GANADIAMA 
 
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 ^XMPEKANCJe AND ^^ICIIGION. 
 
 COMPOSED BY 
 
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 BRANTFOnjy, 
 
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 BRANTFORD: 
 
 PRINTED AT EXPOSITOK OFFICE. 
 
 1870. 
 
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•ems tor W^e&ME lleoilei 
 
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 $.MP£RANCE AND 4mGI0K. 
 
 COMPOSED BY f 
 
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 BBANTFOllD, 
 
 
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 BRAIS'TFORD: 
 
 PKIKTED AT EXPOSITOR omufi. 
 
 1870, 
 
Ret. 
 
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 My Young Friends, — 
 
 An humble offering true mine i$, 
 
 And very small you see ; 
 But not too small to do some good, 
 
 I trust 'twill prove to he. 
 
 Through the most feeble i7istruments^ 
 God oft' doth blessings send. 
 
 The writer hopes these lines may prove 
 To many — a true friend. 
 
POEMS FOR YOUNG PJIOPLE. 
 
 Yoting friends of our Dominion, 
 For you these lines are penned, 
 
 By one who your best good desires — 
 By one who is your friend. 
 
 Of Temperance to you they speak, 
 A theme not new, but old ; 
 
 The writer knows for many yeara 
 The story has been told. 
 
 But is not Temperance a theme ^ 
 In which you should engage, 
 
 When through our land most fearfully 
 Intemperance doth rage. 
 
 If you your country truly love, 
 Her best good you should seek, 
 
 And against everything contend 
 
 By which she is made weak. I* 
 
 Behold the victims of strong drink. 
 Where'er you turn your eyes ; 
 
 Can you survey their wretchedness, 
 And not against it rise ? 
 
 *&^ 
 
 The liquor fountain, from whose streants 
 Flow misery, death and woe ; 
 
 Its proceeds, think you, will God bless 
 To help our country grow ? 
 
 Through public streets and private lanea 
 
 Poor wretched people go ; 
 Marks left them by old Alcohol 
 
 Are all they have to show. 
 
 Of nakedness and want of bread 
 Trembling old folks complain ; 
 
 Often they tell their tale of grief, 
 When it is told in vain. 
 
Ragged, starving little children, 
 Beg bread from door to door ; 
 
 For -when their parents get their drink 
 They care for little more. 
 
 Husbands who vowed they would protect 
 
 And provide for their wives, 
 By cruel barbarous treatment 
 
 How many lose their lives ! 
 
 Alas ! more like dens of demons 
 For them their homes are made. 
 
 Instead of wife and children dear, 
 In happy homos engaged. 
 
 How many thousands of young men 
 
 Are in the drunkard's grave. 
 Who to their country might have been 
 
 An honor, strength and praise ? 
 
 Fine youths, most talented and strong, 
 
 Victims to strong drink fall ; 
 And many of them while they live 
 
 Are loathsome sights to all. 
 
 But still should the alarm be made, 
 
 "The Fenians are at hand !" 
 Great loyalty would be displayed 
 
 Their raids all to withstand. 
 
 But Whiskey does a murderous work 
 
 By its most fearful raids ; 
 And fur this murderous traffic 
 
 How many hands are raised I 
 
 If anythiiig is said or done 
 
 To stop the murderous knife. 
 How many voices then you'll hear 
 
 Directly raise a strife. 
 
 The liquor traffic must go on, 
 
 Because it brings good pay, 
 Although so many thousand souls 
 
 To it become a prey. 
 
 If all the victims of strong drink — 
 
 Wretched, degraded band — 
 Could you survey them, would you say 
 
 That whiskey helped our land I 
 
5 
 
 Suddenly should alarm be made 
 
 Of foreign foes at hand, 
 Could such men then right service do, 
 
 Our country to defend 2 
 
 Where is the General who would like 
 
 An army to command ? 
 With all the marks of Alcohol, 
 
 With trembling nerve they stand. 
 
 When viewing them could he then say, 
 
 Such men 1 like to see ; 
 So noble, hardy, brave and strong 
 
 As soldiers ought to be. 
 
 Remember, fr: ends, there was a time 
 These men were just like you, 
 
 Beginning life in joyous youth 
 With happy days in view. 
 
 As it was then, so it is now. 
 
 With many when they meet ; 
 The greeting is, ' *Come on now, boys, 
 
 Let's go and have a treat. " 
 
 With one consent they all set off, 
 To the public hoiiae they go ; 
 
 With generous feelings for their friends, 
 Their friendship proud to show. 
 
 If there are some who read these lines, 
 
 Who to this class belong, 
 Your liquor-treating pray give up — 
 
 'Tis wrong, 'tis very wrong. 
 
 If friends could see how great the harm 
 
 By giving treats they do, 
 Their friendship they would see was false, 
 
 Instead of being true. 
 
 Follow the mother to the grave 
 
 Of her dear darling boy ; 
 A noble and a sprightly youth, 
 
 Which liquor did destroy ; 
 
 Now see her wring her hands with grief, 
 
 And press her aching heart. 
 And listen to her sobs and cries, 
 
 That from him she must pari. 
 
But still another son she has, 
 And with him should you meet; 
 
 Could you invite him to the bar 
 And offer him a treat i 
 
 How oft a mother's tears you'd save 
 
 For a misguided son, 
 If when you know he wants a glass 
 
 That glass you'd help him shun ] 
 
 How many comforts there would be 
 In homes where there are none, 
 
 If when together young friends meet, 
 They'd mind the glass to shun. 
 
 Can it be much that young men gain, 
 
 To work from mom till night ; 
 Then waste the money hard they've earned- 
 
 Doea this look wise or right ? 
 
 And when to settle they desire, 
 
 And comfort take in life, 
 Their money then is squandered, 
 
 And no home for the wife. 
 
 Consider when in blooming youth, 
 
 Oh, think how much depends 
 On the company you now keep, 
 
 And choice you make of friends. 
 
 Many of you no doubt have had 
 
 A pious father's care, 
 And a kind mother by whose side 
 
 Oft you have knelt in prayer. 
 
 But death, perhaps, has broke the chain 
 Which bound some hearts to earth ; 
 
 But still those treasures are in Heaven, . 
 To you of precious worth. 
 
 Dear friends, think of those parents now. 
 Whose voice no more you'll hear, 
 
 Warning you every vice to shun, 
 And serve the Lord with fear. 
 
 And you, young men, who are still bleat 
 With homes and j)arents dear, 
 
 By them you are not forgotten, 
 Though far from home or near. 
 
*'Do friends think of me at home ?" 
 
 Are words you often sing ; 
 Yes, boys, your names in mother's eart 
 
 Like sweetest music rinjj. 
 
 *o* 
 
 But, alas ! 'tis to be feared 
 
 That many forger, home, 
 And anxious paients who are left 
 
 In solitude alone. 
 
 Often until the midnight hour, 
 
 Their time how many spend ; 
 In self-destruction they go on, 
 
 Which must in ruin end. 
 
 Christian parents deep sorrow feel. 
 While those who are from home 
 
 Still go the road which leads to death — 
 Far, far from God they roam. 
 
 Oft in the stillness of the night 
 For their loved ones they pray. 
 
 That they would gi .^e their hearts to Christ, 
 And from sin turn away. 
 
 Every young man who helps his friend 
 
 The cup of woe to shun, 
 A noble victory, how great, 
 
 For that friend he has won. 
 
 In dreary cells ai e criminals. 
 
 By treating were brought there ; 
 
 Once the sunshine of happy homes, 
 With prospects bri^'ht and fair. 
 
 Saddened are their fond parents' hearts, 
 
 Who almost die with grief ; 
 All human sympathy proves vain — 
 
 It affords no relief. 
 
 Were vou to listen to tiie. tale 
 Those x)oor young men could tell, 
 
 Each one would say 'twas step by step 
 I came to this dark cell ; 
 
 The word of God we heeded not — 
 
 His name and day profaned — 
 And from the drunkard's cup we drank, 
 
 The convict's cell we gained ; 
 
 Vf 
 
8 
 
 Through drink madly we plunged in sin, 
 And then committed crimes ; 
 
 Sacrificed all on earth most dear, 
 Which human love combines ; 
 
 Willing captivFd len by Satan, 
 He's brought us thus far on ; 
 
 Our wages he is sure to pay, 
 And what a fearful sum I 
 
 The writer warns you now, young men, 
 
 Ever that class to shun. 
 Who call strong drink a friendly treat — 
 
 Such friendship ever spurn. 
 
 You see the fruits of friendly treats, 
 How far its friendship goes ; 
 
 And those who thus befriend you most, 
 Surely are your worst foes. 
 
 Drink not from the liquor fountain, 
 
 If you should so desire ; 
 If you wish for real happiness, 
 
 Don't drink the liquid fire. 
 
 A craving appetite deny. 
 
 Don't say, this is too hard ; 
 Too hard 'twill be to lose your souls — 
 
 The drunkard's sure reward. 
 
 To rouse the worst propensities 
 Which reign within the heart, 
 
 Satan tempts all he can v/ith drink, — 
 'Tis his successful dart. 
 
 He well knows how to set his traps 
 
 To catch unguarded 3-outh ; 
 A glass, he'll say, will do no harm, 
 
 I tell you what is truth. 
 
 Of his devices, friends, beware, 
 
 Pray do not him believe ; 
 Until your souls are in his grasp 
 
 He'll craftily deceive. 
 
 If happiness you would secure. 
 You must those virtues seek 
 
 Which prompt the will, from principle, 
 To avery vice forsakei 
 
9 
 
 Try to do all the good 3^011 can, 
 The short time here you stay ; 
 
 By your example kindly draw 
 Your friends in the right way. 
 
 For all the talents you possess, 
 
 The one, the five, or ten, 
 God gave them you to be improved, 
 
 Until your lives shall end. 
 
 Your services your country needs, 
 For them she loudly calls, 
 
 That you may high positions fill. 
 And advance whole*^^ ue laws. 
 
 Then you'll be men of sterling worth, 
 Yourselves true patriots prove. 
 
 And feel that while you're doing good 
 You're blessed by God above. 
 
 Mark that young man who has his mind 
 With useful knowledge stored, 
 
 Choice of the company he keeps. 
 Being guided by God's word. 
 
 Boldly maintaining what is right. 
 And what's wrong to oppose. 
 
 However few his friends may be. 
 Or numerous are his foes. 
 
 Firmly his principles are laid, 
 And *.hey are sure to stand ; 
 
 On a foundation firm he builds, 
 And not upon the sand. 
 
 To honor that young man will rise, 
 
 His name will ever live ; 
 A blessing to the world he'll be, 
 
 God's blessing he'll receive. 
 
 Young men, you know nature's first law- 
 Is self-preserving care ; 
 
 A mark of wisdom, then, it is, 
 Of vices to beware. 
 
 Evils a prudent man foresees, 
 And them he'll try to shun ; 
 
 God'a word tells us that simple ones 
 Are those who pass right on. 
 
 . / \ 
 
10 
 
 To you the voice of wisdom criea, 
 To you, young men, I call, 
 
 Enter not in the paths of sin, 
 In which transgressors fall. 
 
 'o' 
 
 But from them turn and pass away, 
 
 For hard your lot will be, 
 If not prepared to meet thy God 
 
 When He shall call for thee. 
 
 By drinking, young men form their chain 
 With which they must be bound — 
 
 To most deep and bitter sorrows 
 Which on the earth are found. 
 
 Intemperance leads to every vice, 
 
 And sorrows the worst kind ; 
 Man's best affections it destroys, 
 
 Ruins his noble mind. 
 
 Drink is the price of your brothers' blood, 
 Who by it have lost their lives ; 
 
 'Tis the exchange of priceless worth : 
 The soul which never dies! 
 
 The widow's gi-ief — her orphans' cries, 
 Poor homeless, helpless ones ; 
 
 Fond mothers' almost bursting hearts 
 For their much-loved lost sons. 
 
 These are some fruits of Alcohol,^ — 
 
 That tree of death and woe! 
 Then does its proceeds bless our land ? 
 
 Young men, say yes or no. 
 
 'Tis when God's laws are put in force, 
 
 That he our land will bless ; 
 Yes, then exalted she will be, 
 
 By works of righteousness. 
 
 "Wlien of so much sad wretchedness 
 
 Intemperance is the cause. 
 Can you refuse from principle 
 
 To help the Temperance cause ? 
 
 Would you see Temperance prosper 
 
 In our beloved land,— 
 United strength is what we need 
 
 Opposition to withstand. 
 
11 
 
 Some young friends perchance there'll W, 
 
 Who read this little book, 
 Who with deep grief think on that day 
 
 When the first glass they took. 
 
 Oft they have tried and tried attain 
 
 From drinking to reform^ 
 When but, alas! they drink agiin, 
 
 Then fear their case ia gone. 
 
 Dear friends, take courage and go on, 
 Till you Ve the victory won ; 
 Too dear a price 'twill be to pay, 
 To sell your souls for rum. 
 
 Trials all must expect to meet — 
 
 A warfare they must fight, »• 
 
 If achievements they'd acquire 
 In doing what is right. 
 
 Satan, and the world's temptations, 
 
 Together are combined, 
 With everything but what is good, 
 
 To captivate the mind. 
 
 There is one Friend — and a true one — ^ 
 
 Who ofi'ers to help you ; 
 Almighty is His power to save, 
 
 And strongest foes subdue. 
 
 He rules the raging of the sea, 
 
 The tempest doth control ; * 
 
 No earthly power, however great, 
 But must before Him fall. 
 
 All your temptations He knows well — 
 He knows your weakness, too ; 
 
 When on His arm you lean for strength, 
 Temptations He'll subdue. 
 
 This Friend now offers tc be yours. 
 
 The great, the Eternal One ; 
 T'le Saviour of poor sinful man, 
 
 Or 
 
 od's well-beloved Son. 
 
 His Word must be our only rule. 
 To teach us what is right ; 
 
 It is God's will revealed to man, 
 In darkness to give light. 
 
12 
 
 Of temperance, virtue, truth and love, 
 
 That word to you doth speak : 
 It tells yon that from Christ alone, 
 
 For strength that you should seek. 
 
 It teaches you to sacrifice 
 
 Principles which are wrong ; 
 Which robs man of his happiness, 
 
 That to him should belong. 
 
 God tells you in that blessed Word, 
 
 That Jesus died for you ! 
 ' That His blood cleanses from all sin, — 
 Not works that we can do. 
 
 God offers now a pardon free, 
 
 For all who to Him come : 
 Who trusts entirely in Chrifet's blood, 
 
 For their sins to atone. 
 
 Wlien you love Christ with your whole hearts, 
 
 Your sins then you will hate ; 
 That love for Jesus you'll then feel, 
 
 Will Heavenly joys create. 
 
 Then to the world you'll show by works 
 
 True patriotic love ; 
 Works that will shed abroad their light. 
 
 Of which God will approve. 
 
 This love will all from Jesus come, 
 
 No merit of your own; 
 Before God's power makes us to feel, 
 
 Oar hearts are hard as stone. 
 
 Think what a dreadful thing is sin — 
 
 So hard to make the h*»art, — 
 To scorn away this blessed Friend, 
 
 And bid him to depart. 
 
 Shall there be one who reads these lines. 
 
 Who will reject this Friend ? 
 Then you will have God's wrath to bear, 
 
 And meet the lost soul's end. 
 
 Think of these words — these dreadful words : 
 
 My soul forever lost! 
 Heaven from me forever gone, — 
 
 Forever gone— I am lost! 
 
13 
 
 That this sad case may not be yours, 
 
 No doubt is your desire ; 
 That DOW the Saviour may be yours, 
 
 Your Hearts he doth require. 
 
 " My son," says Christy "give me thiue heaii ; 
 
 Now is the accepted time ; 
 Salvation you may have to-day — 
 
 To-day will you be mine V* 
 
 Whatcondf8:enBion, oh how great, 
 
 Doth God to mortals show: 
 To ask their hearts, to a^k their love. 
 
 That they to Heaven might go. , 
 
 Their great decision, oh how great, 
 
 Mortals to God must give ; 
 God speaks to everj^one, and says : 
 
 " Look unto me and live!" 
 
 iwwg— eg— —aM 
 
 Wh^ mm^^ itat ITsiss^w Way, 
 
 »Y J. J3, »EA.r>, 
 
 Two classes in this world we see. 
 
 Two masters they obey ; 
 Two roads they all are travelling, — 
 
 The Broad and Narrow way. 
 
 Deep are the plans which Satan lays 
 To draw the heart from God ; 
 
 Of his devices we are told 
 In God's most holy Word. 
 
 To please our weak and sinful flesh, 
 Strange schemes oft he contrives. 
 
 To rob our souls of joys above, 
 By vanity and lies. 
 
 The age, the rank, the taste of all 
 He lays his plans to please ; 
 
 Until the soul is in his grasp 
 He craftily deceives. 
 
u 
 
 In cities, towns and villages, 
 
 And by-ways not a few, 
 His agents faithfully at their post,— 
 
 He keeps them busy too. 
 
 Gambling saloons and grogeries, 
 
 And secret places too, 
 He's plann'd to please low classes, 
 
 Of which they are not few. 
 
 "Young men," says ho, ''there you may go, 
 
 And mingle with the crowd, 
 And sing your songs and drink your glass ; 
 
 Of this young men are proud. 
 
 "You may curse and swear, drink and fight, 
 
 And rob your neighbor too ; 
 Where you choose yoiir feet may run, — 
 
 I'll always help you through. 
 
 "To the ball-rooms and circus-grounds, 
 
 All classes mix and go ; 
 My agents do their very best 
 ^"^ To please both high and low. 
 
 "No worldly pleasure," Satan says, 
 : "Will I deny to thee ; 
 
 No cross will I ask you to bear 
 To come and follow me. 
 
 "Just do all that which you would like, 
 
 Whatever it may be ; 
 Though at the midnight hour, be sure 
 
 I'm always there with thee. 
 
 "Ten thousand things I have not named, 
 
 All which I give you free ; 
 And all I ask of you is now 
 
 My faithful subject be. 
 
 "Many youths I have train'd this way, 
 Who once thought much of death ; 
 
 Tremble I would to hear them pray — 
 Now they don't pray a breath. 
 
 "Full well I knew the games to teach, 
 Which young men liked to play ; 
 
 True, some I had hard work to turn, 
 But others soon gave way. 
 
15 
 
 '*1 did not like to have them pained 
 
 About the thoughts of hell ; 
 I coaxed them not to go to church, 
 
 For this would suit me well. 
 
 "Now, my service they have long tried, — 
 
 Sabbaths tliey.ilo not heed ; 
 They never pray nor read God's Word, 
 
 iiut serve me with full speed. 
 
 "Yes, I have .a^ot them fast enough ; 
 
 They love my service well ; 
 Seldom do they have thoughts of death, 
 
 Or think of heaven or hell. 
 
 "Many professing christians, too, 
 
 My skilful hand has trained ; 
 With outward forms they served the Lord, 
 
 While their hearts I obtained. 
 
 "All their outward fomis of worship 
 
 Will never trouble me ; 
 For outward form><, I know full well 
 
 What their reward will be. 
 
 " Many from youth to hoary hairs, 
 
 I have quietly led. 
 Depending on their outward forms 
 
 Till on their dying bed." 
 
 Dear youth, to one class you belong : 
 
 One master you obey : 
 One road you are now trav'iing in, — 
 
 The Broad or Narrow Way. 
 
 If to please weak and sinful flesh, 
 
 On Satan's grounds you go ; 
 Yo\i choose the Broad Road which leads to 
 
 Death, misery and woe. 
 
 Wliat pr..>lit would it be to you 
 
 If worlds you could cbtain I 
 And then at last to lose your soul : 
 
 Dear youth, would it be gain ? 
 
 Our nature is so prone to sin 
 
 That all have gone astray ; 
 But daily strength our God will give 
 
 To thoee who watch and pray. 
 
16 
 
 For the sake of your precioua souis 
 
 Decide without delay, 
 And seek your daily strength from Ohiiat, 
 
 And walk the Narrow Way. 
 
 That way which leads to endless rest, 
 
 From sin and sorrow free : 
 If we are washed in Jesus' b"^)d, 
 
 With him we there shall be. 
 
 » .' 
 
 J