine OF
violence" "Ponder we'll the path OF
thy feet, and let all thy ways be es-
tablished." And above all, from first