Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-06-07
Prohibition.

We are in favor of a prohibitory statute,
(once said Bishop Potter. of the Protestant
Episcopa1C Church of the Diocese of Pennsylva-
MAJ because it is in accordance with the spirit
and genius of Christianity. The power OF
the gospel is nowhere more marked than IN
its influence on legislation. 1t has softened
the asperity of human laws, and made them
the guardians of human happiness. This in
fuence is first exerted upon the convictions
of men, and manifests itself in invisible but
controlling principles. Christianity had nc
legal embodiment for the first three centuries
Of her existence. 1t did not reach men thro'
legislation until the Christian Emperor Con-
s~tantine sat upon the throne Of the Caesars;
and then it began to effect by lar what 1t
could not do by moral influence. Among
the first benevolent enactments of the emper-
or, was one closing the courts of justice thro'
the realm on the Sabbath declaring that
man has higher interests than petty wrang-
lings, and that his happiness is bound up IN
the spiritual concerns symbolized by the Sab
baths rest.
We uIdy ldO III oPAAAU ASAoO
early ages Of the church, in all great moral
changes for the good of society. First, the
spirit went forth, and by truth and princi-
ples reached and moved men, through their
Intelligence, affections and consciences then,
, when the public mind was educated, the le-
gal enactment came,-the outgrowth Of the
same benevolent spirit. You may see this
beautifully illustrated in the suppression OF
. the bloody games of the amphitheatre in
Rome. In the Colosseum, in the heart ofthe
n eternal city, were sometimes assembled eighty
i thousand persons to behold the slaughter Of
the fercest wild beasts, gathered from the
: forests Of Scythia, and the more awful strug-
Giles of men and women contending with
their feeble arms with the monsters OF the
10 desert for the feeble chance of life, the null
D. titude looking on with frenzied excitement,
and without one expression of pity And
10 how did Christianity overthrow this mon
vi strous practice? She first promulgated the
L principe,-went on her heavenly mission
= from bosom to bosom, and contrasted the
!" spirit of that horrid practice with the benev
: olent spirit Of Jesus. -Withthe reiteration 0
~ the pyinciple, men felt more and more deepl.
: the solemn force of the contrast, until at las
~ a young and gentle monk, whose home wa
a cave on a neighboring hillside, where h
OF nourished great and benevolent thoughts
I'd was moved to go and make one great efo1
OF in the cause of humanity, though he shout
lat perish in the attempt. He entered the thet
dt' ire; he stood before the assembled multitude
ef- and when the interest in the game was grea
est, he proclaimed in impassioned tones tt
he w~ickedness of the exhibition, and e~ntreate
them, as they would answer at the tribun'
eau of God, before which they must soon stan'
>on to abandon the bloody pastime. The multi
titude uttered a yell Of d~erision, and seize
UGH -. tho hrovo ronk 70 n;eces on Il
2 10 spot. But his brave utterance was not
vain. No martyr to a great principle ev
died for naught.
appeal: public sentiment was awakened, al
ing soon the borrid practice was hqaHv prohi
g IN ted throughout the Roman empire. The pr
hibition of this practice was the embodime
of the benevolent spirit of religion. So
has been in all great reforms. So it will
ing with regard to that Ubiquitous practice viii
y OF numbers as many victims as the Roman a
ltns phitheatre. For the suppression of this ev
anu Christianity approaches those who use a
H. those who sell the poisonous beverage, a
the beseeches them in Christ's name, and in t
!, of mama of tho bloodinr ;rtorosts of amman;
nj II
u IL to abandon a course ~ruinous alike to SC
lore and body. And, if they are men of prin
ira pie and benevolence, and allow themselves
'ner follow in Imagination each measure as it
'Peo poured out and carried forth to its work
cara death, they must be moved, and, as they CT
5ooo template the wreck of human hopes, must
we're led to desist. But there are those to wis
OF the appeal to reason and conscience is utt
an ly vain. Talk to the winds,-try to tea
o to the neither milestone, appeal to the de
who died centuries ago; you might as we
You might as well hang up the ten commar
pro- ments on the pirate ship, with the hope tt
Their they would abandon their business bv SUI
means. Here, then, the law comes in a
how benefcent it's provisions The m
who spurn the gentle pleadings of comps
sion cannot now, in justification, appeal
OF the support of government. They can
5 for longer throw themselves on their license
ting But the law now goes to them and tn
&c workshops Of death, and takes from tn,
% their liquid poison, just as it would ia
the from the mailman the cleaning knife that
2 for was about 70 plunge into his own OF ano
will ers BOSOM just as does take from the ga
~ bier the instruments of his nefarious ira
"" it takes from them the liquid poison, a
and pours it upon the ground. Is not a |
voice which does this, Christian? Does it not &C
mend itself to the intelligence and eng;
nos the sympathies of all good men?
Such Il law deals with immortality as G
rity, deals with if. He does not make a comm
l the mise with sin, but prohibits it. He sa
such hou snalt 40 no murder" The trathc
intoxicating beverages is inconsistent W
a"A the general happiness and welfare, and sho
n, In therefore be prohibited.
and -