, 1843-07-15

O.
up here and commenced mouthing about
some statement hat had been made by
some advocate for liquor, a thousand
miles of. l suppose, Ito use one Of
Crockets phrases } that you would have
thought | was barking up The wrong
tree.
Aagain. Mr.. d. says the church is
compared TO a city SET on a hill, and
lighted up on some special occasion,
which has an Interesting appearance; and
now, said the gentleman, if individuals
were to take the light out of their houses
the city would be left in darkness. So
with the church; if the members of the
church take their light out oft, and put
1t IN a W~ashingtonian society, the church
will be left in darkness. Mr.. II. said
such an argument was perfectly ridicu-
ious. What does the gentleman call a
church members light? When christians
are directed TO let their light shine, it is
understood they are TO set a good exam
pie. Their example is their light;
whether it be good or bad. Let your
light so shine before men that they may
see your good works and gloryfy your
father which is in Heaven, Mat. 5, l6.
So it appears that a member of church
may lei his light shine in different ways.
He may let it so shine that others will
be induced 10 glorify God, and he may
let ii so shine that they will revile him.
So it is the good example that glorifics
God. Do the members ola church behave
themselves worse after joining 4 temper
ance society than before? Are they less
religious than before? Are they more
immoral than before? We all know they
are not. How then can it be said they
are taking their light out of the church.
This is a specimen ofthe arguments used
by the enemies Of temperance. They
are Ike pyramids turned bottom up
wards, ready TO tottcr and fall any mo-
ment. But let US see what kind Of a
light the liquor drinking professor sends
out. Are they more orderly by drink
ing-more religious-more moral-more
:, exemplary in their walk and converse
lion? We all know they are not. The
gentleman knows that the church has
suffered more from drunkenness than
any one vice. Religion has been more
frequently di,graced by the conduct o.
drunken professors than almost every
other cause together. Their light is
very dark indeed, and is calculated &c
bring religion into contempt, and &c
, wound Christ inthe house of his friend
r | remember 10 have seen a Baptist min
| lister so drunk as TO be incapable of us,
q. ing his knife and fork at table-to have
! seen him staggering as he walked. The
chilling influence eXerted on my mind
r by that circumstance, | shall not soor
forget. Let US examine the example sci
r by persons who drink liquor. For in.
! stance, we will take the example Of my
friend, Mr.. ID. | know not how much
S he drinks, but | suppose he uses some
| Now how far does bis example extend
, Just far enough TO lead others TO drink
5 that is, they know he drinks, but they
know not how much. He sets no exam
pie as 10 the quantity. He does no
show the amount; and consequently hi:
r example goes no farther than 10 drink
I the quantity is not known. Others il
attempting TO follow his example may b.
led into drunkenness, and finally dowr
10 he'll. Would he not set a safer ex'
! ample by drinking none at all? Surely
he would. But this would cost a LITTLE
E self-denial, and suppose he is unwill
to make the sacrifice. But he thinks j
, would reflect contempt on the bible tc
e. ioin a total abstinence society. Pau
l thought differently when he instructed
the Thesalonians, 9th chap. 22d verse
to "ebstain from I'LL appearance of evil;'
= and Peter, when he exhorted the breth'
rem to "abstain from feshly lusts, which
were against the soul" Paul thought
/, il consistent with his character as ;
: christian to hold membership in a Roman
society. He was a Jew by by birth
5 christian by profession, and yet he claim:
I -. D,,,,p Actc % 81