CHAPTER XII. THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.

THE missionary¹, after bidding farewell to the kind friends with whom he had spent the night, again went on his way, “Seeking the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He had not gone far before he met two children, who proved to be Mr. Steele’s. Upon entering into conversation with them, he found that they remembered him. Their bright, intelligent answers to his questions, led him to regret more deeply that they were kept from the influence of the Sunday-school. The innate² kindness of heart manifested by these children made him feel that, if properly trained, they would become useful members[110] of society and the church; so, with a view to using all possible influence in their favor, we again find him an unwelcome visitor on the farm of Mr. Steele.

The farmer was at the time unloading wood, and scarcely noticed the missionary; the latter soon broached³ the subject occupying his thoughts, by saying,

“My friend, could you not consent to take your children to Sunday-school once, on trial?”

“No sir!” he roared; “and I don’t want you to bother me any more about it;” and continued, “work like I do, and let your betters alone.”

“Well then,” said the missionary, “if you will not go yourself, will you not permit your children to go? I know that the school would be a great benefit to them, and”——

“I don’t want to hear any more of your nonsense—just ‘git,’ you lazy loafer,” retorted the angry man.

[111]The missionary having failed to accomplish the object of his visit, left with feelings of sadness; he went on his way, however, doing with his might whatsoever⁴ his hand found to do, and he had the pleasure of seeing the schools increasing in numbers and influence. This increase was secured only by hard work—the various difficulties attending all movements aiming at changing fixed⁵ customs had to be overcome. One by one, these were overcome; and although many opposed the work, and others were indifferent and careless, most of the best men and women of the settlements were in favor of the schools. Nor were they afraid to give their money in support of the good cause, nor unwilling⁶ to sacrifice ease and pleasure, if necessary; for they well knew that even in this world they would receive tenfold reward, and in the world to come, everlasting⁷ life.

Parents, come with your children to the Sunday-school; it is the nursery of the Lord,[112] in which plants are reared for the garden of Heaven—the Paradise of God!

Young man, wend your way to the Bible-class, and thereby⁸ shun⁹ the temptation of the Sabbath-breaker and the snares¹⁰ of the transgressor¹¹! And you, young woman, blooming in all the loveliness of life’s early dream, shun the society of those who mock at religion, and the teachings of the Holy Word, and fly for your life to the place where prayer is wont¹² to be made—where the better qualities of your nature will be fostered, and your heart taught to love the Saviour¹³!

The missionary felt that the time had now come for him to attempt to establish a Temperance Society among these people for whom he had been laboring¹⁴. This was a hazardous¹⁵ undertaking¹⁶, where the habits of the people were so firmly fixed in favor of using intoxicating¹⁷ liquors as a common beverage¹⁸. But a meeting for that purpose was appointed and the whole country was aroused. Those[113] favoring the cause, though few in number, were willing to take the responsibility, and the missionary promised to do his best; he was aware that those of the opposition¹⁹ were powerful, having on their side appetite, self-interest, custom and public opinion; but he was not in the least dismayed; he knew in whom he had believed; and although the gates of Hell should oppose, yet they could not prevail.

The time for the meeting having arrived, after singing a hymn²⁰ and offering a prayer, the missionary called the attention of his large audience to the following words:

“Who hath woe²¹? who hath sorrow? who hath contention²²? who hath babbling²³? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine! They that go to seek mixed wine! Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright; at last it biteth like a[114] serpent and stingeth like an adder²⁴!” Prov. xxiii. 29-32.

He then demonstrated by example and facts, the truth of the answer given to these questions. Taking up the last part of his subject in the words, “At last it biteth,” &c., he gave a most fearful description of the effects of spirituous liquors upon the human system and the immortal²⁵ soul—depicting with great force the awful condition of the poor rum-enslaved, soul-degraded drunkard, both in body and mind. He held up to their gaze the emaciated²⁶ form of a heart-broken wife, and the half-famished images of her little ones.

He also stated that intoxicating liquors were the parent of every conceivable sin, and had extended the catalogue of crimes until language could scarcely furnish a name for the atrocious iniquities—that they filled the jails and poor-houses, at the expense of the industrious²⁷ and good, and also furnished subjects for the gibbet.

[115]He alluded²⁸ also to the groceries, declaring them the prolific²⁹ schools in which the young were taught the rudiments³⁰ of sin, in idleness, vulgarity, profanity and drinking—thus preparing the way for infamy³¹ and crime, and daily training the mind for the service of Satan.

He then enforced the command in the text, not even to look upon it—saying that the apostle had commanded to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

He also declared that there was no neutral ground between virtue³² and vice—between supporting and opposing this source of evil; that we must be either for or against it.

He concluded with an appeal to the people to save themselves and those around them from the fangs³³ of the serpent and the sting of the adder, and to organize at once an army to fight unto death this monster, Intemperance³⁴.

A pledge was written and laid upon the[116] desk; after it was read and a few words of explanation given, all who wished to join the society were requested to rise and give their names. Quite a number of men, women and children instantly responded to the call; among them were several tipplers and two hardened drunkards, whilst the moralist and the moderate drinker refused to aid in the work of reformation. There can be no doubt that these persons were “stumbling-blocks in the way of sinners;” and the position taken by them sealed the fate of more than one poor soul. And there were also elders and deacons, class-leaders and gray-headed Christians³⁵, unwilling to deny themselves of the “lusts of the flesh,” but went with the “customs and maxims³⁶ of the world”—taking their morning dram, their favorite bitters, and with themselves, training their families in the way leading to drunkenness and death!

After the people had been dismissed, those who had given their names signed the pledge[117] with their own hands, and organized a society, by electing officers and framing a constitution for the government and permanent efficiency of the same. Upwards³⁷ of sixty put their names to the “Declaration of Independence” of the tyrant³⁸, “King Alcohol!”

This was a glorious beginning—and the wives and children of those tipplers and drunkards who joined, shed tears of joy, and their hearts overflowed³⁹ with thankfulness to God and His messenger.

1 missionary   

adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士

参考例句：

• She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。
• I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

2 innate   

adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的

参考例句：

• You obviously have an innate talent for music.你显然有天生的音乐才能。
• Correct ideas are not innate in the mind.人的正确思想不是自己头脑中固有的。

3 broached   

v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体

参考例句：

• She broached the subject of a picnic to her mother. 她向母亲提起野餐的问题。 来自辞典例句
• He broached the subject to the stranger. 他对陌生人提起那话题。 来自辞典例句

4 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

5 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

6 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

7 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

8 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

9 shun   

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

• Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。
• This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

10 snares   

n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He shoots rabbits and he sets snares for them. 他射杀兔子，也安放陷阱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am myself fallen unawares into the snares of death. 我自己不知不觉跌进了死神的陷阱。 来自辞典例句

11 transgressor   

n.违背者

参考例句：

• We expect the transgressor to make any atonement possible to him. 我们期待犯了过失的人有可能做到的赎罪行为。 来自辞典例句
• We expect transgressor to make any atonement possible to him. “我深信，”西丝又重说一遍，“这是你能做的唯一的赎罪的办法。” 来自互联网

12 wont   

adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯

参考例句：

• He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
• It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。

13 saviour   

n.拯救者，救星

参考例句：

• I saw myself as the saviour of my country.我幻想自己为国家的救星。
• The people clearly saw her as their saviour.人们显然把她看成了救星。

14 laboring   

n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• The young man who said laboring was beneath his dignity finally put his pride in his pocket and got a job as a kitchen porter. 那个说过干活儿有失其身份的年轻人最终只能忍辱，做了厨房搬运工的工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• But this knowledge did not keep them from laboring to save him. 然而，这并不妨碍她们尽力挽救他。 来自飘（部分）

15 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

16 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

17 intoxicating   

a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的

参考例句：

• Power can be intoxicating. 权力能让人得意忘形。
• On summer evenings the flowers gave forth an almost intoxicating scent. 夏日的傍晚，鲜花散发出醉人的芳香。

18 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

19 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

20 hymn   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌

参考例句：

• They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。
• The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

21 woe   

n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌

参考例句：

• Our two peoples are brothers sharing weal and woe.我们两国人民是患难与共的兄弟。
• A man is well or woe as he thinks himself so.自认祸是祸，自认福是福。

22 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

23 babbling   

n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密

参考例句：

• I could hear the sound of a babbling brook. 我听得见小溪潺潺的流水声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Infamy was babbling around her in the public market-place. 在公共市场上，她周围泛滥着对她丑行的种种议论。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

24 adder   

n.蝰蛇；小毒蛇

参考例句：

• The adder is Britain's only venomous snake.蝰蛇是英国唯一的一种毒蛇。
• An adder attacked my father.一条小毒蛇攻击了我父亲。

25 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

26 emaciated   

adj.衰弱的，消瘦的

参考例句：

• A long time illness made him sallow and emaciated.长期患病使他面黄肌瘦。
• In the light of a single candle,she can see his emaciated face.借着烛光，她能看到他的被憔悴的面孔。

27 industrious   

adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的

参考例句：

• If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。
• She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

28 alluded   

提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。
• She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

29 prolific   

adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的

参考例句：

• She is a prolific writer of novels and short stories.她是一位多产的作家，写了很多小说和短篇故事。
• The last few pages of the document are prolific of mistakes.这个文件的最后几页错误很多。

30 rudiments   

n.基础知识，入门

参考例句：

• He has just learned the rudiments of Chinese. 他学汉语刚刚入门。
• You do not seem to know the first rudiments of agriculture. 你似乎连农业上的一点最起码的常识也没有。

31 infamy   

n.声名狼藉，出丑，恶行

参考例句：

• They may grant you power,honour,and riches but afflict you with servitude,infamy,and poverty.他们可以给你权力、荣誉和财富，但却用奴役、耻辱和贫穷来折磨你。
• Traitors are held in infamy.叛徒为人所不齿。

32 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

33 fangs   

n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座

参考例句：

• The dog fleshed his fangs in the deer's leg. 狗用尖牙咬住了鹿腿。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Dogs came lunging forward with their fangs bared. 狗龇牙咧嘴地扑过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 intemperance   

n.放纵

参考例句：

• Health does not consist with intemperance. 健康与纵欲［无节制］不能相容。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She accepted his frequent intemperance as part of the climate. 对于他酗酒的恶习，她安之若素。 来自辞典例句

35 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

36 maxims   

n.格言，座右铭( maxim的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Courts also draw freely on traditional maxims of construction. 法院也自由吸收传统的解释准则。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• There are variant formulations of some of the maxims. 有些准则有多种表达方式。 来自辞典例句

37 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

38 tyrant   

n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

39 overflowed   

溢出的

参考例句：

• Plates overflowed with party food. 聚会上的食物碟满盘盈。
• A great throng packed out the theater and overflowed into the corridors. 一大群人坐满剧院并且还有人涌到了走廊上。 来自《简明英汉词典》