Why be a teetotaler?
Monday, 14 December 2009 00:00
December 14, 1875. The 19th century temperance campaign started out advocating moderation but soon began urging total abstinence of all alcoholic beverages, with relentless exhortation from press, pulpit, stage and stump, such as this item, excerpted from the Montreal Gazette.
Why be a teetotaler?
1. Because Ale, Porter, Gin, Rum, Brandy, Whisky, and Wine all contain a portion of Spirit, which is calculated to derange the human system.
2. Because none of these drinks are really beneficial; they do not strengthen, as is generally supposed, but are a poisonous and dangerous stimulant, and always worthless and injurious to persons in health.
3. Because Strong Drinks do not quench a thirst but increase it; hence the more a man drinks of them, the more thirsty he is; whereas Teetotalers seldom suffer thirst and generally only require drink at their meals.
4. Because I will not encourage the destroying every year of Forty Million Bushels of good grain (which God has given for food), from which poisonous drinks are manufactured that curse our fellow men and women, body and soul, for time and eternity.
5. Because drunkenness is our national besetting sin, and leads to idleness, quarrelling, swearing, fighting, stealing, adultery, murder, impiety, and almost every other sin. It also obstructs the progress of civilization, religion, and every useful reform.
6. Because a great deal of valuable land, time, and labour, are worse than wasted upon making, selling, and using intoxicating drinks.
7. Because Anatomy, Physiology, and Experience fully prove that alcoholic liquors create a pernicious excitement, diminish real strength, and induce or favour numerous diseases and epidemics, such as fevers, rheumatism, gout, cholera, consumptions, &c.; they also hurry the pulse, inflame the brain, injure the digestive organs, and induce dropsy; in fact they are the cause of at least four-fifths of all disease.
9. Because the practice of Teetotalism has now been tried by many thousands of persons of all trades and occupations during the last 30 years, and has thus been proved by experience, practicable, safe, healthy and efficient.
14. Because the general adoption of Total Abstinence principles would prepare the minds of men for the Gospel of Christ; thus proving itself to be a John the Baptists, preparing the way of the Lord.