Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-05-17

estimate tl.atw we can make. The church
is tic light OF the world. How tcarlnly
responsible. How awiully solemn her
roSl!:on How many arc there who.
;I.oughtlcy follow the maNims ofthe world,
and arc the victims of vice and the vota.
ric< OF PLEASURE are Yet wont TO look up
TO fine church as the true standard Of CX-
ccencc and of datv. And in its past
history in conncXi0n with this sub ccr. it is
not for Us to kNow--thc records OF Ctor-
nity alone will disclose how maHy poor
victim was first led by the cXamblc OF
christians, TO quaii' the intoxicating cup.
and was thus placed beyond tho influence
Of kindly aImonition and rcmon&traAcc,
and at I1St plunged into that awful world
where no wavward step can be 2rctraccd--
70 plea for pardon heard. While We can
no. but regard the past with solemn and
mourn!ul emo ions, let us look forward
with 5uoyant hope to the future. in the
confident expectation that the Sun
Of righteousness, now that the church is
redeemed from the thra!dom Of this fatal
abuse, wiltshire with yet more penetra-
ting rays, and more brilliant and benign
c0aIgencc; and the church assume It's
true position, and exert its appropriate
Influence Of acting as salt TO save cor
rupt and degenerate world.
The happy effects which have followed
temperance associations, surely cannot
have escaped the notice OF the most care
less observer. IS thcre-caH there be a
philan;hropiSl here, at all informed on this
subject, who watches withan eye OF anx-
ions concern, every scheme which bcnev-
oIrncc may prompt and wisdom sanction
to mcliora'c tic condition Of his fellow
crea,urt $, WHO, in gatn ing over the H.
s,ructiyc history of the past. can bring
himself for a momcntt to question their
uiiIitv.-or 20 held back his hearty ap-
proval-his cheerful support? The time
for the agitation Of such question, it is
hoped. has long si"cc passed. Let us
then for few moments s lance at some
few of the causes which have operated
to rc;ard the progress Of the temperance
reformation. and one or two indictments
70 continued and energetic action.
1t has been often remarked that Ii takes
tie word long while to learn wisdom.
II ,hr agcs AID AGES which have been
numbered with the past since tie world
began, how many dcbaSing evils have
charac,crizedcacll. and have been patron
izad, or Il. leas, tolerated by those who oc-
cupiaI the post Of standards Of the pubic
virtuC-conscrvators OF tie pubic veal!
And in the meanwhile, how many sch mes
have beer devised by Philosophers, PHI
l,nthropiSts and Christians to mciiora:e
the condition OF fallen man and elevate
the standard of national and social happl-
ness: Every successive era lras been
marked by It's peculiar enterprises, which
have been frequently as magnificent in
their conception as faulty and futile in
their execution. Revelation his follow.
cl rcvoiution-chanSe has succ"cded
chanuc-voinmc upon volume has been
written to cnl;ah.cn the minds and guide
the crring judgments Of men. And yet
how slow the progress OF rcloYmation.-
Men hayc resolved and r2-rrSoived and
then resolved again. And why has it
been so! Aside from native dcpravi:v,
they have pursued the bubbles of their own
conception, and in their towering pride.
have made reason the Magnus Apollo Of
their rcvcrcucc--thr God otth2!r idolatry,
and have been led by its dim lights into
the mazcs of doubt and difficulty, and to
the mortilviug experience Of signal dc
feat. But that such shonld have been the
fate of theories of doubtful rracticability,
and questions Of abstruse philosophy,
need not excite surprise, nor occasion
those melancholy emotions which are
necessarily excited by the fact-evncive
as it is of the dcpraved nature of man,
that the plans of bcncvolcncc-so simple
in their conceptiou-so practical and hap
pv in their results, Should have been SO
seldom rcsor:cd to--so lamely cx"cuted.
The sacred Scriptures tel! us that the
wisdom of the world is fooiishness with
Cod And hence the very simplicity Of
the means requisite to effect tie reforma-
ton We are now considering, which, as
was appropriately remarked on previ-
GUS occasion, bcspcaks its divine origin,
operates as barrier 70 their adoption.-
How shall tic great temperance reform
be accomplished! Why, simply by total
aLStiAcace. It's very simplicity IS abhor-
rent to the proud heart of man-quitc too
simple for the lofty bearing Of the i'm
mortal mind, beneath the dignity Of any
save those of tho most moderate caiibreand
the humblest prctcns;ons. Propose some
grand scheme which requires in its prose-
cution and accomplishment, the exercise
Of gian: powers, and be i, Utopian or be it
not, it receives spirited advocacy and
hearty co-oneration. The simplicity OF