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

con Elisha Robbinett. addressed the Moderator
to this effect g Mr.. Moderator, | want to
know whether any of the members of this
Church has jined the Sons of Temperance +?
have hearn that two brothers has lined them,
and l believe it is not according to Christian
doctrln for men to jine these traditions o man.'
This ignorant and anti-Republican inquiry
brought many of the most, respectable mem
bers Of the Church to their feet, who. in the
bitterest terms, denounced such inquiry at such
a time and place but the Deacon had many
hackers, who were dear lovers of that " good
creature of God" and whose tender and chris
tian consciences were so wounded 10 hear mem
bers of their own household stand up and pro-
claim war against their loving friend, Intern
pcranee, that they really could not hold fellow
ship with these rascally Sons and reptobate
sinners. Finally, the matter was passed over
without any final action. Here the scene
changes:
The same church is assembled at Bethel
the same inquiry is again p~ropounded, when
the blessings of Temperance, the curses of
drunkenness, and the Ignorant and mischiev-
GUS course proposed by those pious devotees
of Bacchus, were ably set forth by the Rev.
j ]. Watts, and John w. Jones. But here
the drunkard had found anew champion in the
person ofthe very pious and enlightened Rev.
/ JOilli VI DiHOHy wiz Ndb AlOQCIdlOFg anu uC
having reflected maturely and prayerfully upon
the subject, gave it as his opinion that it was
better, that the fec who had joined the sons,
should be dismissed from the church, than that
the tender and religious consciences ofthe good
brethren should be mortified. and outraged by
associating with those sinful men, who honestly
believed thatis is wrong for a christian and civ
ilized man to beastify himself by drunkenness;
and he believed farther that that church had
a natural aud inalienable right, to do whatso-
, ever she will,in whatsoever manner she pleases;
wherenpon, a large majority of the members,
thinking as the good and sensible moderator
did, the vote was taken, and one man who it is
well known has been rescued from drunken
ness by the sons, was ostracised by fhat holy
body. And tell me, Mr.. Moderator, for what
sin was this man expelled from the church ?
1t was not for drunkenness, for he had within
the knowledge of the church, been drunk often
before, and he was never told that it was wrong
to get drunk. But he had got sober, be had
J ceased to be a drunkard and pledged himself
to live the life ola sober man-and for this of
fence against the law flood you have expelled
him from the church /! But surely in this en-.
lightened day, in this land of liberty, where
all may worship Almighty God according to the
dictates of their own consciences. there cannol
be SO much ignorance, so much vice
re- But here, Mr.. Editor is the "unkindest GU
1. of ALL" This same church is re~-assembled a
Little River, Rev. ]. j. Watts moderator
1T when the aforesaid Deacon Elisha Robbinett
being encouraged and emboldened by the re
d suit at Bethel, renewed his inquiry, ~insistin,
that the perversness and wickedness of thesI
Sons of Temperance in refusing to exhilaratt
N their souls with that "good creature Of God
st and in persisting in their abuse of bis favorit
= | nod Rancb1c M 90 Y,ortsfysnU ~ HE -a1sr,0v,
or principles, that he, with all his christian forbear
n, ance, was unable to resign himself to a chris
nd tan fellowship with them. Yes this goo
deacon, a whiskey maker, a wbiskey dealer
Id and a whiskey drinker, could not hold religion
in concourse with a sober mani Away wit
ad such christianity, it would disgrace a savags
er 1t was here announced that the Rev. John w
ne Jones and James F. Steel had Joined the Som
ok when the same deacon Elisha moved that the
a be dismissed from the church for this grave d
he fence and after a considerable discussion pr
and con-. The moderator being pastor of sal
he church, resigned his chair and his pastors
ly charge ofthe church. This produced some cor
H. sternafion among the disaffected ranks but upo
nd looking around they beheld their faithful chan
ne pion, and intelligent ministeryJohn G. Bryo
nv who at a nod took the moderator's chair, and d,
or cided that all things were right and that the goo
&C. brothers grievances musf be redressed, an
nd proceeded 70. take the vote. when the allow
re named member were excluded by a vote
ty seventy to twenty-ninei Then the alarmir
difficulty arose, what must we do with tho.
so who voted in the minority2 They believe v
he ought not to turn a man out of the church f
sv- joining the Sons Of Temperance and living s
ed Der lives, thereby beliering that we have dor
no. wrong. This is a g~rievous and wicked ofEenc
nv and its perpetrators must be punished. b
this difficulty was soon answered BY broth,
w. Ellis Pencil, who moved that all those wi
lad voted in the minority be expelled from tn
= church and this motion being seconded I
brother Mike Swain, the Moderator thong
in this all very right and christian-like, and il
lch mediately made the announcement that if al
one objected TO this motion, let him rise. B
on none being disposed to invoke upon his hei
5 is the wrath ofthat godly man, he announced Il
in fact that the Rev. John w. Jones, the Re
] j. Watts and the Rev. Robert L. Steel
IAN with tw%enty-seyen other most respectable mel
the bers, were expelled from the Baptist ChurC
/, as This, Mr.. Editor, is a meagre, but true Oh
line of the proceedings ofthese Baptists* again
end the Sons of Temperance in this ~neighborhot
t SO Such proceedings need no comment, and
lish draw off this rough sketch only, that the wol
her may see to what extremes ofienorance and {
e to posure, the blinded prejudices of Ignorant a
he vicious men will carry them.
alb -
%Are these hard shells? No other demo
ex- ination in these parts would have behaved
shamefully. The Baptists in this region G
nee cept those calling themselves primitive, y
do the fast friends OF the Order Of the Sons
d it Temperance.
GEOGRAPHICAL ENIGMA.
lam composed Of thirty letters.
- My | 80 IL A 27 is a town in Scotland.
q n My 8 % Is "a 80 Is l6 81 l4is a town
ring NJ ~ iei e 3 90 /, 90 90