Year: 1874

what is commonly called moderation


1t is in the language of the diction
! aries, the proper use of things tha


are good and the total abstinence O


things that are bad. Corrosive sub


Innate is a rank poison, and th,


temperate use Of it as a beverage il
impossible. Alcohol is an acri(


poison, and it cannot be used as


common drink without a breach o


the physical laws and a violation o


the laws of temperance. All fer


mented and distilled liquors have
alcohol, hence they can not be used


without infringing on the laws o.


temperance. He who drinks q little


alcohol becomes q little poisoned, or


if you prefer the other word, a little


intoxicated. The more he drinks


the more poisoned or the more in


toxicated he becomes. Some per-


sons take alcoholic poisons every


day, and several times a day. Some


indulge in the use of these poisons


so excessively that they lose the


control of the tongues as also their


feet. They can not speak correctly;
they can not walk in a direct line
alcohol is brain poison and affects
the mind as well as the body-poi-
soning the thoughts as well as the
blood of those who drink it. Alcohol
is q poison which can not be changed
into a harmless beverage by chang
ed into harmless beverage by
changing its name. Whatever alias
it may assume 1t is the same evil
spirit. You may call it cordial, it is
poison; you may call it medicine, it
rs poison; you may call it bitters, it
is poison; you may call it rum, gin,
brandy, whisky, wine, beer or lager,
it is poison. 1t does not become
harmless by being mixed with water
or other liquids. You may dilute it,
you may change its color, you may
disugise its taste, you may give it
another odOr, you may mix it with
your food, but you cannot change it
into an innocent or harmless liquid.
Nature disowns it. 1t can not be
found in any living substance. The
grape and the grain must pass
the process of vinous fermentation,
before this 'evil spirit can rise from
the ruins of nature. When it is re-
ceiVed in the mouth of child whose
taste is unperverted, it is rejected
with unpleasant contortions of the
face. The saliva flows from its wells
to wash it out of its mouth. When
it gets into the stomach, the diges-
tive apparatus rebels-it is indigest-
ible, and mixes with the blood so
that one may bleed a drunkard, and
alcohol from his blood. The
fact that alcohol mixes with the
blood explains the cause of sponta.
neous combustion.


A large number of men and women
more or less distinguished, have pro-
tested against the use of alcohol.
The evils of intemperance excited
the pity and the alarm of benevolent
men and women, and the emotion
kindled in their hearts became an
idea in their heads, and finally an in
stitution for the suppression of the
habit which long ago lowered into a
colossal vice, filing the receptacles
of want and crime. The feelings of
the heart became a thought in the
head, and the thought of the head
was reduced to a deed, resulting in
the temperance reform which now
numbers millions Of subjects.


About half a century ago the first
movement, which so agi-
tates the world now, had its origin
in America. Among its ablest
champions we find the names of men
who are illustrious in literature, in
science, in law, in theology, in war,
in politics, DC. DR.. Lyman Beecher,
ajax of America, and in truth Of the
whole world in the cause, was one of
its foremost champions, and his SIX
sermons on the great reform have
never been unsurpassed by the most
brilliant efforts Of those who follow
ed him.


He was upward of eighty years old
when he died, and his long life was
an argument IN defence of the pria-
ciples he defended with such great
power and eloquence. DR.. Watts, Of
Union College. was more than ninety
years old at the time of his death.
His scriptural arguments in defence
of total abstinence were scattered
like the leaves of autumn, over this
country. It is not possible to esti-
mate the value of his labors in crea-
ting a healthy public sentiment on
the question of temperance. John
Hawkins was a Washingtonian,
live soul from the spirit land, and
the truths he uttered echo even now,
though "he sleeps the sleep which
knows no waking"


| will not attempt to rehearse the
starry list Of noble men ana women
who were pioneers of this great re-
form. My object is to notice very
briefly, a few of the most prominent
living advocates of the cause.-the
cause of all mankind. John B.
Cough is the most popular aud elo-
quent speaker on the temperance
platform. There he is-King--and
no rival can take his throne. His
literary lectures suffer in contrast
with his wonderful argument, humor
and pathos, illustrated with facts and
anecdotes, and presented in q style
which is inimitable on the teetotal
platform. The masses are drawn to
him as steel dust TO the magnet
when he speaks on the threadbare
and backncyed theme of temperance.
Mr.. Cough is in the front rank of
public speakers. There is no man
who can command such vast audi
ences so many nights in the week or
in succession as he-there is no man
whose services are in greater demand
and whose compensation for leetur-
ing is greater than his. The an
nouncement of his name will fill the
largest halls and churches at any
season of the year, in any condition
of the weather. He was paid by the
citizens of London, a number of
years ago, 100000 for a course of.