Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-05-02
IFor tAs Gaxstt.

The Commit appointed to make a repor, nm
the present condition Of The Temperance cause il
this County, beg leave to state, that, so far as they
are able to learn, the friends of this cause bavs
much reason to be encouraged.
There are many examples, still to be seen in On,
County; known and read of all men, thar, it is even
q possible case for confined drunkards to be reclai.
med.
The habit Of excluding the bottle from the hs,
and harvest fields, from public collections, such a,
vendues, and from the family cilcle, is, we think.
becoming more general.
In this, every friend of Temperance ought TO re.
joce, for there is nothing more evident than tina,
The former habits of the community in using a liz.
tie every day, ard more especially on q cold or bo,
or a wet day, was one principal source Of ~Iniemper.
ance.
We may expect therefore, that, when the presen,
generation of drunksrds shall have passed awey
the existing habits of tie community will be pro-
ductive ofa generation of temperate men.
We are also gratifed to be able to state, tina, ,
considerable addition to the Est ofmembers has re.
Gently been obtained.
The Young Mems temperance Society, latel,
revived in this town, is, we hope, destined TO &C.
c%omplish great good. If the time we're come rbe,
all the young men Of our County would solemnly
resolve throug bout life to abstain from tho use of,Il
intoxicating drinks, it would doubtless be the brigh,.
Est day that has ever dawned upon good old Berke.
ley.
We would not conceal in this report, the fac,
that there are some things around US Of a discour..
sing nature.
We regrett to state, that, some of those who an.
peared at one time to enter upon this work with
commendable zeal, have sunk down into a state Of
lethargy.
This is peculiarly the case with some of the mem.
bers of our local societies.
Oilers have violated their pledge and arc now
in the ranks of the enemy.
The unusual number of deaths, from Intemper.
ance, within the last year, proves that our work is
not ended.
The awful manner in which some of them enter.
ed the eternal world, ought, we think, to be a bes-
con OF warning to those who may be just sbout en-
barking on the sea of Intemperance. and we are
by these examples loudly called upon to spread tho
sails Of our Temperance Ship to every favorable
wind, that the smooth and rapid manner in Which
she giides along may induce many to come on board
with us.
The discovery of hire new Islands, among ,hs,
cluster lately denominated Still Islands, argues
unfavorably to our voyage. Especially is this the
case, when we remember, that, from the volcanic
fires of one of these Islands, issues the deepest and
widest stream of fiery liquid with which our ship
has ever been called to contend. That it may be
able to plough the burning waves of this fiery stream
with rapidly, it should not only be fire proof, butt
should also have on deck many water engines, by
the continual plying of which, the volcano itself
may be extinguished, and then the burning stream
will cease to flow.
We aPrly no hard epithels to these Islanders.-
We speak not of their sable appearance. We only
ask all on board of the Temperance Ship, ough,
we not to spread every sail and ply every oar until
the inhabitants Of these Islands, attracted BY tho
majestic movement Of our vessel, shall be induced
to abandon their present employment, by which,
not only the health, reputation, property, and souls
of hundreds of the Islanders themselves has been
destroyed. but which has also blighted forever the
prospects of many a happy family in the far west,
and even thrown back into worse thar a savage
state, the red man Of the forest7
To be continued