The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-07-13
EIlipelS
TOTAL ABSTINENCE is BEST
Experienced Physicians Confess its
Value 10 innnItesinsi In Com
psrison 10 Tresohery.

Drink is dangerous. Nearly all the
men and women who have been ruin
ed by II were confident they could
control themselves. II IN unwhole-
sope. Granting n may be useful un-
der certain circumstances. yet IN prac-
tice II does harm, and that continually.
The most experienced physicians viii
confess that even IN their hands its
food value II infinitesimal In compart
son to It's treachery. and that It's drug
value is always matter OF experiment.
and risk, writes John @. woolley IN the
New Voice Personally. do not
think II proven always to be useless
for nutrition or injurious for medicine.
but n I am not mistaken. the statis-
tics OF drunkenness will show that
doctors, OF an educated men. are It's
most numerous victims.
II may be said this proves too much
since many things that everybody does
are more or less unhealthy, and that
the case would be as good against
meat eating. late suppers. coffee. run
ming to trains. etc. But II IL certain
~ not TOO much TO stand up for the
sacredness Of life and It's inseparable
postlude. the inviolableness Of sound.
sane and Astounding health, SO far
from fearing 10 admit these other
things upon an equal footing into the
contention I welcome them and all
their kind. and make my whole claim
In the premises upon this; That every
Christian ought TO remember his own
body. TO keep II hoiy-that, once II be
shown that fiesh-eating Ia n peril or an
injury In any case. there ought TO DO
an end OF II in that case; that late
suppers ought TO be cut out even upon
suspicion: that the old people ought
never TO run 10 catch train. and that
coffee ought 10 be put In the dock
with alcohol. II as strongly case be
made against A. I only hold as relat.
ing TO beverages and popularremedy
alcohol that, with all the evidence In
on both sides. and giving u the bone
~ OF every reasonable doubt, n ought
10 be outlawed In individual life, and
home and church and state, IN the ga
cred name OF health.
From the standpoint OF the highest,
finest morality the case Is yet moro
easily made out OF all the forms OF
seiflshness. moderate drinking n tho
most widely and inexorably hurtfuI.
The faculty OF imitation IN the largest
organ In the human brain, and through
II the drinking habit does It's deadliest
havoc with the boys and giris As q
rule. tho frat taste and the first ef
fects Of intoxicants are the reverse Of
pleasant TO the tyro, but the mimic
devil turns the irst check Of the De.
stroyer Into victory by even inducing
the young imitator TO call for stronger,
nastier cups. and court the stagger.
ing. flushed and bloodshot characteris.
tics OF the sot out OF sheer brayado.
From "the mind Of Christ" the case
has no two sides. God SO loved the
world that he gave every one OF IN
that whatsoever believeth IN Ms might
not perish. but have better show to
live forever. The population Of perdi-
tion rolls up 10 awful census In tho
main by those who proudly and inno-
ceutly believe on some good, temper.
ate men and women who tippled with
out harm to themselves. beyond tho
unconscious bunting. coarsening ef-
feet upon their highest motives.
THE soul that sinneth Il shall die"
so runs the sacred word. II might
be. then. that doing right IL immor.
tally and the call OF God In Jesus
Christ Is simply TO live In such a
way that they who pattern after us
shah do right
Al our sincerest and devotedest,
how TO live the best for our own selves
and others Is mystery: but II there
Is one clear working precept In Chris
tian life. II is: DO not touch wine or
strong drink"