Spirit of the age., 1853-09-14
8 Temperance anh family 00lukIp Nr6spape
Our Opponents-WhO are They 2

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The opponents of the great Temperance re-
formal multitudinous-of every hue, shape
and phase-bpt all alike, at leastin one thing,
viz: in their hatred to total abstinence from
drinks. The first and plost res
pectable class is composed of those who pro-
fess to base their opposition. to temperance
upon The specions plea that it
is morally wrong for any body of men to
form any society, aoutside of the Church
for benevolent or moral objects We Won
der how long it would take q wine-bibbing
parson, with wine drinking flock. to reform
a single inebriate, or convince young man
who is taking his first lesson in wine-drink-
ing, a Ia Parson and people, thatthey believe
one word Of certain portion of the Bible
WHICH asks the following questions, and then
gives the ready answers that succeed them
"Who hath wo? Who hath sorrow? Who
hath redness of eyes? Who hath conten-
tions ?" Answer" They that tarry long at
the wine-they that seek strong drink, =
Do they believe the same old-fashioned book,
when admonishing how to avoid these, 1t
says" Look not upon the wine when it is
red-when it giveth its color in the cup
when it moveth itself Alright; at the last, it
biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an ad-
DER" And yet "the Church" inquiries not
into the !" long tarryings at the wine"-seeks
not to know whence that "redness of eyes"
that tremulous gait, and forid countenance!
g The Church" ought to attend to these things,
but does she do it? Seldom, alas too sell
dom. until the victim is on the broad road to
ruin-past redemption. Then, he's hurled
: away from the tables of !" the Church" wine
bibbers, to die in a thres-cent den OF perish
in the gutter with the swine. The secret,
then, of this '' Church, opposition is compris-
ed in three little words" We lore iP-and
=. they viii drink it, though thousands perish
u through their Influence,
# Another class Of opponents are those who
y pratt by the traffic in intoxicating drinks,
n and for gain, are willing to destroy the peace,
IS welfare, happiness and even the lives Of their
d fellowmen. The grounds Of THEIR opposi-
ton is too plain and palpable to deceive and
7, mislead the unwary, and they are the most
consistent Of any IN their enmity to temper
W ance. "By this do we get our gain" and
is therefore they cry" Great is Bacchps. the
is god of our profits"
st Another class are those who boast OF
K "rights," and denounce all who cannot
lie drink in moderation. The blossoms arc up
4baiY fLo1,. nod
as eration-the canker worm is in their pocket
ur eating out their substance-the power is il
re- their appetites deprivingt them Of the fright
hit to go to their homes and attend to their fam
he lilies, as they ought to do. They " LOVE II.
er- Another class, and the only remaining on
It'll we can particularize now, is composed {
US the Ignorant, the Designing the wilfull
ON blind and corrupt, known by the euphoniou
al title of g hard-shells" whom it may b
truthfully quoted" eyes have they, bu
om they see not; ears have they, but they hea
an nm not neither can they understand" The
IL are afraid of education, christianity, (exccl
eV- it be such misnomer as accords with the
ier superstitions) virtue and temperance, al
our their assanine brayings are as loud again
one as the other. Do the people propose
system that will educate, enlighten and il
ito prove the rising generation? They at on
nof declare themselves "agin i" without wi
or wherefore. They don't want none
~ your g book larnin." Is it proposed to
M l' tablish Sunday Schools in their midst,
ms prevent the sabbath-breaking denounced
''''' the Bible, and to impart religious instrl
" ton to their children? Curses loud and 10
i've are bestowed upon it's advocates, and seve
lem punishment visited upon their children
law they dare visit the unhallowed spot. d.
Id a missionary ask for aid to enable him to
ios- and preach the Everlasting Gospel in u h
oulo then land? They declare it's "agin Go
; III decrees," and if He wants the Heather cC
ohn- verted, he'll acquaint them with the glad t
clti- ings without the aid of man! Is it attem
nol1- ed to convince the world of the sin of dru
SUI kenness and the dangers of partaking of
rom toxiating drinks? The seven Walls of til
Wor- wrath, "ferce as furies and terrible" as tn
win vindictive, malicious hatred, ignorance q
|, let bigotry can make it, are poured out W
AA'N CAe neiIus VI us dn1tatoFs, anu they are
cords nounced, insuited, aad belied, as thor
e to they sought to bring ruin upon them
will their household! What is the moving ca
Id of of their hatred They loue 1t! and will
nfict rifco earth and heaven, before they will "
lty- ingly give it up.
Side Is not this faithful, truthfal, picture
ision What an ;ncon orn;tv &C Obodos ard ool
Lem Eand yet how harmoniously they blend
with gether! The head Of the serpent takes
we its mouth the tail, and like hoop-sn
'e IN how beautifully they roll on together!
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