Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-09-18

Would you be happy? Strengthen and control,
And regulate, the spring of bliss, the soul.
To know the truth, to commence its practice,
and even to commence it with laudable desires and
motives, does not satisfy the requirements of the
Sons. They insist that every Son shall be armed
with the breastplate of Fidelity conscientious
ard faithful adherence to their engagement. The
soldier who turns back because of the Antterers
in the way, or the lions on the patti, OF the soy
ngs of the worldly wise, or Of the hills of diff
Guilty, is cast out of their presence. Bunyar
writes, that when Christian and Faithful We're on
their journey, they came to city called Vanity,
where was great Fair. The two travellers were
apprehended, imprisoned and at length brought
to trial. The indictment read thus "Thnt they
were enemies to and disturbers of the Trade; that
they had made connections and divisions in the
town, and had won party to their own most dan
gerous opinions in contempt Of the Law of their
Prince Beelzebub." The Sons are expected to
reply like Faithful ''They had set themselves
against that which had set itself against Him that
is higher than the highest. And as for distur-
bance We make none being men of peace the
parties that were won to US were won by behold
ing our truth and innocence, and they are only
turned from tie worse to the better. And as to
the King you talk of, since he is Beelzebub, we
defy him and all his angels" Be faithful unto
death is our motto.
| Prudence is another weapon, mighty for offence
or defence, with the Sons. 1t may be defned:
'the net of suiting words and actions according
to the circumstances Of things, or rules Of right
reason" But who is always wise :? BE this as it
may, an imprudent Son is a curse to the Society,
as an imprudent christian is to t.. Church of
Christ. "Cne sinner destroyeth much good"-
On this Scott remarks: "he may prevent the sue
cess Of the best concerted plans, overturn the
most prudent regulations, and speedily destroy
the good that has been long devising and accom-
plishing" But suppose that the imprudent Son,
and the imprudent christian do exist and do ope-
rate, what effect should be produced on the So
ciety, on the Church, and on the world? 1t should
incite the Son and christian to greater prudence
on their own parts 1t does not affect in the least
their estimation of their respective organizations
Truth every where is the same as before. The
Church has perhaps ever had Judas, living and
operating within her pale. Every society on
earth of mature age has perhaps had its impru-
dent member. The wise and prudent man is not
apt to form conclusion respecting any society
without full knowledge and candid examination.
In the absence of these prerequisites he preserves
his judgment undecided. To make the impru-
moral the groundwork of opposition to such soci-
ETY., betrays recklcssness of purpose, OF that
careless state of feeling, which seek prctext.-
1t should be of no avail, except in the absence Of
all better sources of information. These propo-
sitons lie on the surface of thought, and no doubt
will receive general assent, yet, ''the will being
father to the thought" they are not always made
the guide to practice in the life.
The Constitution and By Laws of the Sons Of
Temperance being readily attainablc in printed
pamphlet, it is deemed unnecessary to specify
any portion of its contents. We leave it to answer
for itself.
As matter connected in some degree with the
foregoing remarks, but greatly more so with
those we hope to make hereafter, we throw out
the following extracts from "Christian Theism,"
the first prize essay of the Burnett bequest, for
the reflection of those who delight in such inves-
legations: 'If there be current opinion that yir-
tuous and lovely qualities are in themselves sin
fuh or that any natural power or faculty Of man
is evil in itself; that "God disowns my nature as
not His work but the devils work, and thereby
tells me that He is not my Creator, and teaches
that owe Him no obedience, no worship, no
trust :" if there be custom with any Christians
of presenting the doctrine of human corruption in
a form which must discourage virtuous endeavor,
and "snap the sinews of moral effort" such opin-
ions and and such custom are as contrary to the
word of God as to the moral nature Of man \ n
Every motive to moral endeavor and virtuous
practice which can be found in the world and in
the moral nature of man, is approved by revela-
ton, and confirmed in the system Of Redemption
by new motives, far higher, more powerful, more
inspiring, than any which are to be found in hu-
manity." THE COMMITTEE.