Of one thing I will remind you. The demon will daunt the timid. It is
noisy and fiery. Attack it, and it will roll its eyes, and snap its
teeth, and threaten vengeance. Attempt to starve it, and it will rave
like the famished tiger. Thousands have fed it against their
consciences, rather than meet its fury. But fear not. The use of ardent
spirit meets no support in the Bible or the conscience, and the traffic
meets none. Be firm. Be decided. Be courageous. Connect your cause with
heaven. It is the cause of God; the cause for which Immanuel died. O, as
men and patriots, banish intemperance, with all its sources, from your
country and the land. As ministers and Christians, banish it for ever
from the churches of the living God. Let the demon no longer hide in the
sanctuary. Let ENTIRE ABSTINENCE be written in capitals over the door of
every church. Expel for ever the accursed enemy, that the Spirit of the
Lord may descend and bless us with life and peace.
To those not connected with the Temperance Association, I would say,
Look at this enterprise. It injures no man, wrongs no man, defrauds no
man, has no sectarian or political object in view; it would only
relieve our infant nation of a burden and a curse which is fast placing
it side by side with buried Sodom. As wise men, judge ye of its
importance and merits. As men hastening to judgment, act in relation to
it. A solemn responsibility rests upon you. Shall the land now be rid of
intemperance? You reply, Yes--and talk of wholesome laws, and high
licenses, and prudent use. Three green withes on Samson! _Entire
abstinence_ is the only weapon which will destroy the monster. "But we
can practise that without giving our pledge." True. But until you give
it, he will count you his friend and haunt your dwelling. In this cause
there is no neutrality. Have you supported this cruel kingdom of
darkness and death? Will you do it longer? Shall conscience be riven by
the act? Shall the land that bears you be cursed; the young around you
be sporting with hell; the awakened sinner be drowning conviction at his
bottle; the once fair communicant be disgraced; the once happy
congregation be rent; its ministry be driven from the altar, and its
sanctuary crumble to ruin? Shall our benevolent institutions fail, and
our liberties be sacrificed? Shall God be grieved? Shall wailings from
the bottomless pit hereafter reproach and agonize you as the cause of
the ruin, perhaps of your children and children's children? Methinks one
common pulsation beats in your hearts, and you answer, No--no. Methinks
I see you rising in the majesty of freemen and Christians, in behalf of
an injured country and church, and destroying at once the demon among
you.
ARGUMENT AGAINST THE MANUFACTURE OF
ARDENT SPIRITS:
ADDRESSED TO
THE DISTILLER AND THE FURNISHER OF THE MATERIALS.
BY REV. EDWARD HITCHCOCK, D. D.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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