The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-26
THE CURSE OF STRONG DRINK.

The tetse statement Of the Wise Men,
uttered centuries ago. Wine is a mock
err" has never required reversal or quail
i1cation in any age since.
nnce remains a temptation OF mankin
today as It was in the times
of Irael. It is one OF the favor-
tie means that the devil uses for the
moral enslavement and spiritual ruin
of humanity. In Solomon's day wine
was the representative intoxicant. Now
many even more malignant int~oxicants.
such a. beer. brandy. rum and gin, are
manufactured and sold. resulting in the
damnation of multitudes of individuals.
and the general generalization OF So
eiety. There is no race of men. howev-
er primitive or savage. but understands
the evil art of preparing some form or
intoxicating beveridge. There is drunk
enness in the heart of the forests OF
Africa. and or the coral atolls of the
Pacific. just as there is in n Bowery
or on Broadway in New York. In all
these many lands and the
devil reaps a big crop of sin and misery,
through the introduction of an alcohol
&c principle into the beverages which
the abnormally thirsting multitude
Graves. All this constitutes n or the
saddest chapters in the history OF the
race.
The wine of Solomon's time. though a
snare and a. danger, was CHEMICALLY
considered pure" in comparison with
the adulterated, poisonous concoctlons
that are sold over most American bars.
and which certainly represent a very
I raging form of strong drink, truly a
| veritable .fre-water," burning " the
| physical tissues of the body. and set
| ting the brain crafty afame with a
| foolish fury.
| The experience of mankind in every
century has approved the truth of the
1 utterance of the wise man Ca fact which
is so evident that even a fool could
| hardly fail to understand IT'D, that wine
is a mocker." The so-called wines
Of are frequently deceitful il,
the literal sense of being adulterated
with veritable chemical poisons. and in
any case the intoxicating cup mocks,
1 by it's consequences and fearful results
all the higher hopes and interests o!
mankind. We ak of our fine American
institutions, and all the while the
loon interest mockS our patriotic aspi-
rations as it ruins one institution after
another.
We point with pride to the churches
and meanwhile the rum-shOp mocks
the revivalist and the Sunday-schoo
teacher. by it's successful competition
for the souls of men. The churches are
saving men a few at a time here and
there, while the saloon are running
them by droves. Worse yet. if any
thing. the Saloon crowd is, by organ
izing into associations ana league
over the ianu ioI the prosecution ant
protection of what they mistakenly ant
foolishly call a Legitimate business.
getting a tight grip on many OF the po
iitical parties and on many legislators
either buying or selling votes in whole
sale quantities., ~intrenching the dreadful
1 drink evil most deeply. and. to tn
human eye, internationally in the politi
cal, commercial and social life Of tn
country.
WHO hath woe?" It cannot be sal
that the drunkard has a monopoly OF a
the woe in the world, but he certainl
! comes in for a very large share or l.
The wise man will look at the end OF a
action to see what the result Will bs
The end of strong drink is destruction
AT the last fateful wordsD 1t sting
eth like an adder-like the
or honored snake which is
Filthy reptiles and fierc
monsters haunt the poor dipsoman1ac
the last stages Of his disease. The at
Gent Egyptians used a kim or cup, q
the bottom of which was fixed a mimic
ture adder. so that as the drlnker cam
to the dregs he encountered the reptl
) In the act of striking it's prey. The on
>, way to escape such a dreadful end1n
> Is to make a wise and worthy beglr
L ming. Let the wine-cup alone!-FTol
International Sunday School Lessons