Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-02-14

Denominations in tue State OF Soulh
Carolina.
Brethren and Friends:
We are fully aware ofthe difficulty OF
approaching you upon The subject, OF lhis
communications. without incuvrinS the obi
um of q wisl, 10 ob,rude upon that sacred
spheres Of duties, which under the solemn
sanctions of ministerial fidelity TO the AL
mighty, occupies your thoughts and de-
mauds all your energies. And as temper.
ance is one ofthe Christian graces, which
as the legitimate part of true religion. 1t is
your province, and doubtless has been your
effort to promote it, may be deemed i'nper-
tinent iu an association which is not pro-
fessediy engaged in the high and holy
employment Of teaching religion, 10 offer
any suggestions on the subject. permit us
then 10 disavow altogether any inclination
or design 10 interfere with your peculiar
functions, or 10 prescribe to you the way
of rendering them successful However
we may differ from you on many points,
whether Of religious faith or practice, for
we profess as body no common creed as
TO either, We have too high an estimate of
your intelligence aud integrity as the ac-
credited instructors and pastors of your
respective charges, to suppose that you
would acquiesce in an improper intrusion
upon yourrghts, or listen 20 the sraIuitous
counsel of self-authorized monitors. Vel
we should do you equal injustice if we
deemed you insensible to the voice of
friendly and afectiouate experience, only
seeking to invite your attention to princl-
pies and facts; conceived to be of grave i'm
portance to all who inherit mans proneness
TO evil, aud are the subjects Of Gods su-
preme moral government. That great,
and extensive and happy changes have
been wrought iu the moral aud physical
condition of society by the temperance
reformation, is too generally conceded
fact 10 need substantiatiou. Even those
who question the soundness Of the princi-
ples upon which it has proceeded. and
hence anticipate no lasting results, do not
deny that drunkenness, with its attendant
evils, has been materially diminished both
as 10 extent and degree, and the manifest
Improvement iu the state Of sea-fa.ing
men, who were once so proverbialiy ad-
dicied to this vice, would fatty gainsay
every voice which should attempt to in
validate the position that sobriety and tenn
perance have resulted from these efforts.
That 1900 seamen have within the last
two years in The City Of Charleston alone
pledged themselves, ard so far as man
knows kept the pledge to abstain from all
Intoxicating liquors as beverage, is a fact
which should be looked at steadily by the
friends OF humanity, who remember the
past. That the Clergy haye not contrib.
nted to these results the records Of our
body wonld disprove--that they have
done as much as they might, the most ar
dent aud successfu! would scarcely affirm
that those who have withheld their aid
altogether or yielded it sparingy aud reluc-
tanty have been influenced by other than
motives satisfactory 10 their own minds,
we presume moi to suspect. We only
point to actual benefits already obtained,
existing evils starring us in the face, pros
pective success awaiting our judicious ef-
forts, and invoke your important aid.
Our principles are as simple as possible,
and their hare announcement, would AT
once, we should suppose secure The assent
and confidence Of every judging head and
feeling heart. We believe that the prac
tice of using Intoxicating liquors as an or
binary beverage is a bad one. We have
given it up ourselves, and have induced
those under our influence TO do the same.
and as protection against the idle solicit
tations of others. and The capricious de-
sires of our own appetites, have resorted 10
the solemnity of personal pledge. The
consideration which move US is apart from
the desire of moral self-defence, benevo-
lence, the desire Of throwing a moral
shield around others. That any should
object to such principles when se!fdenial
for The sake Of doing good to ourselves and
others, is one Of the fundamental laws of
revealed truth; and whel solemn cove
nants are universally prescribed in the
word Of God, and in the business of society,
appears to US strange. Ifit be our Chris
tian liberty to drink wine. surely it is equa-
iy to give it up-and by giving it up for
the purpose Of feeding the poor, a part of
oYr worldly substance, which it is our
Christian liberty to retain, We do no
wrong but On the contrary where our mo-
lives and ends are right, secure the appro-
baton Of God and our conscieuces, and of
all good men. Why, we would ask,
should moi those, who to save their fellow
men from the fatal snares Of an evil GUS
tom, exercise their liberty by relinquishing
that custom, be exonerated from all impu.
tations Of subjectiug themselves to legal
yokes If bond u give I'D for charitable
uses portion Of our properly be mol wrong,
ought the pledge to give up the use of wine
for the blessed charity Of rescuing the
drunkard and keeping he sober from be-
ing such, TO be avoided as improper We
praise the Christian, who to devote The
cost Of his wine to pious uses, should re.
linquish its consumption. And can it be
thai we renrehen.} hin uheo ha rursnes