Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-03-14

waiting the condition Of mankind, then ever
before, is wonderful, but the fact is even SO.
A long catalogue of objections of similar i'm
port, and Of charges black, and crimes helm
Gus, ever from the start, have been pre-
ferred against US, and industriously persis-
ted in upto the present time. Our Divis-
ion is composed not of the wealthy and infu-
entail, but of honest, poor men," and of
reformed drunkards. The former class
have stood aloof, and the latter have taken
hold of the business in real earnest, amidst
detraction, malignant abuse, and persecu-
ton from all sides. A petition was a while
back circulated hereabouts against the Or
der, and obtained two hundred signatures,
and sent on the last Legislature. But in
spite of all their efforts to crush US, our Di-'
vision has grown gradually in numbers and
influence, and up to Bro. Whites visit we
numbered twenty seven members, good and
true;"" and we can point with pride to the
great good we have already done in reform
ing drunkards and in difusing the princl-
{ Piles of Benevolence and Temperance among
our neighbors. Press Onward " by name,
we have been press onward" in spirit
and in action. Our course has been mild
and characteristic, hut marked by the in
domitable energy of truth and the lofty de-
votion of good men to a righteous and glo-
rious cause.
But we are straying from the main sub
: ject of our Communication-Bro. Whites
speech to-day. He spoke for more than
: two hours to a large audience for a country
! church. We never saw a more attentive
! assembly. With the magic powers of hi:
. matchless eloquence, and with the trans
cendant abilities of description and o%ratory
which have Justly won for him the higl
character of being one of the most interest
ing and effective popular speakers in tn
Union, he portrayed in glowing color
the principles of our Order-the progress i
re had made, and the mighty good that thi
to great moral enterprise is doing everywhere
Bro. White made a most triumphant an
1t able reply to the objections existing here 8
ne gainst the Order, and dealt out severe an
lg effective blows upon that spirit of ridicul
or and abuse, which have been so extensivel
IS, heaped upon us here in this County. HI
b. speech was after all, well received. It wa
n electrical and thrilling his humOr and al
e. ecdotes, and his patriotic, powerful appea
1t and deeply affecting narrative of case
OF sunk deep into the hearts of the assembly
!, a majority of whom had come out to hes
IN him in any other than a friendly spirit
nd Many who went with curses in their heart
nd came away with praises on their tongue
he and his speech has exerted a great and il
calculable amount of good Instead
- " the small business" thai the temperan,
its cause was reported by so many, but fe
10 will deny who heard him. that ours is
IN great and patriotic and religious work, tn
md has enlisted and is enlisting the ablest al
on purest in the land. in its support.
'ne After the speech, seven handed in the
names for initiation, four of whom we
ON initiated this evening. Besides, about
dozen others of our leading and most inf
We entail citizens, have promised us to join
Ca our next meeting. We believe that OPP
we sition has received its death blow from Br
White to-day. and that it is now makil
its last struggle and dying gasps in tt
section. So mote it be.
GUS s. 8 8.