Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-23
CHRISTIAN Gm0eabor}
Dour !
BY J..
HARVEY s. IRWIN.
TOPIC:
The Saloon and It's Allies.
Hab., 2:I-I5.


~ who give drink to others. 1t is not
only wrong to get drunk, but equally
wrong to cause drunkenness in others.
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor
drink, that puttest thy bottle to him. and
makest him drunken also, that thou may
est look on their nakedness."
In our day the saloon is the great
agency for the promotion of intemper-
ance, and it's allies are both powerful and
numerous. prominent among which may
be named the gambling dens, corrupt pol
itics, RIGHTEOUSNESS, covetousness and the
spirit of neglect and indifference on the
part of those who favor temperance.
Paul tells us q Cor. 1910 who shall
not inherit the kingdom of God, and
names drunkenness along with other un-
desirable citizens such as idOlators.
adulterers, thieves. revilers and ex-
character and degree of sin. but that they
are all alike transgressors of Gods law,
and if they remain unrepentant are bar
I'd from Gods kingdom.
And in Isaiah (5:11-29 judgment is pro-
nounced against those who violate the
law OF temperance, in these solemn
words: '"Woe unto them that rise up
early in the morning, that they may fol-
low strong drink; that continue until
night till wine inflame them.
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink
wine and men of strength to mingle
strong drink
There are some who drink in modera-
ton. but the great majority Of those who
drink at all run into excess and bring evil
consequences to themselves and others.
The only safe course is total abstinence.
appeal to all, and especially to the
young, for whom all my discourses are
primarily written.
To shun the cup and turn from the brink
Where others fall through the curse OF drink.
My appeal is not in the language of
poetry; only an imitation of 1t, but 1t ex-
presses the thought 1 have in mind:
Would ye shrink from the vile haunts of disgrace
And see not the agony in friends loving face?
Would We turn from the dens Of infamy and woe
And mingle not with the degraded and low?
Then shun the cup and turn from the brink
Where others fall through the curse OF drink.
Would ye be pure and free free and great,
Would We strive to others burdens bear
And rescue them from the tempter's snare?
Then shun the cup and turn from the brink
Would ye serve your home. your God. your race
Would ye 10 have part in the endless love
OF God and angels In the realms above?
Then shun the cup and turn from the brink
Where others fall through the curse OF drink.
The further thoughts wish to give l
will embody in allegorical form. In the
dream story 1 mean to illustrate. or at
least to suggest, the ruin that drink
causes to property. home. love, noble
| manhood. lovely womanhood. innocent
childhood and the immortal soul.
In a dream / saw a beautiful home.
rich and elegant in all its adornments
within and without. 1t nestled in the
midst of lovely garden, all luxurtant
in its wealth of fruit and flowers In the
bright sunlight. pebbled walks cleaned
and glistened like gems. as in tasteful
| curves they led here and there to syl-
van bowers. The dwelling and its sur
roundings made q scene of rare taste and
had planned and the hand Of affection
had reared it. The trees, the plants. the
flowers. the walks. in their wonderful
arrangement and exquisite harmony. eX-
| appeared like a cluster Of jewels around
| the coy dwelling.
Entranced. 1 gazed upon the SURPRISING
loneliness Surely. l thought. this is a
within. All. could it be? This the home
of. mortals. Yes, seated there by the
cheerful hearth were man of noble
| form and kindly face and a woman OF
grace and beauty, and playing around
! them a bright-eyed, beautiful child.
| They were talking OF their happy home
/ Their eyes fondly rested upon each other
and love beamed from every lineament OF
their faces as they talked together and
| tenderly caressed the lovely pledge OF
| their plighted faith. L heard them say
Can any of earth be so happy as we?''
| And the gentle zephyh's murmurine
through the luxuriant foliage at the open
window seemed to whisper: None more
| happy, none more happy
Then in my dream ! saw an angel
standing by me. l asked him: Has
heaven any brighter scenes than this?
| And he said, Come and see." Away tC
! the vast empyreal sphere we scared, on
ward and onward. upward and upward
| toward the celestial gate. The angel
| bore me on with the speed of light.
| learned that heaven was far away from
| earth.
Ere we reached the sunny slope of the
heavenly paradise a year and more had
| passed We stood within the shadow OF
the sapphire walls. and knocked at the
gate OF pearl but quickly the ange
| grasped my hand and bore me swiftly
| away.
Thou art mortal and must not enter
| there" he said. ct brought thee here
| that thou highest have but single
glimpse of celestial life"
Though far away and fast receding. the
! light streaming out through the opening
| gate dazzled and blinded with its in
| effable brightness: yet ! saw unutterable
| things. and felt in its fullness that 'eye
| hath not seen nor ear heard, nor hath
| 1t entered into the heart Of man to con-
| ceve of heavens loneliness" And the
| angel said to me: "All this beauty fades
not. and this brightness dims motif Is
the same that was and is and ever shall
( be. the same yesterday. today and for
| ever. Now we journey to earth. to the
SPOT whence we came, and thou shall