Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-02-28
INTEREsTINGM EETINGs.

sisiohs INT pfopf1ety OF introducing the plan
of discussing Queries, as a capital way of in
fusing zeal and interest into their meetings.
We have recently seen the system fairly tes-
ted in some of our Divisions in this City, and
am more than ever convinced of its utility
and beneficial results. Many members have
been drawn out in debate who have heretofore
taken no active part in the proceedings, and a
general enthusiasm has been manifested, far
exceeding our most sanguine expectations
Let some plain and practical query be propo-
sed for discussion, having a bearing upon the
subject of Temperance, or any other useful
scientific or moral question, 50 that nothing of
a political or s~ectarian nature is involved, and
our word for it, many who now complain of
the dizziness or want ofinterest in the meetings,
will find the Division room the very place for
pleasant and instructive entertainment
For the last two meetings of Concord Divis-
ion, those who have attended have been high
" edited with the discussion of a Query, as to
" who have derived the greatest advantage from
the Order Of the Sons of Temperance-the
inebriate, who has been rescued, or the Young
man who has been saved from intemperance,
through its influence ?" And though two hours,
or more, each night, was devoted to its discuss
ion, yet such was the interest manifested by
nearly all, to express their sentiments upon ii.
that it was continued for the next meeting
The zeal and earnestness with which the sepa-
rate propositions we're argued, demonstrated
that both of these classes feel the warmes. at
tachment to our beloved institution, and regard
1t as the saHuum bonum in their respective
cases.
The reformed man would paint, in glowing
%colOrs, the horrors he endured, the wretched-
ness and misery he had suffered, the degrada-
ton and destitution to which be had been re-
duced The would recall the neglected condi-
ton of his family and himself, the vile associas
tons into which he had been drawn, and how
far he had progressed on the dark road to
crime and eternal destruction-and he would
then turn with a grateful heart, and with
8 thoughts that breathed and words that burn
ed bestow his eulogiums upon that agency
the glorious Order of the Sons of Temperance
which had rescued him from all these and
restored him to himself, to his family, to society
and his country, and would then ~triumphantIy
ask Can any one boast of greater advanta-
ges than these p l was ruined, degraded, lost
but l am now reclaimed, clothed and in my
night mind, and with the proudest of Americas
Sons, can look up with conscious rectit ude Of
character and say g j, too, am an, American cit
izen p
On the other hand, the young man, or the
old man, who had been saved from an expert
mental knowledge of these evils, while with
true f~raternal sympathy he entered with his
whole soul into the congratulations Of his re-
claimed brother, and extended to him the
hand Of undying attachment and regard, yet
felt that he had greater cause to thank God, and
to thank the Order, that he had been spared
the dread realities, SO wildly and f%earfully de.
seribed by those who had suffered them ALL
He would recount the dark scenes of inebria-
ton that he had been spared, the mental, moral
and physical evils that he had escaped, of the
advantages that had enured to him of an unita-
paired mind, a sound constitution, and a purity
of feeling and sentiment, unalloyed BY crime
and the dark remembrance Of mis-spent time,
he would exclaim, "surely, surely, ], who have
been saved from all these in the past, and at
the same time have secured for myself all the
blessings of sobriety in the future, have more
cause to feel that Ihave derived the greatest ad-
vantage that could be realized to any individ-
ual."
1t were useless for US to say that we were
delighted with the meetings and the discussions,
and in a higher degree, perhaps, than we were
before able to do, felt an appreciation of the be-
nign and conservative influences of our Order,
so well calculated to save every class and con-
dition of mankind. But we have said enough
pendente lite we would however, say to all
Sons who wish to spend a pleasant evening, at
tend the meeting tomorrow night and hear the
matter further discussed
a. The genial rays of the ascending sun.
I the merry Carol of birds fba act;va 1ra,.-.