Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-05-10
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LETTER FROM A LECTURER.
For the Shirt of the 40

An opportunity is afforded me this morn
ing of writing a communication for your pa
per, that the friends of Temperance may learn
what progress / am making in the field of
Refnrm- According to appointment l was
to nave canvassed Forsythe after leaving
Davie County. l went for this purpose but
it being the week preceding Easter-Sunday
the United Brethren, or Moravians, who COM
pose a very large, and respectable portion of
the citizens, were very solicitous that l should
postpone lecturing at that time from the
fact, that this week has been held by them
as sacred from time immemorial, and deYo-
ted mainly to religious exercises. l felt it to
be my duty to comply with their request
with the promise of their hearty cooperation
in the work, when l shall return there, on
the 18th day of June next. From thence, |
went to Guilford, where | met with a kind
reception and warm friends. Guilford Coun-
ty, perhaps, has been as much, if not more
cursed by the liquor traffic, than any County
in the State. l was credibly informed that
it has had to pay from $4,000 20 $500 annual
ly for the punishment of crime and support
of pauperism superinduced by this monstrous
Traffic! But the day of redemption has al
ready dawned upon this County The Mag
~istrates, with great good sense, have absolute
ly refused to license any man in the County
to retail the liquid poison of perdition to his
fellow-citizens. Would to God all the Mag
~istrates in the State would act likewise. Ifthey
were, what a happy change would at once be
wrought in Society. The pauperism Of this
County has been reduced already one half, by
the benign influence Of Temperance. And
may we not hope that this cause, which had
it's origin in heaven, will soon triumph over
all opposition. l had the pleasure of addres-
sing the people at various places in the coun-
5 ty, and am happy to say that at least, seven
/ Fights of all | addressed signed the memo
! rial, calling aloud thereby for Legal Prohib-
8 ition! 1t was frequently said to me while on
= my way to lecture at certain places-sir, 1T
! useless to present the memorial to that au-
dience-you will not get a signature-the in
huence against the cause you advocate is too
powerful. But 10! and behold, when the me-
mortal went round, nearly every soul signed.
t. Neighbor has utterly astonished neighbor-
"the great deep is now broken up" and
hold it as morally certain, that Legal Pro
y hibition will prevail in North Carolina. 1t is
Ii little amusing to see how nicely cornered the
two political parties are, in this county-they
N are apparently afraid to move but watch.
. ing the progress Of reform with eagles eye
= But the song must soon be sung by them
; either for, or against Prohibition. If they
should 60 for Legal Prohibition there will b.
no split In the vote OF temperance men Du
in case they should not, the temperance mel
are determined to run independent Candi
u dates, and l verify believe they will be cleo
- ted. For the day is past in Guilford whel
VI men can ride into Office on a whiskey-barrel
us over men of sober heads and sound hearts
The most formidable opposition with whicI
Prohibition has to meet, is found in the sew
- eral branches of Christ's Church. l am sol
10 ry that l have to make this report but tn
truth must be told There are officials in a.
the Churches engaged in the liquor traffic
some by manufacturing, some by retailing
rec and others by drinking. Where men al
an standing directly Gin the way of sinners,
a they will not reform themselves, nor W
they, by their arguments and example pc
/" init their %neighbors to reform. Such hay
'la- forgotten the wo, pronounced upon them /
lid. Almighty God by the mouth of his servan
Hab. 2 CHI. Is. Two unto him that givet
his neighbor drink, that puttest the bottl
,er- to him, and makest him drunk also" Th
ky hour of e~xpurgation has fully come, ar
those old offenders should be cast out in
the world where they properly belong. NJ
Just last appointment in the county was at IL
con- brick Church at Clapps. This is a Germa
tina Reformed Church but from the signs of Il
~ times | fear it is not " Reformed" enough
~ embrace temperance in its code of morals
Judge so, from the number of still-houses