Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-07-25

as to whose p0SltlOp-yourS Ut
ours-is right on this great moral
question.
Temperance" Replies to The Adj
vertiser's Editorial Paragraphs.
Mr.. Editor: I desire to thank
you, as we'll as the prirters as
sociated with The Advertiser, for
the excellence of The typograpl i
cal work pertaining 10 my ar!ic' e
in your last issue. Though he
article was long, lh re were no
errors on the part of The printers.
There were several errors, how
ever, in The copy of NV man
uscript with which you were fur
nlshfd. In one sentence, the
rhetoric was somewhat impaired
by tho emission ofthe word chad !,
and, in another, the designation
of a certain chapter was elimlna-
ted. Besides, two or three OF my
paragraphs were, in several in-
stances, copied and printed as
cne. For auv inelcgance resulting
from my failure to inspsct tht'
copy made for you, | ask the par
don of your readers
In several short paragraphs,
Mr. Editor. you suggest certain
difficulties as to my conclusion
concerning the teachings of The
Bible in regard to alcoholic liquor.
Your suggestions are expressed
concise]y, clearly, and ably. They
make no appeal to ignorance or
prejudice. They are directed to
mcn and women of intelligence
and are worthy of the most care
full consideration.
You say: "Every one of the
;teeming millions of lives that
have been wrecked through strong
drink began by using it mod
erately."
I don't think so, Mr.. Editor. Iii
fact, / can give you the names of
some drunkards who plunged al
once into intemperance. While
under the control of their parents,
they were not permitted to taste
alcoholic liquor; and, when that
control ceased, their pent up ap-
petite broke out Immediately into
gross excess.
Your next suggestion is as fol-
lows: "Why does a mothers heart
sink within her when she detects
for the first time the odor OF whis-
key upon the breath of her boy?
Is it not because she realizes how
insidious is the liquor habit, one
drink calling for another? The
fond mother knows that, while
her hoy may curb his appetite TO-
day, tomorrow his will power may
be gone and he is then hopelessly
enthralled."
Why, Mr.. Editor, in Edgefeld
County, there are hundreds of
sober, higbly-respected, Christian
men (many of them total abstain.
ers) who, when. boys, were occa-
sionally treated to "toddy' by
their gentle and l4od-fearing moth
ers. Whether, when the liquor
habit is treated in this manner,
it is more "jnsidious" than when
the boy or youth is subjected to the
danger that pertains to pent up
appetite. is, by no means, certain.
You ask the following question::
"In view of the frailty of human
strength and the prcneness of the
individual to 'tarry long at the
wine,' which is OF the safer ground.
the boy who is tau ght that there is
no harm in a temperate use Of
intoxicating liquors or the one
who Is taught that whiskey is the
worlds greatest curse and that be
should totally abstain?'
1t is hard to decide, Mr.. Editor.
The instruction suggested for
either would be exceedingly dan.
gerous. The first would be told
only g part of the truth that be
ought to know. He should be
taught that the Bible gives him
the "liberty"' to drink alcoholic
liquor temperately; that it gives
him, also, the liberty not to drink
it at all; that, as TO the exercise
of these liberties, grave responai-
bllity -ests upon him; that the
Bible absolutely forbids him 10
use alcoholic liquor Unexpectedly
that he effects of using alcoholic
liquor Unexpectedly are disas-
truus; that the transition from
temperance to intemperance is ex-
ceedingly easy; that he should,
therefore, be extremely cautious
in exercising his liberty; that, in
such a case, TOO much caution is
better than loo little; that ho
shnaId seriously consider whether
it would not be best for hlm to us"
no alcoholic liquor at ALL; and
hat. under certain clrcrmstan,es,