[A Dissertation on Temperance.]
It must be born in mind, however, that there was one great and important, if not indispensable factor, which I have not mentioned in the foregoing sketch, that has greatly contributed to our success, viz.:—The curse of alcohol was never permitted to enter or pollute our home. I was early in life (1840) convinced of the advantages, physically and morally, of abstaining from the narcotic poison—alcohol. My pledge card, which I still have and keep with much pride, is dated 1841. I had abstained some time before, so that I can count over half a century in this good cause. And I am happy to say the whole of my children have followed our example, and it was only natural that they should do so, as I am a firm believer in parental example. When this great cause was first advocated, we all gladly joined it, as we, as a family, had suffered from the curse—and what family has not, in some measure? My own father was a victim to the demon; but those were days of ignorance, and drunkenness was only looked upon as a venial weakness, and almost as a virtue among all classes—the clergy not even exempt; and it was considered a breach of hospitality if you did not make your guests drunk. Thank God those bad old times are past! My dear parent was more excused as he was a naval man—a "man-of-war's-man," and fought under the great Nelson, and at that time it was thought necessary to make men half mad with rum before they could fight. Now: how changed! The commanders call for the teetotalers when they want any particular or dangerous duty performed. I said, as a family we suffered, for he died early in life, and left his widow with six very young children to battle alone in the world. But I must draw the curtain; we cannot claim ignorance now.
Now, do not let it be understood that I mean to say that no one will succeed unless they are abstainers; but from my long experience and extensive observation, it is extremely rare to find those who started with moderation in intoxicants, can continue so, at least with the potations in the same quantity or strength; it is almost physically impossible to do so. Alcohol is a substance that principally exerts its influence on the nervous system, like opium—a kindred substance. It creates an artificial appetite or craving, and nervous prostration is the result, which can only be relieved, in thousands of cases, by a continued increase in quantity or strength, and a diseased state of the system is insensibly created. In very many cases moderation is impossible. No man ever started in life with the intention of being a drunkard, and if you suggested the possibility of such, he would be most indignant. Nevertheless, they fall against their will. Neither do I think any man leaves his home and family with the deliberate intention of getting drunk, and coming home to abuse those who, in his sober moments, he treats with affection. If he did so, such a man has fallen far below the brute creation. Man is simply deluding himself with this alluring and fascinating "serpent." In fact, "mocked," and "he that is deceived thereby is not wise." And the true wisdom is to banish this "curse of the race" from your home, as no one knows how soon they or someone dear to them, may be drawn into this snare. I never knew an abstainer but what prospered in this colony, and I have known hundreds of drinkers "go to the wall." I have not known a single farmer in this district who planted a vineyard, and made wine, who has not been "bitten by his own dog," and died prematurely; except one, and he sold out, but is still a confirmed drunkard. Alas! what shocking tales I could tell of wasted homes. I have already mentioned two "drunk out" farms we purchased—premature deaths, violent deaths. Children turned adrift on the world, sacred and loving ties sundered, etc., etc., simply from indulgence in this most insidious, useless, and dangerous habit. However, a brighter day is dawning even for Australia, which, as yet, is far behind in this glorious movement of true temperance (temperance in all lawful things). Alcohol is unlawful, being foreign and destructive to man's physical nature, but the total abstinence cause is destined also to be the moral salvation of the world, and the hand-maid and stepping-stone to a religious and Christian life. And I am happy to say many of our youth are seeing the advantages and duty of abstinence from intoxicants.
On the other hand, many of our politicians and others are advocating the advantages of the vine-growing industry for making wine, and have even dubbed Australia—"John Bull's Vineyard." Yes, vineyard, I will, if you like, endorse, but "Wine Shop," which they mean, I will ignore. The grape, rightly used, is one of God's greatest gifts, and I would like to see every hill-top clothed with the vine, but not quite so, for we are, or should be, wise enough to know that the hill-tops should never be denuded of their forest's adornment. Say every hill-side. The pure "fruit of the vine," the blood of the grape unfermented, or grapes preserved as raisins, are wonderfully nutritious, and contain many of the elements of the blood. By fermentation, which is a process of decay and destruction, nearly the whole of the nutriment is destroyed. Thus, the gluten and gum are entirely destroyed. Six-sevenths of the albumen, and four-fifths of the sugar, and most of the others, are also destroyed. And what do we get in lieu. Why, a narcotic, sleeping, irritant (irritating) poison; irritating, though, should have been placed first, as it excites the passions to commit every evil deed, long before the drunken or sleepy stage commences. Now, will any sane person have the temerity to say that this poison alcohol, the substance created by the destruction of all these life-sustaining constituents, is "the good gift of God" as "received from His hand?" There is hardly a substance on earth but what can be and has, in like manner, been perverted. Grain of all sorts, fruit, rice, potatoes, beet-root, starchy substances of all sorts, in fact, anything that can be converted into saccharine (sugar: the foundation of alcohol), milk also, and even meat. Were all these good gifts ever intended to be worse than destroyed? In the United Kingdom, 80,000,000 bushels of bread food are thus destroyed, when millions of people are in a state of pauperism or semi-starvation. And all this waste, to do what? To feed men? No. To give health? No. Strength? No. To warm? No. To allay this? No. It is of no earthly use whatever. But this it does. Debases men below the beast, also producing crime, poverty, disease, and moral degradation. This is the sum total that man reaps for destroying the bountiful fruits of the Creator.
Is it then a wise policy on the part of a paternal Government to unduly encourage the manufacture of wine in bonuses and viticultural colleges? Is it patriotic? Is it philanthropic? Is it Christian! With a climate that can produce wine by natural fermentation up to 34 per cent. (this is disputed by experts in Europe) of alcoholic strength, two-thirds the strength of brandy, and a very large quantity is being distilled into brandy, how can we expect a sober people?
It may appear to some that I have dwelt unreasonably long upon this question, but feeling strongly, I must write strongly.