Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-04-13

l or man safely across the ocean of life to
the haven of eternal bliss" is now pub
|fnhed In various languages and distributed
tSthose who have thus far been ignorant
of its contents The book of Revelation
has hitherto been sealed book to many
of the nations of the earth, and the Hin
doc, unaided by It's precepts, has tried to
appease the wrath of his supposed Deity,
by sacrificing his infants, and in various
acts Of intended worship rsEslsiinr to
enlightened minds.
These institutions, We say, have for their
object noble and praiseworthy motives;
but has not that Institution called the Sons
of Temperance, an auxiliary division Of
which has met this day to celebrate its
anniversary, high and noble motives?-
Where can you find high and noble mo-
tive, if the design to suppress intemper-
ance is not such The suppression of this
vice would be carrying the war into the
very camp of the enemy; it would demol-
lsh his strong holds, and render compara-
lively easy the work of moral reform, which
has so long and SO often been repulsed by
Its arch-foe. Preachers of the Gospel may
preach the glad tidings of repentance, but
In the language of another, " rocks Of ad-
amant will heed their mission sooner than
the rebel heart of intemperance. The for
mer are passive, the latter is aggressively
hostile. Intemperance goes before them
sterilizing the earth 1t follows their foot
steps, uprooting whatever they may have
transplanted from heaven. 1t seduces the
unconscious young into guilty beginnings.
1t stands at every crossing in the highway
of life and points the unwary to the road
of DEATH"
lntemperance is not only deadly foe of
moral happiness, but the social circle of.
ten feels its whitening influence. 1t would
be of no use to attempt to enumerate the
instances OF matrimonial union, where the
tiattering prospects of the parties indica-
ted all the happiness that could be antici-
pated from such union yet the bright
hopes of many couple, who have pledged
their faith to love and protect each other
IN eickness and in health, have become
clouded by the infuence.of this vice, be-
fore the meridian of their lives. Doubt
less all have been eye witnesses to instances
of this kind, and to notice them now would
be to repeat what is Of common occurrence
among US.
The influence Of intemperance upon the
moral qualities of its victims, is no less
apparent. Men addicted to this vice can
not be approached by moral suasion.-
They possess few of those finer feelings
which move the hearts of the sober and
conscientious to noble action While tho
energies of their minds are weakened and
prostrated by spirituous liquor, there is no
use to approach them, soliciting aid for
charitable purposes for all sympathy for
the woes Of others, all desires for intellec-
tual improvement either in themselves or
others, all virtuous principle, and in short.
all the noble principles of human nature
which elevate man above the beast. are
severely injured by the use of intoxicating
drinks. Men who have become addicted
to this vice must be reclaimed from their
lnebriate habits, before any moral refo1na-
tion can take place. No man ever vet
"put off the old man which is corrupt ac-
cording to deceitful lusts, and put on the
new man which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness" while
walloWing in the ditch under the influence
OF liquor. We repeat it, a change must
take place in such individuals, before they
become proper subjects for moral reform.
or for any other reformation worthy the
name Of men.
To bring about this reformation is the
object of that Fraternity called the Sons
OF Temperance No man can tell the A.
mount of good that has resulted from this
Association, in reclaiming those who were
lost to themselves, lost to their families.
and were nuisance to society. Viii any
one say that this Association is uncalled Tor?
That it tends to subvert our free institu-
tlons and PROSTATE our liberties Nay,
verify For while it binds us in no way to
defeat the demands Of justice, each individ-
ual has the uncontrolled right to use his
political influence as he sees proper. If we
take into consideration the happy inHu-
ences thatit spreads through society through
out the country, it is second to no institu-
ton, save that Of the Gospel, and in fact Is
itself powerful auxiliary to its promulga-
ton, since it brings upon salvable ground
those who are without the pale of gospel
influence
In view of the number of human beings
who have been raised from the mire Of IN.
temperance and made happy and respecta-
BILE citizens, the families who formerly liv-
ed IN poverty and misery but now in peace
and plenty, and when we look at the great
change of public sentiment in respectt to the
use ofintoxicating drinks, doubtless brought
about through its influence, we would think
that no philpthropic heart could oppose
an institution fraught with SO benevolent
an enterprise. But it is even so ! This,
as well as all other associations, must pass
through the fiery ordeal of persecution
Many good men oppose US, and even those
who proclaim the glad tidings of peace to
a lost world. But few years since band
of noble divines in Pennsylvania, met for
the purpose of consulting the best interests
of the church, even proposed a resolution
prohibiting any of their number from be-
coming members of the Sons of Temper
ance. Similar opposers have been found
III other parts Of our country, but we are
glad to say that many of them now give us