Intemperance. upward, its course unseen, except by its 
- effect upon the tree, and its attendant 
Of all subjects that have employed the fruit. 
pen, there is, perhaps, no one that has The first season the fruit may be seem- 
been written upon oftener than the evils of ingly fair to the view, luscious to the taste, 
intemperance. It is a subject that can and the yield bountiful; the worm is, as 
never be exhausted. The delights and yet, but gnawing at the bark of the root, 
pleasures of temperance, and the miseries The next season the yield is not so plen- 
and afflictions of its opposite, are so great, tiful. Much of the fruit is fair and luscious, 
that the allotted age of man is too short a but many branches bear a stunted, sour 
period in which to relate them; so that fruit, which the season before bore that 
they who decline to attend a temperance which delighted the heart of the husband- 
lecture, or read a temperance tract, from man. 
the reason that the subject has been worn The worm is close to the trunk of ths 
threadbare, have given it but little thought; tree. The next season the yield is scant, 
or they are so wedded to their idols, the much of the fruit withers and falls to ths 
wine-cup, and its attendant carousal, ground. A few fair specimens are yet to 
that they do not desire to hear anything be seen, but they are few and far between, 
which points out to them the precipice The worm is close to the heart of the tree, 
upon the brink of which they stand. Let The husbandman in dread for his goodly 
such as they come with me and trace the tree, digs about the root, waters and fer- 
career of a young man from his first taste tilizes the soil; but all hi vain, the destroy- 
of the poisonous draught, to his mournful er has now become so imbedded in its vic- 
and sure end,—and then ask themselves if tim, that they part but with mutual de- 
they are safe, standing in a burning house struction. 
with the roof and rafters quickly consum- The next season, the gentle breezes and 
ing, and the walls quaking and cracking in refreshing rains of spring, fail to change 
the fierce heat. the aspect of that tree from that which it 
Yet, in far more dreadful peril they bore in mid-winter. No tender leaves ars 
stand for it is a peril of both body and ini- put forth, no snowy blossoms clothe it in 
mortal soul. Peril of loss of friends, for- a beauteous robe. The worm has reached 
tune, good name, all that makes life sweet; the heart—the tree is dead. The tree is 
and peril hereafter, of “The worm that the young man, the fruit his virtues; ths 
dieth not, and the fire that is not quench- husbandman, the parent; and the worm, 
the demon of intemperance, by men called 
But, let us follow our young friend. We alcohol. 
find him in early life, the pride of a fond Thus it is with the young man. Ths 
father’s heart, the cherished object of a time comes when he must go forth to ths 
doting mother’s love; early taught to lean world to seek his fortune, as his father 
upon his Heavenly Father for guidance before him sought his. He goes from a 
and assistance in all things, there is every home where he has been under a father’s 
prospect of a good, happy, and useful life watchful eye, guarded by a mother’s 
for their darling child. The soil is fertile, anxious care. He goes into the harsh, 
the season propitious; and the young tree bustling world, to mix in the busy haunts 
strong and healthy, is in full bloom. of men, to encounter dangers new and 
But there is an unseen worm approach- hitherto undreamed of. Now indeed, it 
ing; afoul and loathsome thing; it has not requires all the force of his early training 
yet reached the tree; it is not even going to keep him spotless; his bark is in ths 
directly towards it, but it will pass near, rapids, and, unless piloted by a strong prin- 
And should this reptile touch but the tini- ciple, and wafted by the breezes of a trus 
est root of that fair tree, it will fasten upon moral courage, it cannot escape the rocks 
that root, and surely, though it may be and shoals which surround it on every side, 
■lowly, it will work its way upward, yet I He sees his companions, his employers. 
