Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-10-14
THE REMEDY.

hey might all be counteracted. The grain D
night cease to give forth its stimulating fluids I
mans appetite might no longer crave them; J
heir power over the body and mind might be t
destroyed. or rendered s~alutary. But the good
ness of God is conferred upon us in ways less !
miraculous. Man has been gifted :
with powers physical and intellectual, the pro-
per exertion of which is, oftentimes, merciful-
ly crowned with success. Considering, then, !
how deeply interested he is, Individually and
collectively, in preventing the evils of intem-
perance, we would expect to find the ability
somewhere residing in him, or in some of the
instrumsntalities conferred upon him, or in all
together, to remedy those evils. Surely if de-
termined efforts were made by all men, by all
bodies of men, in all the relations which they
bear to one another, by all institutions human
and divine, the evils of intemperance could
be cured or alleviated. The extent of the in
terest which, in his various capacities, man has
in this matter, will appear from the slightest
glance at the evils themselves.
If every man runs the risk in himself, or in
the persons of those dear to him, of suffering
the pecuniary, physical, mental and other mis-
~fortues, consequent upon excessive use of in
toxicating drinks, then should he individually
endeaVor 10 prevent those misfortunes. IF
the harmony of society is disturbed by intem-
perance, if the domestic and social relations,
which preserve man intercourse with his fell
lows are weakened, it we'll becomes society to
guard herself against so dangerous a foe. If
the public veal or the happiness of those who
make up communities, is marred, we may Just
ly look to the Legislative power for any action
which it can render effective, to do away with
this vice and crime. If the general welfare of
the world is impaired, if the soul is DESTROYED,
f if christianity is retarded by intemperance, the
church is deeply concerned to remove from the
world SO deadly a sin.
l The interest of all being thus manifest, how
shall we 60 about to remedy the evils? We
should, certainly, first see whether there is any
existing organization, capable of accomplish
0 ing the object. The church cannot do so, fol
e she can act only indirectly, upon the large
portion of those to whom the remedy must b.
D mainly applied. Society at large will not d.
: it, for, while she processes to deprecate tn,
n evils themselves, yet the opinion of majorities i
founded upon a wrong principle respecting tn,
real cause of the evils. And, from the want o
y a favorable public sentiment, the legislature i
: not able, in a free government, to exercise wha
might otherwise be . just control. We ar
therefore led to enquire, whether general OF
ganization, for that special purpose, would b
proper and expedient. In our country, sue
h an association has already been established
l. an association Of which we are the avowed ad
K cate.
re We have not time to give the history of in
e. dividual action, in the cause Of temperance
But the history of man proves, that, in all en-
Q. terprises, the same numbers will accomplis
greatly more, when united, than by laborin
separately. This is true of moral, as of phys
cal influences. It's or this principle that tn
Almighty, who, in his operations for tf
worlds good, uses natural in preference t
miraculous agencies. When the plan of Sa
u walton was promulged, nearly two thousan
i years ago, he did not leave the individuals, VIII
by his grace were converted, to labor alone, bl
established his church by its influence doin
away with the necessity of a constant mirac1
lous interference clearly shelving how stron.
u ly susceptible is mans mind, in its natur
al state, to influence from associations. We a
be know how frail man is under temptation. an
how much it taxes the strongest nerves al
the greatest frmness, to resist the persuasion
in of evil men. Even the christian cannot alwa'
So do so. What can be expected of a man
ny only ordinary powers, subjected to the attacI
eat of the artful and insidious? What, for
he stance, could one poor advocate of tempe
ain ance do with a crowd Of Bacchanals or rat
er, what could they not, in many cases, do wi
him, unless backed by some society, restrai
ing his moral nature The association,
'ed which we have alluded, exercises a supervise
Inc over the conduct of all it's members, and
able, oftentimes, to keep the frail from fallir
- Each man knows that it is no mere r~esoIuti
Of his own which he is in danger of violatil
but principles and pledges adopted before
large number of those whom he respects, /
who will not respect him fhe violates such
legations. He knows too, that, however
may have been debased by intemperance, he
now recognised as a man of honor by homo
Bile men, and he will naturally be disposed
asst cherish every principle of honor. The sp
es- of association too, augments the zeal of ev,
ess one, and leads the humblest individual to me-
mo some eXertion for a causa To which he has n
mt en- his outward appreciation. Such a zeal,
10 sides giving to a cause increased numbers
ses active laborers, will, if restrained in its pro
lul limits, give to ita dignity and influence over
&c minds of those without, impossible to be
tanned IN separate operations. The experiel
of a few years past, shows that to the tenn
ance society, possessed as it is of all the
can vantages Of any human institution, men vi
non their prejudices and objections more reat