Litchfield enquirer., 1844-02-22

prohibited. Passages of Scripture seemingly of such a nature do indeed exist; but they abound most largely in the old Testament, and arc of no force now that we enjoy the ''liberty wherewith Christ has made us free" Their obligation Is clearly annulled by the emphatic words of the Saviour-sshGng all the law" yea {" and the proph- cts too oo;-partcularly such superstitious, abstemi ous croaixers as Danicl John the Baptist, and oth CTS. ,... e.. ,.,
 If we pass on to the consideration of apostolic in junctons, it is only to find that the apostles made proper improvement upon the example of Christ; for the wine, perhaps beginning to be ill their day of poor quality, flashy, or adulterated, we hear one of them eXhol ting-' Be ye not drunk with wine, wherein Is excess, but be filled with the sPaft.'
 Having thus triumphantly disposed of the aFgu- ment from s' revelation" we now appeal to "rea- son., which teaches us the propriety and necessity fwha is so uniustly stgmatised as in temperance. We shall give but brief specimen of the various and weighty considerations which might be here adduced :-as for instance, this-'' Variety Is the spice of life" Who that has lived all his days in sober monotony, having never varlegated hlS sen- sations by drunkenness, has ever enjoyed any thing of I;fe's spiye! How contrasted is such mans experience! How limited must be his views of things! As we receive so much of our knowledge and enjoyment by means of impressions made upon the senses, who that has never hugged lamp post, or made his head battering ram against curb stone, or the solid earth, Can know much of this great curious world, taste its manifold felicites
 Again ;-the wisest of men make it an impor- tant object to cultivate the snndginat'on,-that faculty through which we derive and enjoy all the worlds rich poetry-which lifts us above hfe's dull realities into region of enchantment and splendor. Now believe me, nothing quickens the fancy-nothing invests all nature with the poetcal and magnificent, and relieves the grossness of things, like the alcoholic draught. This makes the beggar sing in golden dreams, and the prating 4 Al1 ulated by this, the luxuriant fancy finds in the ] muddy gutter, a bed of. f.down-and converts even the gruntng tenants of the sty into carressng wives and children. As seen through alcoholic fumes, all nature wears new aspect. The stars which to the dull sober eye barely twinkle in their old | unintcresting manner, dance and multiply before the romantic vision of the entranced mebrlate.- The firmanent waves like glorious curtain, alive with jumping sapphires; and the very earth for sakes its old familiar course, to play n new and 1 sublime unduations and evolutions
 But one more suggestion-and shall consider the question before us as settled; the controversy | terminated forever. What vast amount of mis- chief and wickedness is prevented by rum! How many deep laid schemes ot dishonesty become frus- trated and exposed, when the culprit is thrown off his guard and loses his disguise the bottle!- It is an old saying-'swhen the acine is in the tCt is out" Cunning forsakes the man, and his crim- | inal purposes are deected, which else would pro- ceed to their disastrous execution. Oh then, how necessary for social welfare is the habit of inc bration: What an unequallcd safeguard does it afford to property and life in this depraved world? 1 In view of these things, with what great "rea- son'' does the '' farmer eXcaim against the modern fanatcal attacks upon our ''liberty' in the of the flowing bowl; against the attempted restriction of so necessary apprehension of what value is life, when forever galed by the chains of abstin- ence? And who as he looks upon the tempting cup, and feels the odious restraints thrown upon his indulgence, will not cry out with heroic sub l lnity, in the words of the immortal patriot and orator-'' know not what course others may take, but as for mo, give mo liberty, or give me death" CARNAL MIND.