Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-11
Ana22,al t, the Young Men Of the Age.


Ana2psal to the Young Men of the Age.
1.-THE following is from the pen Of Rev.
THEODORE j.. CUTLER, Of New-York, the
chairman Of committee appointed by the
Worlds Temperance Convention, TO pre-
pare an Address to Young Men in every
country, cxhorting them to grid on the har-
ness and take the sword against all that cor
rupts and destroys 1t is written with much
rhetorical force, and should meet with a
ready response from the ingenious spirits to
which il is addressed
Five and twenty years ago, the men to
whom this appeal is addressed were in their
cradles, or were lisping their first lessons at
a mothers knee. Butd during tue nextquar
ter Of this century the moral destiny Of the
world depends upon them. The strong
hands Of the veterans are, one by one, ral-
sled by the touch Of age. The voices that
have rsne out for God and truth arc slowly
passing into the harmonics Of better world.
Upon your shoulders the ark of reform is
heueeforth to resin your hands the torch
OF human progress is to be borne onward.
Among the sacred trusts bequeathed to
your charge is the Temperance Reformation.
II owns an existence no longer than yours.
Thirty years ago, this movement was restric
ted to a few earnest spirits, who, farther up
the mount Of progress than their fellows, had
caught the rays Of the early dawn before it
had gilded tho plains below. The first
national organization against alcohol was es
tablished in 1896. Since then, the history
Of the Temperance reform has been n history
Of healthy progreSS-the steady movement
from the unknown, out into the known and
the well-established. The first local society
with its primitive pledge against the use of
ardent spirits alone--the subsequent adop-
ton oS the total abstinence principle-the
Washingtonian movement-the formation of
beneficial orders like the Sons Of Temperance
Ito creation Of political Alliances and
the enactment Of laws fer the entire prohi-
bition Of the deadly traffic, are but the sue
cessiye stages of a mighty revolution, each
related TO the other, and each looking 10 a
common end. An abstract principle once
conile to a few sagtcious minds, has since
walked into the halls of legislation, and iC
five sovereign States it nov sits upon the
bench Of justice, crowned with the majesty
CLAW.
The God Of Love has stood by the history
Of this reform from its cradle, and has gui.
dcd il onward through its most critical pc.
RODS. To the young men Of our time it i:
committed, both MS a trial and a trust
What is it that God and humanity demand
Of usY What is the great question for ouI
practical solution 7 Unless we greatly err
that question simply is-Shall we, by Jeho
vah's help, destroy the traffic in intoxicatin!
poisons, or shall they destroy US? Shall
we lay alcohol in his grave, or permit hin
10 lay amyriad Of our comrades in their own
Shall VIC consent to have the most brillian
i~ntellccts among US still longer extinguished
Shall we permit the fair bride Of to-day t
become the desolate widow OTTO morrow ?
Shall we stand idly by, and see the mobiles
of our brotherhood 90 down to darkness an
the worm Shall We suffer this monste
wrong to fling its hideous shadow athwal
the rays that fall from Calvary itself? O
shall we, hand to hand, Join in the deatt
grapple with the hydraY The destiny {
millions hangs upon our answer.
The determination of this question demand
great p~lainness of speech, as we'll as earnes
ness in action. Let us learn to speak rigl
out. The press that is silent on tits topi
deseryesa place in the cellars Of LIerculaneun
The legislator who has not studied the cod
Of prohibition is unworthy Of the seat |
oncumbers. The orator is to point his shaft
the voter is to aim his ballots, and the phi;
authropist is to direct his prayerfulefor
straight towards this, as the grand NOR
question Of the age.
In this warfare for humanity we have me-
Of patience Wllberforce toiled through OF
whole generation before the British Parli
ment declared the slavo-trade to be a pirac
Opinions grow slowly. Let us put our tru
intruth rather than majorities. The 'prohi
tory law movement was not long ago
a minority Of one but the Lord Of Ho
stood with that man, and together they VIC
an overmatch for all that were against the
Calico, with his telescope, and Columb
with his compass, each stood up against
world, but they both, at last, brought o,
the whole world TO their positions. May
not be also that before this century clos
the law Of Maine may become the law
Christendoml We have learned from
past not to be inundated by the opposit
Of numbers. Popular sentiment brei
forth to-day, like a mountain torrent, &
sWells into sudden foundations, but tom
row the channel is dry as summer dust,
Truth, on the other hand. islike tic unso
ded ocean, where deep cllleth unto deer
the voice Of Jehovah. And if the night
ignorance or prejudice comes dovnto We
for n time, It is still there, beating on v
the same victorious pulse, and waiting
the day
Comrades in this glorious warfare
are compassed about with a great clou'
witnesses. Humanity beckons US onwi
We tread upon the dust of heroes as we
vance. White-robed Love, floating in I
air before US, leads US to the conflict.
shouts Of the ransomed are in our tents,
the voice Of praise makes music amid
banners.
em,.1 al