Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-06-20
Remarks OF Mr.. lrelinghuysen.

Mr.. Frelinghuysen, at recent meet
ing of the Marshall Temperance Society
at the Tabernacle in N. Y. remarked,
that an enterprise which had already nc
complished such an immense amount Of
substantial and permanent good, and
which promised the utter destruction of
great and wide spreading evil deserved,
surely, the vigorous cooperation OF all
who loved their country.
The experience of the past, and the
desolations that still follow the practice
of drinking intoxicating liquors, justify
the proposition, that of all The ills that
aillict our race, this is the most direiul.
There has never been such an abuse OF
human reason. 1t enslayes the mind
deprayes the affections, and perverts the
will Approach an incorporate man
with arguments to convince him Of his
danger and guilt. He will hear what
you may urge-and often reply, always
by his conduct grant all you say, |
know that death lies at the bottom of the
gin cup-I feel, that the practice is ruin
Gus to soul and body-but ah this raging
thirst, consumes mel must, right or
wrong, drink and die Where among all
the woes that issued from the box Of
Pandora, can one be found to be com
pared with this /? We all deplore, and
with good reason, the fall OF man--the
great transgression, which "brough,
death into the world and all our woe. -
That sad catastrophe, however, left man
a noble ruin. There remained in him,
elements Of character, in his intellect, al-
lections and will, on which the benig-
nant Spirit Of Heaven could operate, and
bring up this fallen being to the dignity
of IA new and glorious creation. But this
cruel spoiler comes, and consumes all
TINT The fall spared. 1t blinds the un-
Iderstandng, Supplies the moral sonsibili-
ties, and hardens the heart past feeling.
Look at that wretched victim. There he
stands, pitiable spectacle to Angels and
men with only one incentive or impulse;
and that a maniac cry for rum. There
is nothing in all the earth, among the
charities Of domestic life and the social
relations nothing in the hopes of heaven
and Immortality, that can quicken, in him,
one glow of emotion. All of soul that is
left to him, is absorbed in this one base
desire. The poor brute, made up Of mere
animal cravings, turns away with loath-
ing from the intoxicating poison - but
this miserable man, sinks from his exalted
destiny, to wallow in pollution.
4
Consider the case Of young man par
TALLY ensnared by the practice he has
been often warned sometimes almost
persuaded to desist but when he sees
you his respectable neishbor, drink, he
renews the draft with fresh courage
lie never pauses TO gauge the measure
of your Indulgence. lie is quite con-
tented, that you partske in any me asure.
lie had some scruples-his heart at times
msgave him but when he saw Vou,'
testimony, he was fortified and held on,
Indeed, in one important sense, the less
you drink, and the more temperate you
really are. the more powerful and the
more fata! to him, is your example. The
decided lppler exerts no very corrupting
influence on the intemperate-he is
rather restrained by such cases-for they
show, by living arguments, the sad fruits
ofhis own course. He shuns such sights
while he seeks and delights to find you'
temperate example," on his side. And
in this view the less you drink, the better
he likes it-and the stronger his en-
couragement For it brings to him, all
the weight Of your character, to counte-
nance and sustain him.
Il We arc solcmnly bound, not only to
withhold our Example from cgil may "lronl
all appearance of eviP'--but positively
Ito devote it to the cause Of virtue, and
the welfare Of our fellow men Of every
condition and class 1t is most effec-
tive element Of usefulness. Some ex-
cellent men possess not much else they
are retiring and unobtrusive-but their
noiseiess, C consistent, and virtuous example
pleads constantly and powerfully. Their
lives witness for virtue-they are epistles
for Christ, read of all men-and hallow-
ed atmosphere spreads out from them,
that pervades the masses all around. -
We have never duly estimated this facul-
I.iy for doing good. it exerts long,
lasting influence, which we cannot re-
straip, ltworks while we sleep. Every
incorporate man knows all the cases of
the temperate drnker. And, however
they may caution, and qualify, and trace
distinctions, he takes them, not at their
icord, but their deed and lives,and drinks,
and dies upon it,
! The Raliimore American noiicns an