Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-07-11

Christ Church, Ne,o6ern, ". c., Il
March II, 1856 At He request of I
the Sons Of Temperance: By Rev.
HENRY f. GREENE, Rector Of Christ
Church.
CONCLUDED. !
We have viewed drunkenness thus far, ]
mostly in its natural effects But, soul and {
b5dy-spirft add siiesh-are 50 Intimately
associated in mans complex nature, that !
any vice whatever, though it be in all its
characteristics a work of the flesh, must
exert a reaction upon mans soul and spirit
Mans immortal part always participates in
the corruption and defement Of the NOR
tal Body, soul and spirit are together
dcfled and degraded, or together purified,
sanctifed and exalted. But if we confne
our observations entirely to the spiritual
effects of drunkenness, we find it associated .
in the Apostles catalogue of the works of
the flesh, in the 9th of Galatians, not only
with those manifestations of wickedness
which seem to be purely fleshly, but with
those also commonly regarded as spiritual
ofFences--as the instigation Of the satanic
spirit of mischief and malice "Now the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are
these Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi-
tions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunk
CnnsSs, revelings, and such like" This
classing of the inspired Apostle teaches us
that mans carnal or Aeshly nature, is the
medium Of satanic influence and the source
and fountain Of all his offences against the
holy and spiritual law Of God--against his
own nature, and against the rights and the
purity Of his fellow creatures. The works
Of the flesh, then, not only de6le the body,
but they are also sins of the spirit. And
aghot is expressly to be noticed, one work of
the flesh is always associated with the other
works Of the flesh and those who allow
the flesh to work its will in one way, are
led into the commission of all other sins of
the flesh and the spirit, for these sins are
all united together by kindred relation
ship. The members Of satan's family have
most intimate connection and sympathet-
ic alliance one with another. Admit one
Of them into the heart and soul, and the
whole band come rushing in as having an
acknowledged right to enter Let one ex-
ercise its power upon the members, and
the members become the bond servants of
all the rest. In the words of the same A.
postle, in his cpistle to the Romans To
be carnally minded, or to have the mind
Of the flesh, is death but to be spiritually
minded ia life and peace
Now, the working of other sins Of the
flesh is more subtle--less apparent to ex-
tcrnal observation. Weoannot say, of course
that on this account they are any the
less dangerous; but in regard to the sin ot
drunkenness its immediate effects, moral anC
spiritual, as we'll as physical, are so destruc
tive and appalling, it seems to be oglaring
ly n minister of Satan, inaamed with all tn
fury, clothed with all the power exertin.
the deadliost influence of. the great enem
of God and man, it siezes its victim S
boldly, defying the warnings of conscienc
aud the threatenings Of Almighty wrath
il hurries him SO prcciptately along th
downward path to the chambers of hell
it involves him in 80 certain, so speedy,
irretrieyable ruin Of body and soul-i
assault against all that is pure and goo
and loyable in human charactor-again
all that is abiding in human happiness
against all that is promising to humG
hopes, is so iusolent and audacious, TIN
all the watchmen of Zion, all the guardian
Of public morals and domestic sanctity al
peace, all the administrators of law al
justice who look to the welfare of humt
society, arc called upon to cry out again
its renewed incursions and to run to Il
rescue Of its ensnared prey. The gre
enemy Of Gods glory and happiness, nj;
be subtily undermining the fortress of I
lgion and morality, Of law and order
All his motions are to be watched, all /
approaches guarded against; but when
ventures upon an open assault, he must
openly resisted at the breach he has mad
he must be driven back by the spiritr
weapon Of Gods truth-by the moral po
cr Of reason and conscencc-by the q
thority Of law, and by the restraints
domestic government. The wolf, we kno
is always prowling around the fold of t
Good Shepherd, but when he rushcs in a
seizes the lambs Of Chr'SrS flock from t
arms Of christian parents, from the bosc
VI tttlfthJ WOGttfNj oudll ~ NlOII bC !
forth to make him give up his prey y
are authorized by the Gospel Of love a
mercy to indulge in hope for sinful m
generally, however perseveringly they N
have resisted the Spirit of Grace, or clio.
theit ears to the calls of dying Saviour
to indulge in hope until the last gasp
expiring mortality. But what hope {
we entertain for the infatuated victim
the inAamcd appetite for intoxicating
quors! His mind is stupefed, his rea
clouded, his conscience scared, his he
made callous by the insatiate raging of
lowest of sensual desires. He bcco,
brutalized, insensate to the admonition!
truth, to the pleadings Of affection, to
constraint Of love. He blindly sacril
all his own interests, temporal and etel
-selfshly immolates the feelings and
happiness of his mourning relatives to
moloch of his morbid appetite for (
stimulus. He pc sists in infaming
current of his life-blood with the mad
Ing fluid of intoxication, and with all
lower brutal passions aroused to an pr
ural intensity of action, with his powc
self government completely dethroneC
seems to be inaccessible to any huma
divine instrumeptality Of ofsalyatiop.