THE DRINK DEMON | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 8, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 10.

THE DRINK DEMON.

THE Serpent of the Still strikes its envenomed fangs into scholars and statesmen, as well as the unlettered and laboring classes. An American editor says: "The havoc wrought by strong drink has been brought home to us in an unusual and unexpected manner of late. We have been examining three large and expensive libraries, lately thrown upon the market, searching for books now out of print; and we made some inquiries as to the break-up of these valuable properties. Each library exhibits the taste and attainments of its owner. They were not chance collections of heterogenous volumes upon all sorts of subjects, but they were carefully-selected books upon themes which might interest gentlemen and scholars. They contained costly publications upon abstruse subjects and upon esthetic themes. And the sorrowful fact was that in each case the dissolution of the collection was owing to the owner. It showed plainly that the profound scholar and the elegant man of letters were equally exposed to the contagion of drink. Alcohol seizes its victims not simply in the ditch, or upon the cow ranch, but in the study, at the bar, and behind the sacred desk." No family is secure, not a business firm is safe, and no ties of friendship or affection are too sacred for the rum fiend to sacrifice.—Selected.