Grappling with the Monster; Or, the Curse and the Cure of Strong DrinkArthur, T. S. (Timothy Shay)
Religion
Grappling with the Monster; Or, the Curse and the Cure of Strong Drink
Arthur, T. S. (Timothy Shay)
Temperance
"As he converses with those that are strong in experience, listens to
the reading of the Holy Scriptures in the morning devotions, joins in
the sweet songs of Zion and unites in unison with his brother inmates in
saying the Lord's Prayer, as he hears the strong experiences in the
public meetings and secret associations of those who have remained firm
for one, two, three, and up to ten or fifteen years, little by little
his confidence is strengthened, and almost before he is aware, the firm
determination is formed and the resolve made, _I will drink no more_. As
week after week, and month after month, glides pleasantly away, these
resolutions become stronger and stronger, and by thus educating his
intellect and strengthening his moral power, the once hopeless,
disheartened and helpless one regains his former manhood and lost
confidence, and becomes a, moral, independent, reformed man. Perhaps the
most difficult thing in this work of reform, is to convince our inmates
that resolving to stop drinking, or even stopping drinking for the time
being, is not reforming. Those admitted, generally, in about two weeks,
under the direction of a skillful physician, and the nursing of a
faithful steward, recover so as to sleep well and eat heartily, and
their wills, seemingly, are as strong as ever. Feeling thus, they often
leave the institution, sobered up, not reformed, and when the periodical
time arrives, or temptation comes, they have no moral power to resist,
and they rush back to habits of intoxication. They forget that the will
is like a door on its hinges, with the animal desires, appetites, evil
inclinations and passions attached to one side, leading them into
trouble and making them unhappy, unless they are held by the strong
power of the sense of moral right attached to the other side, and that
for years they have been stifling and weakening this power, until its
strength is almost, if not entirely, gone, and that the only way they
can possibly strengthen it, independent of the grace of God, is by
education, moral light and testing it under circumstances so favorable
that it will not yield. It took years of disobedience to destroy the
moral power, and it will take years of obedience to restore it again.
The inebriate must be taught that he can refrain from drink only as he
strengthens this moral power, and this requires time and trial. Here is
just where we, as superintendents, or reformers, assume great
responsibility. To understand just when to test, and how much temptation
can be resisted by those under our charge, requires much wisdom and
great experience."
From this extract the reader will learn something of the influences
which are brought to bear upon the inmates of a home for the reformation
of inebriates; and he will see how much reliance is placed on moral and
religious agencies.
TESTIMONY OF THE REFORMED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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