Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-08-08

,no,oed in vending ardent spirits, to
abandon their injurious business, and thus
10 make IA praiseworihy sacrifice IN u
rood cause. Many such members deem
they have no further duties to perform, to
render their conduct consistent with their 4
professions: and forgetlul Of their own
obligations also To make sacrifices for
conscience sake, they too indiscriminaie-
" have rcsorted 10 the stores OF dealers
IN ardent spirits, TO favor them with the
profits of their business or custom. Self
interest being the naked plea urged by
those who apparently allow hopes of
gain to triumph over their principles Of
moral rectitudo, the most efiectual argu-
ment is that addressed to the pecuniary
calculations Of the retailer, who may be
balancing in his mind his prospects of
worldly profit on the one hand, against
the weight Of his moral obligations on the
other. Were there held out as there
should be prospect Of an accession Of
business from the advocates Of the cause
Of Temperance, to counterbalance the
certain loss resulting from the sudden "a
bandonIhent Of customers Of different
character, dealers in ardent spirits might
be brought to "a more speedy decision to
abandon the sale of them. There are
doubtless, very many who would most
cheeriuliy obey the dictates Of their con-
sciences, were the path thus smoothed
for their retreat.
To the respectable and influential
landholders, who, inconsideratcly lease
buildings to be used as tippling shops,
The fault Of great indifference to the cause
Of Temperance cannot he imputed. by
appropr ia,ing their buildings to such
uses, and by thus participating in the
profits Of dram selling, they lend their
sanction and influence to impart to the
business degree Of respectablity,
which 1t would not otherwise possess.
The poorer occupants of such shops,
may deem themselves unable, from their
humble means to change their traffic,
without subjecting themselves to immedi-
ate pecuniary cmbarrassmcnts and ruin;
but the wealthy proprietor can have no
extenuating plea OF this sort to offer 1t
may be true that a reduction of rents OF
such shops, may at first be the result OF
reform; and such ought to be the re-
suit TO encourage t,ose who are tenants
Of them TO abandon the sale Of strong IL
quors. But with an improving neig gh-
borhood, and a more prosperous state of
business for hcalthrul articles Of mer-
chandiZe, this cannot long be the case,
and favorable reaction would soon en-
sue to reward the liberal policy Of such
owners Of real estate. There are too,
many persons whose names are publicly
pledged to advance the cause Of Tenn
perance, but whose private acts thus
render them unconsciously most powerful
secreet enemies to the cause which they
profess, and we have no doubt wish, to
sustain.
To reform the old and confirmed sot,
there can be only the teeblest hope; for
to him, who has abandoned wife and
children to poverty and distress; and e.
ven his own reputation TO disgrace, ar
guments and homlics, however eloquent,
will be addressed in vain. Religious in
struction may be the means of convinc-
ing and converting the sinful man, whilst
his Judgment remains clear and undis-
turbed; but what influence can it have
upon his reformation who has debased
and paralyzed the nobler faculties of his
nature by drunkenness? The term Of
existence Of such men is, however, brief;
and the places now witnesses OF their de-
basiDg vice, in shorter period than is
usually allotted to the destiny of man,
"will know them no more forever" To
their children, and to the youthful gene
ration now coming forward on the stage
Of existence, we must look for more
cheering examples of well regulated ha-
bits Of Temperance, commenced and
established in early 1i4ess with them ha-
bits Of intemperance are not 10 be re-
pressed or reformed, but are merely t.
be avoided.
In the cause Of Temperance, the
youth Of the United States are now ex.
hibiting q most animating spectacle to
Philanthrorists in all quarters Of the
globe. In their praiseworthy exertions,
older men, the evening of whose days is
now drawing near, must warmly sympa
thise, and unite ia ein,;la~ affnrts. for
what more acceptable sacrifice can they
offer to their Creator, than that of por-
ton Of their remaining life devoted to the
welfare Of their fellow men1 The pres
ent return for those labors may, and
probably will be, the SCOTS Of those whom
we desire to serve; and taunts of other
frailiies Of which as men, weak men, W,
must all plead guilty.
But whilst we are sensible Of remain
ing depressed under load Of many sins
and thus humbled to the dust; we shout
not cease from endeavors to extend a