Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-07-25

serves matched against mystery Vi Wlscnlel
more inveteratc and powerful than had been
conceived. Intemperance is proving itself
the toughest of all vices. Defeated in one
form. it assails us in another. And so, at
length, as might have been anticipated, our
work has assumed the form of long and
steady pull, and lives now not on itssplendid
victories, but on the strength of its prinei-
pies.
The Temperance Argument is perfect
You may lay it before any mind with the
confidence that all there is of rational in that
mind will be Convinced by it. And yet
when you have carried it thus individually,
mind by mind, you have not, after all, re-
formed society The great common soul of
the community remains unchanged. 1t is
made up in part, it is true, Of the individual
sentiments and convictions Of its constituent
members but there enters into the common
social mind another element, that has little
or no relation to argument. 1t is made up,
in large part, of the customs, habits, usages
and current notions of the past and these
have power, for long time, to hold re-
/ form in check, even when it may have won
the acceptance of all individually. The past
is still vital and pervades the present. The
social soul is not cured of its long use, and
wont simply, by change of sentiment just
now among its members. An old sentiment
or practice, when once it has thoroughly
possessed the world, may be most perfectly
exploded, and yet for long time sway mems
minds by a secret force, that eludes argu-
ment and overrides all present convictions.
And it is just this hidden force working
deeply among US, this power of the past to
force itself down on the present, and hold
the world to its wonted ways, in spite of its
changed convictions, that has all along held
US back in this Reform. 1t is this, in great
part, that now retards our cause. 1t cannot
be reached by reasoning. The only process
by which it can be corrected is indirect, and
demands time and patience. A counterac-
ton must be reared up. The new sentiment
and customs of Temperance, Strengthening
themselves more and more in the convictions
and practice of men must, for the present,
check and neutralize, as far as they may,
the working of old abuses The world must
be educated to the better way. We must
patiently reconstruct the common social mind
and form anew an entire body of sentiment,
custom, and current notions on this point,
which shall 60 on to consolidate and estab.
: lish itself, and be to the future for good
what the past now is to us for evil.
Now let it be well considered, how rapid
; ly we may expect such work to 90 forward
: We began with world long wonted to drink
l pervaded with wrong sentiments, Injured tc
7, evil custom. We began some five and twenty
4! years ago The men are yet living who
were already growing old, when they STRUCK
/. the first stroke in this reform. And not
. blow has been struck in vain. Individua
c mind has ever answered we'll to our appeals
P We carry the convictions OF men at every at
: tempt. And still the great tide of invete
e rate, preludiced and blind unreasoning Gus
4 tom comes rolling down on us from the past
b We cannot hope to suspend this infuenc,
e at once. But we have been able to raise VI
c counter-force. New principles are ever
+ where warning with the old This is tn
i period of transition and struggle, and victo
e ry cannot declare itself as yet. The old sys
tenn of error feels itself losing the vigor whicl
n only the present convictions of men in it
II favor could give it. feels its life falling, AM
lOS EldhNlo OJ llAS AOlSO vi Olu lOblODS Citdf
/ ing to mems minds and the new theory anc
S practice of Temperance, while it cannc
y wholly prevail, feels ever a growing strengt
ut and an assurance Of victory in the end.
Moral contests proceed slowly. The ali
:. is to effect by the force of truth great POI
5, ular moral change. Such a work can b
Id set forward no faster than our principles ca
rs work themselves clear in the minds of th
re masses. The whole body Of society is to b
ir brought over. Very naturally the Tempe
81 ance Reform has found its friends, an
n achieved its trumphS hitherto, mainly in th
ce middle stratum of society. 1t has now I
of pervaGe the two crusts of the social state
d. that Of fashion above, and that of appetit
ID below They are penetrated with about
re quail difficulty. The farmhouse and I'll
w drawing-room are the rallying points of Il
I'll temperance at the opposite extremes and il
ng huences from both these sources are contil
ay ually flowing in upon the center, and cor
to bine to resist the pro gress of reform. Fa
er titious gcntility and gross sensuality are
IS bout equally impcryious to argument. VI
m. are hemmed in by these two, and meet {
nd either hand resistance that seems unco
rk querable. What hope is there Tin
nd brings changes. Act on the middle plar
en- of society-carsy the great middle class al
rs, the reform Of the upper and lower classes
lot made certain in due time. Slowly the tru
re will work upward and downward-and VIII
Ire the truth cannot do, time will Gradual
it we shall narrow the limits of these outlyi
cr- fields which argument cannot enter. A.
= in that which remains on either hand, t
us experiment must go through. The exc
all sives must even try it out, and bitterly ma
eer- proof of it, whether natural laws will d,
fter otherwise with them than on other levels