Smyrna times., 1854-08-02
Written for the Smyrna Times.
IN GRANGE.
BY DIDYMUs.

"EvERY man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate i'll all things"
Every man may, that will, break off from
such degrading habits. With respect to sleep
when you reflect that it is an immediate de- |
mand of animal nature-absolutcly necessary,
it is true, to the support of that nature; but, at
the same time, reducing it to perfect inactivi- |
ty, to an entire deprivation of all the functions
of reason--the lowest of all animal gratiica-
tions, and one which absolutely strikes out
from the short span of our life all the moments
consumed in it. When you consider sleep in
this true light, you will never indulge in it
more than you find necessary, from your con-
stitution, to the support and refreshment of
your body. But do not be as the sluggard who
cries: "a little more sleep, littlesNore slum-
Der, little more of the folding of the hands to
sleep, he shall be clothed with rags his poverty
shall come upon him as one that travelleth, his
wants as an armed man." 1t is with virtues as
with vice, and one vice generally brings on,
and leads to another; SO the right discharge of
one virtue capacitates for, and introduces the
| practice of another. He who is moderate in
his use of sleep will certainly be so in his use
of food, because excess in the latter will render
it impossible to be abstemious in the former
The great and good Creator of the world, who
has given us an infinite variety of meats and
drinks to support our frail bodies, has been
pleased to annex to the use of those meats and
drinks q certain degree of satisfaction what is
necessary to our support, he has rendered pleas
} ing in the use from whence we are evidently
) taught, that we may certainly consult degree
of satisfaction in our food, and are not bound
by the laws of strictest temperance to deny
ourselves all kinds of qualification in il. But.
J though this be the case, temperance by all
means enions the strictest. watchfuness, lest
! we exceed this allowed satisfaction-continu-
c ally reminding us Of the great and chief end
o for which we are called to eat and drink, viz
# the support and refreshment of our body, In
order to maintain the just dominion OF our souls
y Whenever VIC cat or drink more than is sufh
is cent TO this end--to the heating our bodies
d the endangering our health-the inAamingou
passions, and losing the strict and sober govern
D, ment of ourselves, let the quantity be what
s. may--more or less--we then are guilty OF tn
is vice of intemperance. A vice, my dear friends
IN which you are peculiarly to avoid. The yer
a. slightest indulgenc.s in it are dangerous--th
ht least temptations to it are cautiously to
rd guarded against--for it is most destructive
er pregnant with the direst consequences
ed health, fortune, reputation, purity, peace, al
re felicity of every kind Need you be told no
NC preiudicial it is to health when you reflect tn
rb, almost all the diseases, or at least those of Il
nd most dangerous and painful kind which infil
I'D the human race, arise from intemperance'
he either our own or that of our parents-entail
es, upon usl
,ss, See, in the horrid train of this pernicio
yet, monster, burning fever, joint-torturing go
est half.d dead palsy, swollen dropsy, painting asthn
18th full-gorged apoplexy, and a thousand other
'ys, orders off fearful nsme--disorders sufficient
,er- render the least approach to intemperance
ind, midable-sufficient to recommend the contr'
and virtue, whose perpetual attendants are 81
p uossession, cheerfnlness and health, which,
the the most part, extends life to the longest sp
our hut which, if life (amidst the thousand and
bout thousand evils that surround it cannot be
g to tended to the longest span, yet enables
acts truly to enjoy life while they exist, and
per- serves them from its greatest evils. II is,
eeds ever. remarkable that those who have beenr
,ents excelled in this virtue have generally alta
llaby the greatest age. .aes1 ,9la ,sa.t.
cling Again, how fatal are the effects of intem
ctiye ance to mems fortunes! They who are 81
e she to this vice not only give the knavish ant
help crafty the most dangerous advantages
: her them in their temporal affairs, butare abso
that Iy ircapacitated from right managomel
ncen- their affairs. Too often, iadeed, they
llent wholly neglected. of them-little regal
erring anything beside, if they can dissipate
7e, of hours inthe wretched company cfthose tri
Of the worthless and inconsiderste as themse
'm the while thus their unhappy families are su
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