Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-08

pledge, will infuSe new vigour into his
moral consttution,and assist him in his
reformation. As tIee,lhat has
been FRUSTRATED by some rude shock ,reuu.
res TO be supported by artificial assistance,
until by the process of nature, 1t can send
forth its thousand delicate fibres, and they
become strong and vigorous roots, before
it can m iniain its erect position, and
the rage of tempests, so it is with
the unfortunate individual, whose moral
constitution has been undermined by the
vice Of irlemperance, whose pride. that
self sustaining principle of man, has hecn
uprooted aud Frustrated by his bestial hab-
IFS and the innumerable ligaments, that
bound him to all elevated and honorable
station in society.h have been torn asunder.
It is then that i. becomes necessary 10
adopt some auxiliary means to sustain him
in his commendoble purpose of rcform,un-
I'll he can recover that strength of mind
and that frmness of resolution, which are
indispensable TO support him through the
storms of life without his falling a victim
to It's viecs.
This is one ofthe benefits to be derived
from temperance societies, another and
far more important one, is, their influence
in preventing a tendency to the vice Ofin-
temperance.
All drunkenness, from that of the habit
ual sot, whose bio ted person and STU
pd coun enance strongly denote his
regular practice Of intoxication, to that Of
the miserable and degraded wretch, who
may he found walowing IN the mud .and
filth ofthc streets. inferior even to the very
brutes that irample upon him IN his debls.
cd CONDITION, has lis origin in the moderate
and apparently innocent indulgence in the
use Of .sprtuous and vinous liquors.
But how difficult is il to persuade person,
who has been but lately initiated in the
habit of drinking or whose disposition has
not yet lei him into any great excess, that
such a state Of brutal and Infamous degra-
dalon may become his melancholy fate!
How revolving would it be 20 the pride of
any individual, whose social feelings may
occasionally induce him to Join in friend
" glass or unite with n cornwall pq'ty,
10 have pourtrayed to him lin all its DISCUS
TN, co,orS n picture of confirmed dunk
cnucss As the possible result Of the prac-
ticc in which he is induigingl And vet
such persons bot too frequently become
the r ost abandoned and inveterate drunk
ards.
This fact,which every one may have
Witnessed in his intercourse with man.
kind, ought TO induce all persons, to
snuff the danger of intempeIance from
aGar in the tainted breeze, and to es-
cape from the habit Of the "moderate
use ofstrong drinks" as flom'the pesti-
IendlI atmosphere Of the deadiy Upas.
The most cfTectuaI method Of ac-
comprising this, is for them to enroll
themselves as members Of Temperance
Societies. These, in addition to the
firm determination to Temperance
which every member has adopted for
himself, annex solemn pledge, which
precludes the idea of violation, and
thus places around the individual, an
efectual safeguard, which cuts off all
avenues of attack, and protects him, in
moments Of weakness, when he Nigh
otherwise be seduced from his resolu-
ton and yield to the tempting charms
Of the sparkling bowl. One compli-
auce then does but pave the way for
another, until by an easy and gradual
descent the unhappy victim, is at las
enguIphcd in the vortex of irrecIaima-
BILE intemperance.
a third advantage, which will men
ton that results from Temperance as
socations, consists in the salutary in
huence which they exercise over the
morals Of society, by the force OF ex'
ample.
Every individual in a higher or low.
err degree, exerts a certain amount o
influence in the community of which
he is member, and,as a moral agent
is accountable for the direction which
lie gives TO it.
A striking characteristic Of the pi es-
ent age, is its tendency to run into ex-
cesses of every kind, and not the leas
prominent of these, has been the re-
markable disposition to intemperance
which has pervaded our country from
one extremity to the other. Every
circle. of society has experienced its de-
structive effects, and no station in life
has been too exalted for It's blighting
influence.
But in the economy of creation prov
idcnce has kindly furnished an antidotc
and in il has exhibited a strong anal
Ogy between the physical and moral
constitution of man. When the phys
ical system labors under deraagemen
of any Of its orgars, Nature generally
supplies remedy by some counter re
vulsion, which relieves the obstruction
and restores an equilibrium in her OPP
erations; and thus in the moral worl,
when the propensities of man have ru
riot in our direction, a reaction ensues
which reduces the wild and irregua
passions to order; and harmony j
again introduced into the mcr,l sys
tenn.
A spirit ofreform is now abroad
regard 70 intemperance; IN every quar-
ter the people are beginning to feel tn