Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-02-07
EXTRACT

EXTRACT
From a Sermon to Young Mea deliDered in
the Ptesbyterian Church, Wilmington N. O.,
Sabbath euening, Nouember l7th, 1854, by
Req. N. b. Grier.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it NOV
eth itself aright
At the lastit biteth like a serpent and stingsth
like an adder Proverbs, 23d ch., 31st and SD
VS..
The text as You will observe, my hearers,
is an exhortation, with reason annexed
1t seems to concede the seductiveness of the
the wine cup. 1t does not deny that it is
pheasant 10 the eye, and pleasant to the taste.
.5zEven when the exhortation to beware of it,
allis most direct and urgent. the language it
buses IS ipsignihcant q iAkseductyS 1@iiGSs.
It is when it giveth its color to The cup !;
when its sparkle and hue are most attrac-
tive when it uoveth itself aright-then we
are hidden to turn away from it, to look not
upon it. And the reason annexed is no
ascetick's reason. 1t is not the denial of
its present pleasantness, or of its exhilara-
ting influence. The reason is simply the
end 10 which it leads, and which it produ-
ces. From the present we are commanded
to look to the future. 1t is just as if the
author of the Proverbs had written-Y Young
Man, if there is rosy hue within the cup
if there is JOY and mirthfulness there-if
there is eXhiaraton in the draught, and a
pleasant forgetfuness of sadness of pain
there, remember the end. Be assured that
at the last it bteth like a serpent and
stingeth like an adder"
We intend simply to illustrate and enforce
the thought Of the text. We believe that
it teaches what daily experience confirms,
that the habit Of drinking is to every man
who forms the habit, in the end injurious
to many, positively destructive.
Most Of you who listen to me this even
ing, are either already men of business, OIL
preparing to become SO. We affirm that
the text is true of such men, and to prove il
we will trace out one imaginary history
leaving you to determine whether it has evel
its counterpart in real fe
A Young Man starts in the world, We
will assume, with fair character; with hab
its Of industry with sufficient amount Q
energy, and with competent knowledge o
the rules and mysteries of trade. He so
licits mems confidence, and, pointing to al
unspotted name, aGd to industrious habits
claims their trust and aid. And men an
swer his claim by giving him their conf
dence, and BY placing important interests il
his hands. Thus he enters, with purpose
that are all honest, and thoughts which ar
tainted by nothing dishonorable or base, up
on y life Of active business.
W extensive rs We Trade. lie las awideF scquzrr
tance with men and things, and his standin
as merchant has been definitely ascertain
ed and settled. All things claim for him il
creased confidence, and should strengthe
and multiply his business relations. But
rumor has slowly been gaining currency
a rumor which men reluctantly breathe
J each other but which grows more distin
as it passes from mouth to mouth-a RUM
that the young merchant loves the bar roo
I better than his counting room; that Il
5 wine party has taken time which shou
i. have beer given to his Ledger, and that il
v portant interests have suffered because
5 was away at the reve. 1t does not destrc
his business at once, but it shakes its inst
u biIity, and stops its rapid growth. He
L not stranded yet, but the breakers whit
. the shore along which he Is skirting.
= Pass over another series of years. I
a faint rumor has become we'll known a
ID saddening certainty. The end foreseen a
u foretold, has been reached. The hab
to which seemed at first, like the 6laments
the SPIDERS web, woven round strong m
y have now become fetters of iron, CLASP
= around unreristing weakness. Failure
~ ~ been predicted, and has come. Distr
= succeeded to confidence Gradually br
en- ness diminished, until the very men "
. helped him 6owsward-who drank &
n, revelled with him-withdrew in fear, {
g! left him to stand if he can, sink if he D'
From the place of the principal, he desce
nr to that of subordinate. Here awaken
no no suspicion follows him, and he is soon for
IRE unfit to be a trusty subordinate. He
ire thrown forth upon the. community wi
ng once trusted him, and of which he was th
'rt' an honored and useful member, and cate
.re .rs despairingly at the smallest and the mea
sts occupations, 10 give him bread, or to
cure the accursed poison which has n
aw him what he is. Pitied by all good m
lin, Jwept over by those who stand near to h
her helped only by those whose hopes conc
ned nea Ing him are not altogether gone, he is
n'u ored, entrusted and employed by non
,on+ The remembrance Of what he was once
ave and the perpetual contrast with which
for now is, which 10 his better moments he
hat not refrain from making-the keen sen
ned, degradation, which can be blunted onl
the deeper draughts from his cups, con
sly to make life burden, when he resolv
d. cast away as fast and as soon as
nav can. He has reached the end, ms heare
be the end Of which the sparkling wine Gu
has the beginning. He has made the G
for experiment, and he has found, that tn
1ous it was pleasant to "look upon the
-. when it was red pleasant to drain
,u,s nan goblet amidst the gaiety of the feast
,efm ant to meet with boon companions,
open chase the weary hours of night away
IS of song and mirth, YETI " at the last it
, fell like serpent, and stingeth like an ad
rned Take, as another illustration, thee du
agnt Young Man, and let us view the ed
this habit upon this intellect.
He comes from the place of his pul
near. with his miad awakened, quickened,
ling,' trained. Perhaps the honors of the
other versity are resting upon him, anc
UnaO. = Loo.t. L., Loo.