The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-19
TEMPTATIONS.

B We clipped tho following story from the
BSunday-School Times.
4 "A lad Of seventeen was telling an older
friend. recently, Of an experience he had
I that day, AS the apprentice OF car
penter, he had been sent to q saloon to
take the measures for q new counter.It
was very cold weather, and he arrived
with his teeth fairly Cha ttering In his
head FOR his coat was thin. The saloon
keeper Immediately mixed q hot drink.
and pushed It over the counter to him.
ut will cost you nothing he said.
Drink It down, and you'll soon stop
ly, too, and didn't think any harm" said
the apprentice rs he told the story.
"That's what made It harder to push
didn't want it.""s8.'1t must
.hayo been a VI big temptation said 4 his
friend, "Thnt saloon-keeper might have
started you on the road 10 ruin. - We'll, '"'$
replied tho lad, at takes two to make
a temptation. There Is no saloon-ke
and no cold weather can make mo drink
when I don't want to- The temptation
TIM afraid Of Is the one that I'm ready
for before 1t comes, by laundering after
1T. 4 I don't take much credit to- myself
for refusing that drink and, III had
taken 1t, why,$I wouldn't have put all
tho blame on#t the saloon keeper. as some
folks do. 1t takes two, every time, TO
make a successful temptation. H #
This story Is interesting to us because
It comes from d religious paper ana be-
cause 1t emphasizes a point winch we res
Gently made In discussing this subject
We do not hold, as some Of our critics
have tried to make 1t appear. that saloons
should be permitted by the government
In order to try the faith Of the youth Of
the land and In order to give them IN
opportunity to exercise their will-power
ana overcome temptation. But we do con
tend, rs we said originally, that the youth
who depends upon the law to save him
from temptation and from he power Of
temptation Is In danger Of hell fire, The
young man who expects to mako a char
acter for himself must rely upon him
self rather than upon legislative enact
nent He must exercise his iwll-poweri
and learn to do right in spite Of tempta-
ton. III II liii "a n NJ tt8S n i
Some Of our unfair critics have also
tried to make it appear that The Times
Dispatch has encouraged young men to-
drink whIskey. This Is SO utterly absurd
that we shall not dignity It by giving IT
formal denial. Wa have said. 1t is true.
that there Is no harm, per 50, In taking
d drink. We have said SO because It 10
absolutely truo and we have been trying
to bring out the facts in connection WITH
this Interesting question. II our state
mentls not true, what can be said Of the
Lord himself who drank wine and gave
it to his disciples to drink? ~ S
SS or course there Is no,swrong, per Sc. IN
taking a drink, but untold wrong may
come Of drinking Intoxicating liquors and
untold harm has come Of It,
Therefore, we have urged our young
readers not to take chances It Is q dam
gerous thing for any man to begin to
drink liquor, because he does not know
until he has made tho test whether or
not he can drink within moderation. ana
In making the test he may wreck his life
and destroy his soul. Therefore, again.
we have counseled ana we do counsel
with ,.all the earnestness Of words that
our young readers abstain from this dan
gerous practice. They are safe SO long
as they never take the first drink. But
they must rely upon their own wlll-power
and not upon prohibition to save them.
II they are determined to drink, all tho
prohibition laws IN the world will not
save them from drink. In this as III all
other temptations. a man must rely upon
his self control. with the help Of God, to
save him from the powers OF the tempter.
Those who rely upon the kindly efforts
OF prohibitionists arc ms foolish as tho
man who built his house upon the sand.
We commend to our young readers tho
example OF the lad mentioned t'by the
Sunday chool Times, Tempta lions viii
come and every young man must DO
tempted, but all the powers of darkness
cannot make him yield.
5YE gf
THE BLOODHOUND,