Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-08-15

NY OOsOLA u6aVou Will kluuluk WIdeA
As / beheld the Goddess path,
Deep stained with blood and tears-
l saw her agents were at hand
In every corner of the land,
Some reared up shops of unhewn logs,
Near to some pond, or marshy bog,
Where water Aowed-or near a lake,
That THERE the poison they might make,
For those, who loved to drink and roam,
Away from happiness and home!
And here my curiosity
Prompted me to go and see,
A sHoP, l heard now In fame,
And learn its ancient, honored name;
A board hung up-twas for a sign,
Writing on it-ust one line!
What was it i-spread the name abroad,
4 Wooden Church and Copper Godl
l then returned upon the plain,
And saw q Temperance band again
Rush on before the drunken throng,
With warning and entreating tongue,
"Oh leave her pathsl they're stained with blood
They'll lead you far away from God
Come go with us, we'll do thee good;
She now looks BEAUTIFUL bewarei
For is FALSE as well as FAIR
Oh turn with us, into the grove
OF Temperance, Purity and Love"
On their breasts they wore a STAB,
E~mblematic of the war
That every gallant Temperance Son,
Had pledged himself to carry on
Against the Tyrant Alcohol,
Till He, or THEY, should fighting fall!
With Whiskey, Brandy, Rum and Gin,
And others of his direful kin,
| T1,axr rrau1l have uaths0w mora 70 DO
And therefore babe them all adieul
Their MOTTO, l could plainly see
Was Purity, Fidelity,
And LoyE-the MODEST, SWEETEST word,
That all Earth's language can affordl
The Goddess votaries stopped and gazedl
The Temperance band, their banners raised,
Then thousands left her, for the grove
Of Temperance, Purity and Lowell
The Goddess rayed, and stamped in vain,
And why because she saw her reign,
Would shortly end, unless she could
Reclaim the ~faetious multitude.
King Alcohol himself drew near,
Again his heart was filed with fear
He called his master from below
And told him his SAD TALE of woe.
Old Satan gazing DER the land
Upon the noble Temperance band,
He saw them rushing to the field,
With panoply7no sword or SHELBY
That to the FOE would never yield,
They reared their banners high,
The banners Of King Alcohol,
He saw around him daily fall,
And thousands rushing to the grove,
Of Temperance, Purity and Love;
lOuofh he I fear those HITTER FoEA
Who our united powers oppose
VIII fight on till they die!
"Oh Alcohol WHAT A COLD cI1ME!l
Earth's now q DREARY PLACE for thee!
Parade your crowd and follow me,
And let US leave IT for q timel
If things go on from day to dav,
As they've began, farewell ] say,
To all our FRUITFUL SOURCE of crimei~
"Some few will still the poison make,
In spite of all our foes have done;
These Imps, for your own Goddess sake,
Shall cheer THEM on |"
"Some few will still the poison vend,
To pond and free-to rich and poor;
These Imps, THEIR persons shall defend,
Their rights secure"
"Some few will still the poison buy,
For thy names sake-oh bold compeerl
These Imps shall guard THEM till THEY die)
With Jealous care"
"Some few will drink the poison still
And when THEY'RE laid in the COLD tomb;
These Imps ~(obedient to my willy
Shall guide THEM home.
III e'er the day should come, Perchance,
When these bold Sons of Temperance,
Shall fall away-and call for thee,
Again you shall their leader bel
Again this Goddess in disguise
Shall lure their hearts, and blind tier ewes ;
Again our banners we'll unfurl,
Upon'the shores of this fair world;
Again the widows tears shall flow,
And orphans hearts he filed with woe;
Again shall millions leave the road,
And wander far away from God;
Again my Demons shall rejoice,
And shout forth with triumphant voice,
Proclaim the glad story, Ger He'll letit fly
For man in his glory, was born soon to die"
With that, he stamped upon the ground,
Old Oceans caves re-echoed round,
Earth opened-and they all sank down.
In fiery flames to dwell
l listened long-and heard a sound
Coming from the depths profound
FAREWELL fair world farewellip
And then came forth the awful wall,
Howling dismally on the gale;
It shook the earth from shore to shore,
Like distant, mighty thunders roar
And tho the WORDS most strange may seem
I'll write them, and conclude my dream.
"Th Temperance banner,
Now floats DER the world;
And from IT our agents
viii shortly be hurledl"