You’d Never Drink If You Stopped To Think
MRS. H. A. MCCAMY
You’d never drink
If you’d stop and think
Of the drunkard’s face —
The vice and disgrace
Written there.
You’d never drink
If you’d stop and think
Of your loved ones’ shame
Who must bear your name
Everywhere.
Would you ever drink
If you’d stop and think
Of the bloated face
Which will soon deface
Manhood fair?
Could you stoop to drink
If you’d stop to think
Of honor at stake
And hearts that must ache —
Your shame share?
But you never think,
You who love to drink,
Of your defamed name
And your loved ones’ shame —
Shame, their share.
No, you never think,
When you crave a drink,
Of eyes, skin and face
Nor loved ones disgrace –
Drink doesn’t care.
The Voice of Temperance Scrapbook – 9 Winters of Prayers & Poems from Prohibition is a weekly journey through one of history’s most unique relics of faith and reform. This scrapbook, preserved across nine winters, blends heartfelt poetry with fervent prayers from the Prohibition era—a time when voices of temperance sought to guide communities toward sobriety, strength, and moral conviction. Each entry offers not only a glimpse into the spiritual and cultural mindset of the early 20th century, but also a window into how ordinary people used words to grapple with change, hope, and resilience.
Every week, we will highlight one poem and one prayer from the collection, pairing them with a touch of historical context and reflection. Whether you come for the rhythm of the verse, the quiet power of the prayers, or the curiosity of uncovering forgotten pages of the past, this series will celebrate the endurance of the written word and the human spirit through nine long winters of conviction and devotion.
In 1936 for nine winters “The Voice of Temperance” was broadcast over radio stations. Thousands of poems, newspaper clippings, excerpts of temperance addresses, and personal experiences we mailed to the author Sam Morris. Radio listeners copied or clipped most of them from books, magazines, or newspapers without giving their source or author. We had no thought of putting them into a book and so merely pasted them into a handy reference book. But so many requests had come for copies that we have collected those most often requested into this Scrap Book for wider distribution.
Naturally under the circumstances indicated above, it has been impossible to check up and secure the individual permission to publish each one; we have no desire to infringe upon copyright privileges or personal ownerships. We have indicated authorship where it was known and should there be any infringement upon copyright or personal ownership we shall be only too glad to correct the infringement in future editions.
With this brief explanation we send forth this unique Scrap Book with the prayer that its contents may contribute to the moral and spiritual betterment of human society.
Sincerely,
SAM MORRIS
“The Voice of Temperance”
