Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-05-23


The Boston Christian Examiner, con-
tans long and able Review" Of Gan
against the Manufacture and
sale Of Ardent Spirits" which we should
gladly lay before our readers entire, would
our limits permit. We select the follow
ing paragraph from that "Review" as
containing reasoning the soundness of
which cannot be questioned.
"Thcre is one other renson for the fac
ttious power, which the excuses ofthose
who produce and sell ardent spirits have
over their minds, which is worthy Of no.
tIce. 1t is the tendency there is among
many to undervaue the efforts & exam
pie of individuals in the cause of Tenn
perance. If all who profess themselves
the friends of this cause, with their lips,
were its practical supporters, and i'their
abundant good wishes, could be eXchang-
ed for energetic action and vigorous CO.
operation, it would go on, achieving far
greater victories than it now does. But
there is too much humility among some
men on this subject. They are rather
remarkable for thinking meanly Of their
personal influence; whenever they are
asked to join Temperance Society, or
to abstain from the traffic in ardent spir-
its. This false modesty is sadly out of
place. In carrying on the temperance
reformation, individuals are every thing;
and they are every thing for the plain
reason, that they make up the public for
whose welfare this reformation is COM
mcnced. 81 am but one man and can
not do much" we can hear one person
say. "You are but one man I'VE would
almost Indignantly reply,) "you are but
one man and cannot do muchm Sup
pose every man should say this, where
would our cause, our country, the souls
of our brethren be? "But one mann'-
Know you not that it is only by moving
one man at time, that the community is
ever moved? Feelings and opinions
may rush through society like an electric
shock it is true,-but even they pass dis
tinctly from individual to individual, and
occupy time in their progress. "But
tone man, and you cannot do much p'-
Lcok into history and see how it has
been. How was Christianity introduced
and spre ad did the world rise up like
one man to receive it? Or did its beau
tiful trrths take the multitude captive, by
impressing heart after heart? How was
the reformation commenced and carried
on? BY any unconCerted and simuitan-
eous movement among the disallected in
the Romish church; or by the boldncss
and zeal Of Luther, and the awakening
OF one mind after another? How, too,
was our revolution affected? BY all the
colonies, lifting themselves like mass,
and throwing off the yoke of bondage?
Or was the army of patriots enlisted man
by man? Every one can answer these
questions. And as it was in these grea
reformations, as they may be called, so
must il be with the temperance move
ment. Each individual must be interest
ed and active in it. The cup is not full
if drop be wanting. The friends of
temperance cannot spare single man,
because the excuse which will justify
the deserion of lukewarmncss OF one,
will as well justify that of a thousand. -
1t is as one drunkard reforms, as one
temperate drinker abstains, one vender
ceases to sell, that the work goes on pros
pcrously. Let it then never be forgot
ten, that the cause is prospered or re-
tarded by individuals; and let every man
feel that the progress of temperance de-
pends, in part, upon him."