Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-06-13
THE TEMPERANCE REFORMATION.

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concluded with the consequences drawn :
from the premises, or from what we had adj 9
vaneed. We now proceed to treat of the oppo-
sition to this reform, the force of example and its :
consequenees-and the duties of Christian Minis l
and all Christians, concerning this reform
VINO AND WHAT ARE TIE OPPosrToN.-In this '
matter as well as in all others we wish all things {
to be called by their right names, and properly .
understood and explained. We wish to know q
on which side of the fence people are to be found, l
and what may be expected from them either as
good citizens or good christians. Patriotism
requires that the man who loves his country,
should shrink from no personal sacrifice, if he
can thereby arrest some great national evil
How great is the evil of intemperanee, facts
have proved. And we venture to assert, that if
the tax which intemperance imposes, had been
imposed upon us as COLONIES, by any transatlan-
tic power, upon any possible pretext, there is
not a man in the community who would not
have felt called upon by natural justice, by the
voice of patriotism and the indignation of insult
ted right, to shoulder his musket, and fight, bold
y and m~anfully fight, for his liberties, his free
"9pNuiOHe3 uS uoiltt anu us SOuubIJ4 II Ii
therefore just as inconsistent with the profession
of patriotism, to eountenanee intemperance in
any way, as it would be traitorousIy to eonnive
at the inroads Of an enemy. Therefore they
have no patriotism on their side. That the &C.
cessory is as bad as the principal, is common law.
Now intemperance is an egregious vice, leading
to crime of all descriptions. Those who counte-
| Oopoa sD&ooo~o-o-z. 4bo-ofa -
and become the abbettors of crime. Now vice
and virtue are not associates, but rather the OPP
posite Of each other; consequently they cannot
have virtue on their side. The New Testament
calls Drunkenness wickedness; expressly pro-
hibits it, and declares that no drunkard shall
be either with US or on the other side. If they
are on the other side. they are eountenancing in
temperance which is prohibited and therefore
living in habitual sin. This being inconsistent
with the practice and duty of a christian, it fol-
lows, that they caunot have christianity on their
side. We are not concerned with the argument
, here, for the authority is conclusive. Morality,
comprises the duties of life. Both philosophy
and religion have settled these duties; and men
who ever reflect must know what they are
: Now, if by some strange in i~atuation, not stran-
ger than that of intemperanee, hundreds Of men
a had taken it into their heads, that arsenic was
+ a substance highly nutritious and beneficial to
: the health and an apothecary should sell it to
them perfectly aware of its poisonous fatality,
would it not be an outrage upon the community,
8 a sin against society, and morally wrongi-
e There seems to be nothing palmer. And the
e man who stood by, and encouraged it but by
e his silence even, would be equally eulpable.-
And have we not the opinion of five thousand
e physicians in our country, that ardent spirits a.
i drinks are in oil cases useless to men in health
and absolutely destructive Of the physical eonsti
~tutionf And have we not the testimony Of ra
tional philosophy In all ages and countries, thai
intexication deranges the intellect, poIlutes tht
! affections, corrupts the morals, and undermine
happinessi What then can be the difference
y between the moral culpability of the apothecar,
" and the bystander, and the dealer in arden
spirits and those who encourage its usea We cal
perceive none. So then they have noteven NOR
atty on their side. Here then we have a view
of the interesting association opposing us; Oh
K mother crew of the temperate drinkers and tn
drunkards the half measure whimperers, an
the trafiekers; bound together no doubt by
pleasurable fellow feeling, stripped however a
We have seen them of all patriotism, of all VII
tue, of all religion and Of all morality By n
means however let it be understood, that the ten
perance organizations assume to themselves all tn
decency, virtue, religion, patriotism and moral
q ty this would SAVIOUR too much Of an inten
e perate vanity, which being inconsistent with OF
Gu professions, might result to our injury. BIZ
a what a field is this for moral effortl How lou
the cal, and how rich the prospect of a glorio,
nd harvest for the efforts of true patriotism and re
he benevolence every wheref
Ill EXAMPLE AND rs CoNsEouENcs-"In tempe
al ance is a social festive vice apt, beyond an
Mt. vice that can be named, to draw in others by Il
he example. The drinker collects his circle 0
circle naturally spreads; of those who are draw
a within il, many become the corrupters and ce
tres of sets and circles of their own every O
countenancing, and perhaps emulating the re
till a whole neighborhood be infected from t
" cOntagion of a single example" So sGid l
Paley, half a century ago; and this is what
say now. And what is the result of this imi
ton of a single examplel Why, inevitable
II bitual drunkenness somewhere, with all its ev
and pernicious consequences. And who now,
mat this age and with all the light on this subj
und gives us an illustration of this TRUTH Temp
at ate drinkers, so called. Who are the most pre-
inent opponents, the greatest obstacles to
entire success of the temperance reformation
ONE Tpplers and temperate drinkers. Has any
are of them a son, upon whom his heart and no
and are fastened and upon whose future charac
istic the glory or infamy of his race depends : J