The Alaska citizen., 1916-06-19
who. weaker in resisting power, may be led astray by his example7
 INDULGENCE COMPElS SILENCE.


 4 man cannot advise others not 10 drink when he himself drinks. l Indulgence comptls silence on the subject If a man does not drink much-if he has not formed the habit of drinking it can be but a i little sacrifice to give up drinking l helpful to those about him. if he 1 drinks so much and the appetite for liquor is so strong that it would | be a great sacrifice to stop. then l he ought to stop on his own ac- l count
 PAUL LOVES HIS BROTHER MORE
 THAN MEAT.
 l The great Apostle Paul declared that he would eat no meat if lIeat made his brother to offend. It was not because Paul did not like meat 1 but because he loved his brother more than he loved meat Is it ask l ing too much for any human being to ask that he consider the influ ence of his example upon those about him. especially upon those who look to him for counsel?
 IMMORTALITY PLEADS FOR ITEM
 PERANCE.
 believe in the gospel that MT Sunday has been preaching-a gos- pei in which the doctrine of i'm mortality plays all important part. believe in future life; am as sure that l shall live again a. I am that I live today-sure that ! shall be called upon to render all account of the deeds done i'll the l flesh God forbid that anyone shall appear to testify against me on that day and accuse me of having 1 by my example, been the cause Ot l his ruin.
 We have considered number of reasons which should lead the in dividual to adopt the policy of to- tai abstinence-his physical welfare demands it, the expenditure of money for drink cannot be justi- fled and ones influence is too sa- cred a thing to be thrown on the side of intemperanCe. But l feel that 1 am justified in bringing an 1 other argument to your attention reason why each individual should do all In his power to induce his 1 fellowmen to abstain from the use l of intoxicating liquor as a beverage. ALCOHOL CAUSES POVERTY AND CRIME.
 It is that we are so bound to- gether that we cannot escape from the indirect effect of anything that IS harmful tC society. From the lowest standpoint upon which the subject can be discussed, namely, the ground of pecuniary interest We are compelled to use our lnflu- ence to lessen drinking. The use of liquor is the direct cause Of crime, of poverty, of degradation and of despair and we can never tell when we shall ourselves suffer at the hands Of those who are vic tins of intemperance. Property is insecure and life is unsafe in pro portion as the use of liquor con tributes to the number of criminals, the number of paupers and the num- Der of the desperate. We have, l therefore, not only the individual reasons before given and the other reasons advanced, but We have a financial interest in supporting and | spreading the cause of temperance. 1 We have, as members of society, an interest in preventing the eco homie waste, tremendous in amount, 1 due to the deteriorating influence of intoxicating liquor. We have also 1 moral interest in lifting socity to the highest plane, a thing impos- sible so long as the ravages of drink are felt in so many homes.
 WHY SIGN THE PLEDGE?
 If you are convinced that total abstinence is a desirable thing, let me add a word in support of the policy of signing the pledge. Ob- l lection has been made to the pledge on the ground that 1t suggests lack of strength of character; some say that, although never intending to drink they would not wish to bind themselves by pledge There is nothing humIliating about a pledge Those who are united in marriage take a pledge at the altar; why should it be less honorable to prom ise not to drink than to pledge fidelity to the marriage vows?
 PLEDGE MARKS THE CROSSING
 OF THE LINE.
 The pledge marks the crossin 5 of the line into the ranks of the total abstainers. The man who says "1 never expect to drink, ; but adds, T will not sign a pledge |" raises the same suspicious that is raised when man says to you, T admit that I owe you, but l will not put 1t in writing" You cannot help feeling that his purpose would be more strongly stated if expressed