p. 215 | A Rare Example

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 3, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 14.

A Rare Example.

Of Thaddeus Stevens, it is said: “During the whole time of his residence in Lancaster, Mr. Stevens was an uncompromising ‘teetotaler.’ The following is the history of his resolution to abstain: While he was in Gettysburg, he was a member of a select circle who were accustomed to meet around at each other’s houses, and spend the evening in playing whist and drinking wine and choice liquors. One evening one of the party, a great favorite, who was cashier of the bank in Gettysburg, becoming a little inebriated, was escorted home by two of his friends, who, finding his latch-key, let him in and left him in the entry, supposing that he could find his way up-stairs. In the morning when his wife came down she found him lying upon the entry floor dead. He had had an attack of apoplexy during the night. When Mr. Stevens heard of it he went into his cellar with a hatchet, broke open the heads of his wine and whisky barrels, and would never taste anything of the sort afterward. When he became an old man and very delicate, Dr. Carpenter prescribed some alcoholic stimulants as a medicine. He absolutely refused to touch it.”

How many such lessons must others have before they too will banish the accursed drink? How many brilliant minds must be shadowed, how many happy homes must be darkened, how many loving hearts broken, before people will learn that ancient lesson of wisdom, and look not upon the wine when it is red, and so escape the sorrow of that dreadful hour when it shall bite like a serpent and sting like an adder?—Sel.