Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-09-26
For the Spirit of the Age.
EXTRACT FROM AN ADDRESS

Delivered before " Little Riyer Division"
s. Of T.-By J. W. ANDERSON, M. D.
Intemperance is an evil which has exis-
ted from earliest times, and it is also an
evil which philanthropy has in all ages en-
deavored to mitigate and destroy. It is
probable that the first body of men, who
pledged themselves to g drink no wine all
their days." was that composed Of the sons
of Rechab, who thus afford us the first in
stance of total abstinence society. Since
that day, numerous organizations have
arisen, all directed towards the same end,
and in latter years, a0e have seen the Wash
ingtonians, the Rechabites, the Knights
Templar, the Sons of Temperance, and
many others, all pledged to burst the iron
bonds of Intemperance, and restore degra-
ded man to his proper level. Some of
these have passed away. They accom-
plished their mission, and gave place to
fairer and more effective organizations.
At first all that was sought was pledge
to drink no more aoia,e NoD, we promise
to abstain from all that will intoxicate, and
that not for a few years, or during our con-
nection with the Order, but forever. [
speak now of the pledge in the third de-
gree of this order-the most beautiful, the
most effective that has ever existed. Men
have sneered, and said " it will 90 down,
it will go down." almost since the hour
of its institution, but in spite of these
prophecies, it still stands tower of strength
an ark of safety to the victim of the still
What if isolated divisions have sunk and
been dissolved That is but the pruning
of the vigorous tree, and Notwithstanding
these occasional losses, our banner still
waves in triumph from one end of this
Union to the other, and even among the
SHOWS Of ice-bound Canada. Long may il
float above us, for the day upon which tha
snowy banner is trailed in the dust, vii
be dark one for our country. But ny
friends, that day will never come thes,
principles are immortal, and even shoult
the order of Sons of Temperance pass ava,
it will only be to spring Phenix-like, from
its ashes, more glorious and more usefu
/ than before. 1t aDay wear new name, i
may bear different colors, but its princi
pies will be the same, its objects alike, an
they must and will prevail. How strang
it seems, that man in the full possession G
his senses, with clear unclouded intellect
and healthful vigorous form, should rus
madly to the wine-cup, when he know
that in its sparkling foam, there turks
poison, with power to slay not the bod
alone, but the IMMORTAL SOUL Th
noblest form that ever God gave to maj
will wither beneath its blasting spell, ;
summer flowers before the 'snorth wind
! breath, the greatest mind-the prout
j est intellect, fall a ruin and pitiless wrec
before it. Does this need confirmation
! Does any one doubt the business of this a
sertion? Then let me point him to Il
names of Byron, Burns, Steele, Charl
. Lamb, Edgar A. Poe, and host of OF
: ers eminent and distinguished. Men W
} have stood in the high places of the cart
whose stars have paled all lesser lights
the galaxy of genius, and who, yet ha
grasped the poisonous cup, to go down
r the dark and silent tomb, inscribing tn
| names upon the melancholy record of t
s Demon of the still. o, how does the bio
of its injured victims cry up to Heaz