The Liberator

MORAL.

ADDRESS

Of Mr Alexander C. Lucas, before the Temperance Society of the people of color of New-Haven.

(CONCLUDED.)

Intemperance often causes parents to weep and lament over their children who are given to strong drink. Perhaps they brought up their children to drink temperately, the direct road to intemperance; and by their example they become two fold more the children of hell than themselves. O what guilt must rest upon such parents, who have been the means of destroying the souls of their children by putting the accursed cup to their lips. I had rather follow a child to the grave than to see him become a drunkard, for a drunkard is neither fit to live nor die, he is no comfort to himself nor to any one else. The drunkard is a public nuisance, a pest to society, a disgrace to the human family—the drunkard is beneath the brute, for no brute will designedly intoxicate itself; but the drunkard who is constantly taking his drams, well knows what will be the consequence; he well knows that he is destroying his soul for ever; he well knows that he is injuring all who are near and dear to him, and suffering the vengeance of his Maker to be inflicted upon him at any moment. Tremble, then, O drunkard, and reflect before you put the poisonous cup to your lips; although it may be sweet to thy taste; yet, alas! it will prove bitter to thy soul. O, remember the road that you are travelling,—remember thy never dying soul which will assuredly be destroyed and consigned to everlasting misery—remember, that while you are drinking to others' good health, you are destroying your own. Awake! then, ye drunkards, and weep for the miseries that are to come upon you. Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contention? Who hath wounds without cause? They that tarry long at the wine; they that do seek the mixt wine? I beseech of you, therefore,—by the word of God to take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness so that day come upon you unawares.

To the aged I would say, break off from the use of strong drink. To the middle aged, touch it not. To the young, flee from it as you would from the enemy. Look not thou upon it, or at last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. If you wish to be respected, abstain from strong drink. If you wish to become intelligent, abstain from strong drink. If you wish to have a strong mind, abstain from strong drink. If you wish to do good in the world and to be a blessing to your parents, abstain from strong drink. If you wish to be industrious and become wealthy, abstain from strong drink. If you wish to become a good people, become a temperate people, for temperance is an emblem of piety.

Strong drink often causes professing christians to wander, and err from the truth, and to forsake the God they once professed to love. 'They once, perhaps, were thought to be very good christians while they were in the habit of using ardent spirits, which poisons the souls of men for ever. And now, my christian friends, I appeal to you, Can any one, who feels for the salvation of immortal souls, indulge his carnal appetites in the use of strong drink, which they know causes the destruction of multitudes of souls? Let each one apply this to his own heart and conscience—Am I indulging myself in the use of intoxicating liquors which may prove the damnation of my own soul and the souls of my fellow beings who are looking to me for an example? My christian friends, examine this closely; think seriously upon it, and see if you are willing to indulge yourselves in this known sin. Some will say, perhaps, it is no sin in using a little, and they can see no harm in it. But it is wrong; we can see the evil of it every day, if we are not very blind. It is not the man who abstains totally from strong drink that becomes a drunkard; and no man was ever born a drunkard. It is, therefore, the temperate drinker that makes the drunkard. Then let us take the example of the apostle Paul,—'Wherefore if meat make thy brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.' Then, if by taking a little you should make thy brother to offend, take no strong drink as long as the world standeth.

A word to the members of this Society. We were the first people of color that ever associated in the cause of temperance, and let us not be the last to act. We were but a handful at first, but we have increased to a goodly number; we feel strengthened in the cause. Let us therefore press forward; let us set our hands and our hearts to the work; let us be true to the cause, and let us exert all our influence and make every effort to prevail on others to join in the glorious cause of temperance, and to rid the land of so great an evil as intemperance. If the enemy were marching through our country, destroying its thirty thousand souls annually, and wasting and plundering as they marched, would not every effort be made to repel them? Yes; every man who was true to his country would be in arms to drive the enemy from the country. The cholera, that dreadful disease, that has spread such desolation over Europe and Asia, is now making its appearance in this country. Will not every possible means be used to prevent its ravaging our towns and cities? Yes, and the people would all flee from it, if it was in their power. Why not flee from that soul destroying monster intemperance! Destroying its thirty thousand souls annually. Why is there no more effort made to disperse such a disease from amongst us? A disease that proves as fatal as that of the cholera, although it may not be so instantaneous in every case.

I cannot close my subject without saying a word to those who have put their hand to the plough and have turned back. You are not only injuring the cause, but you are making your own destruction more sure. I beg of you, therefore, as one who feels for you, to think upon your ways—reflect upon the course you are pursuing—look at the end of your race, and remember, that while you are slandering those who are true to the cause, you are forming your character more decidedly for eternal misery and wo. Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter, which justify the wicked for reward and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

In closing my discourse I would invite all to enlist in the cause of temperance who are determined to remain true advocates to it. I would hold it up to you as a cause worthy of your patronage. Are there any, in view of all that has been said, who will look to those who have proved themselves traitors to the society for a specimen, and condemn it; rather than to look to those for an example who have remained true to the cause? Whether this is right, judge ye and answer to yourselves.