Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-04-13
Do The following Letter ought to have APP
peared in our last issue

~ The following Letter ought to have APP
peared in our last issue
LouIsBURo, March oath, 1853.
MR. EDITOR On tho 18th inst, l tcrmi-
mated atwo weeks tour through Edgecombe
county. In that time / made about twenty
addresses to its citizens, on the claims OF the
Temperance Reform. The liberal portion of
the people turned out to hear me in large
numbers, and seemed to take a deep interest
In the cause Of my mission. They are be-
ginning to investigate the character and eau
ses Of their taxation and are growing more
and more FESTIVE under the unnecessary bur
den. But, unfortunately for Edgecombe, her
intelligent citizens have not the power to es-
tablish her best interests. Truth, however,
is triumphing over error, and temperance is
rapidly taking the places of " babblings and
rednoss Of eyes" The Primitive Baptists
closed the doors oftheir churches againstme,
and their clergy earnestly insisted on their
congregations not to be present at any ofmy
lectures. Tn latter obeyed the mandate as
though 1t had been n Roman edict. One Of
these ~clergymen, by the name of Moore, told
his flock at Tossnot Meeting House, to keep
away from Temperance speakings and to
drink whiskey and sell it too, ifthcy thought
proper. Another Of this genus, by the name
of Baker, gave his delighted hearers a SINH
lar injunction. And no sooner was his be-
neyolent TRADE ended, than n very excellent
negro servant Of the widow Barron, who in
clines to that Church, left the place Of wor-
ship and referring another negro to this splr-
tied advice ofthe preacher, went straightway
TO ono Of these toll gates on the road to he'll
and got excessively drunk. This same un'
reasonable prejudice manifested itself in q
most revolving phase at a place called Ellis
Church. Thirty or forty miserable drunk
ards, the Legitimate result Of such preaching
assembled about the Church, placed n jug Q
uhiskey in their midst, which they honoreC
with the sORJriguet Of "0LD WHITE" am
made night hideous with firing Of guns, tin
blowing ofhorns and thcmOst unearthly yell
that mean whiskey ever forced from human
lungs. The ladies were insulted andthe gen
tlenen who would lave protected them from
such cowardly indignities, were compelle'
to stand by their horses to keep them iron
runningaway, and their gear being quito PIE
ces, until they could get the ladies safely away
One old creature, whose age should hay
taught him better things, was so overcom
BY his frequent attacks upon the jug, that h
fell upon the ground, andbeing unable, afte
many efforts, to regain his erect position, qui
city resigned himself to his fa:e, swearin
"Old White Mas put n spell upon me-
Another humorous development Of this foil
occurred during one Of my speeches at til
town Of Wilson, in TINT county. l was COZ
tending that If the assertion commonly u
ged by this peculiar people, that n ten
perance society not being mentioned in ii
Bible, was q valid objection to them, ii
same objection would be with equal weigI
against republitanism, which is no whel
mentioned in the sacred record. At tn
point Of my remarks an old lady Of that d
nomination sprung to her feet, and rush
out Of tho room like u shot out Of Il shove
exclaiming will you all sit and listen to tina
will you hear the saints Of God held up
ridicule ? lie says the Billie says nothil
about republicans, and | know he lies, bccau
the Bible speaks Of republicans and slime
oil through it."
Such are some Of the blotchcs upon t
otherwise fair lamc of old Edgecombe. | r
greet that truth compCls me to sully the Spi
it Of the Age by the record Of such rcvoltil
facts. Aside from this extraordinary FAINT
icism, against that total abstinence viii
John the Baptist both preached and practice
by the people who profess to be bis tollowe,
the citizens Of Edgecombe have some mi
excellent traits Of character. They are T
only hospitHble and generous, but arc rap
" establishing tho reputation of being t
best thcor0tic as well rs practical farmers
the State. | entered upon my labors in ii
county with pleasure, ! left both it and tn,
with regret. / sincerely wish, sir, that
influential men of that County may ex
themselves in the extension Of your tr,
valuable paper throughout that entire secti
That active and interchangeable friend of
reform, Mr.. +. L.. Bond Of Tarboro,' and
gallant associates there, are working migl
ly toward that end.
Yours truly, PHILIP S. WHITE