, 1843-04-08
For the Radical
PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS.

Are they useful9 Do they not mislead
more than they enlighten? We listen
to the political aspirant with the erpecta-
tion OF his being the apologist of the Vi
ces and misdeeds of his party, and the
traducer of the virtues of his opponents.
But when summoned by grave divines
to hear the discussion of a question
which involves the dearest interests of
humanity-the morals of society s. even
the common decencies of life, we have a
right to expect that they will aim at the
polar star of truth-impelled by motives
of benevolence and philanthropy. and
be guided by an intimate knowledge of
their subject, scorning the contemplate
of the rolitieai
demagogue.
But unfortunately for the cause of'hu-
manity and religion, we are often disap-
p~ointed-we find that men, however ex-
allied their professions, are still but men,
where moral ethics or common sense
will not sustain them in a position which
they have assumed through ignorance,
prejudice, or lust of appetite, sooner
han exercise that high-souled magma
nimity by which a man is enabled TO ac-
knowledge his error the book of God is
invoked, its sacred precepts are invaded
and despoiled. The word oflife is per-
verted and tortured into a word Of death
to body and soul. In other words it is
contrued into a dirine warrant for IN
torication.
But why does discussion mislead? l
am probably wrong in implying that it
establishes as much error as it explodes;
but to prove that unfair and uncandiG
argument confirms men in hurtfnl opin-
ions and habits, | need only advert to a
well known characteristic of our nature,
that is, our desire to become convinced
of what we wish to believe, or be
more explicit, our proneness to attach
undue Importance to such arguments,
whether true or false as are in accord
ance with our prejudices, or tend in any
degree to excuse III follies and our vi
ces. The deist regards a slight verbal
discrepancy in TIE writings ofthe Apos-
ties as proof conclusive of the f~alseness
of the whole Bible. The profigate
villain who believes in revelation, but
breads and fears a future retribution,
will be convinced Of the mortality ofthe
soul by the last chapter of Malachi. The
christian of enlarged benevolence viii
be convinced by the declaration OF Paul
that Gas in Adam all die ever so in
Christ SHALL" or may sal be made alive"
on certain conditions, while those of an
opposite character, or Of narrower views
Of divine goodness, infer from the lam
guage of the same apostle that the mer-
cy of heaven is limited to a thousandth
part of a 1.-THE of the human race. And
the fippler will be convinced, on the au-
thority of a preacher, that if a jewish
slave who "was cup bearer to a heath
en- king was compelledt to "set wine" be-
fore his master, he, the tipler, wouldbe
perfectly justiiable in drinking as much
vhiskey as she should think was for his
even though his judgment should
be so unsettled by his first dram as to
cause him to think he needed a quantity
sufficient to put him into the gutter.
Few Of your readers need be told that
the above reflections grew out ofthe late
temperance debate. On that occasion
were assembled a multitude of men old
and young, youth and boys, matrons and
maidens, most of whom were very desi-
rous Of hearing the scripture authority"
for and against the use of intoxicating
Men were there whose beset-
ling sin consists in an almost irresistible
propensity to use inebriatling liquors.
such would readily infer, from the story