The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-12-28
L. s. E.

e friend has handed US a we'll written ar
tlcle on the Temperance Question, which appear
ed in the .HHlenniat H,rtiager for Decembpr.-
Its length renders it inconvenient to insert the
whole. Below we. give the concluding portion,
which ought TO command serious consideration.
"But what isthe duty ofthsChri-tian with regard to
the temperance movement This is an important in
quiry, because it is On inquiry rouching duty, the
grandest thought of 1t is often said that
because the Bible says nnthng about these moral
enterprises of sociey tlat.tarefore. the Christian
has duty to discharge towards Them. But this
is narrow view cf human responsibllity ,and still
narrower one of religion. Almost all morality, I had
ketosaid religion insists in and grows outof mans
relations to bis fellow man. H duty is Identified
with the species in their various conditions, efforts
and projects. Virtue, or that which is right is the
great rule by which Christian is to be governed
and in the multiplied changes of society, every
thing right and proper Of itself, should engage the
attention and the energies of a good man. What
sort of book would the New Testament have been
had it prophetically announced every benevolent
enterprise in the worlds history, and given minute
injunction in reference to eachl Who could have
read it through! The world itself could not con-
tain the books that would have been wrtten.'-
The New Tes am mt is a bo Ik Of princip' es-and
Of great all coiLprehending truths. 1t deals with
supernatural facts, and impresses upon the human
heart Gods great law of love- 1t leaves its d!sci-
pies to act from internal impressions of right and
wrong; from their from their own warm and living
convictions, unirammeled by the fetters of minute,
ob,n 7 Iol
more glorious and enlarged than ever crossed the
mind Ofa mere s.atesman--thaa was ever shouted
from amid the din Of war; liberty to do good, TO
exercise ones talents for the melioration and ad-
vancemsnt of the world in all that pertains to the
well being of man in time and in eternity. The
only question iu reference TO any enterprise of So
ciefy s, is it rght-does it rest upon sound vir-
tue does it embrace the happiness aud moral
good Of men? This decided. and the high voice
of duty calls Christian onward to the conflict. A
Christian is free to do gpod He must not permit
this most sacred privilege to be invaded, taken
from him. And he who seeks to invade this pre-
rogat;ve of the Christian, aims at worse despo-
tism than was ever sought by mere political ty
rant. This privilege is the most precious gift of
God. Let every one beware how he suffers it to
trampled on--how be barters it away.
Apply this view to the temperance question. Is
it right that Intoxicating drinks he abolished-tha
principles cf total abstinence Fl ON ardent spirits
become the practice of society! Is it right to do
away with The drinking customs of society! IIen-
ure TO say that no one, who is not perverted in his
mental or moral powers will answer no. What,
then is the duty of the Christian with respect to
the temperance enterprise! We answer
1. To cease using Intoxicating drinks a bev-
srage. Time was when the simple drinking of Iiq-
uor WINS little thought Of; and any degree Of
Iaton short of ugly drunkenness, might be INDUCED
with impunity. But that day has passed away
with the years beyond the fuod. The sound good
sense of the most discriminating men of the world,
has condemned drunkenness as vulgar, disreput-
rble practice Experience has demonstrated dram
drinking as the parent of lntemperance-th prime
source of all its countless woes. Aud at this day,
no Christian can strong liquors as beverage,
with mpunity. If he persist, he inevitably brings
his religious profession into contempt and destroys
his influence as virtuous. upright nun.
@ 1t is the duty of the Christian to aid aud en-
courage the progress of the temperance cause
Of course, in doing this, he must be left to the SO.
lection of his own means. But, without doubt
this duty will lay embargo on the weak and sill
ly opposition to, and denunciatino of, temperance
societies. The Christian, who makes it point to
fall out with the temperance reformation, canno,
fail to bring his profession into disrepute. excep,
here, of course, such opposition, or rather objeo.
ton, as may arise from belief of the imperfect
| ion of given association. But this is altogether
different from that indiscrest, fierce. and crimipa