The Goodland republic., 1907-04-12
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- - q DrunIenness-

The Woes O. DFunkeuness-
There is peculiar pleasure in dis
covering a familiar quotation IN an
unexpected place" says William 7. FL
lis in the Topeka State Journal OF re-
cent date; 'it is ike meeting an old
friend in a strange country. Every
body knows the phrase, Precept upon
precept, precept upon precept line
upon line. line upon line, here a little,
there a little Not everybody knows,
however, that IL OCCURS in connection
with this passage upon the woes OF
the drUnkard in the book II Isaiah.
The connection IS appropriate
There are few better texts for q dis
course on the present temperance sit
uation than this. For the old, old ser
mon, over which so many brilliant
minds have grown eloquent, still needs
to be preached 'precept upon precept,
precept upon precept line upon line,
line upon line; here a little, there a
little until the whole world has been
won to the goal Of sObriety.
''The western continent still leads
ChristendOm in its sObriety. But 1t
IS the part OF courage and sound judg-
ment always to face the facts. While
in certain directions the cause Of to-
tai abstinence IS making tremendous
strides, in others the reverse is true.
The number Of men whose fathers
were total abstainers who now drink
to a quarter OF less degree is signif-
cantly large Since the majority Of
New World residents believe that the
simpler way is better, and that where
there's drink there's danger It is well
to keep Open-eyed to the signs OF de-
cadence or vitiatiOn Of national char
acter that may be seen on many sides.
ITO many persons who watch the
worlds ways it seems unmistakable
that the world today is thinking
thoughts Of self-indulgence- These
days Of national prosperity have
brought a relaxation Of the stern self
restraint and self-deniaI Of other days
Nobody is surprised that negro NAM
mics should smoke, or that japanese
and Chinese women should be as de-
voted to cigarettes and the pipe as
their husbands and brothers. Serious
minded men, though, do not like to
see American women range them
selves in this class That seems to
be coming to pass in these days, and
the amount Of smoking done by women
Of wealth and supposed refinement
would shock our grandmOthers- Like
wise the spread Of gambling
bridge whist-is a sign Of the same
tendency in the nations mental pro-
gress- We are prosperous; we have
money and we have leisure; therefore
we resort to the sort Of practices which
have always characterized rich and
idle people prior to their downfall.
The fact is that strong drink
bestializes men, and destroys all their
finer perceptions The sensitive spirit
soon becomes blunted by drunken
ness A crowd Of revelers Will en-
dure and do and say things Of which
no one Of them would be for an in
slant tolerant when sober There is
a reach and an application, not al
ways appreciated, about the old
phrase, applied to one who drinks,
Going TO the dogs
The lessons that will not be learn
ed at school usually have to be learn
ed in the bitter school Of experience. /
Recently I ran across a bishops son
who had fOrsaken his fathers wise
teachings; it took delerium tremens
in strange land to bring him to him
self.
'As with individuals, so with ma
tons Korea would not learn in lib |
erty how to govern herself; now be
finding out how precious is independ- |
enCe and self-gOvernment. Old China /
was deaf to entreaty and counsel; not /
until the ruthless plOwshare Of armies I
had been run through her highest and /
most sacred places, did she awake 4
from the sleep OF centuries
That is the way God works, as all 1
history shows So he warned Israel 4
that if she would not hear his plead
ings OF love. then BY men Of strange Il
lips and with another tongue will he 4
speak to this people The Lord is
bound TO make himself heard, and to
teach his own truth.
''The boys who will not learn the
lesson OF temperance in the Sunday
school, may have TO learn it in the
gutter or in the Jail Every rescue
mission in the land hears nightly the /
pitifuI plea, If had only needed the
lessons taught me as a boy And be
it remembered, the truths that per
tain TO character can be acquired in
youth"
MRS EVA NJ MURPHY.