Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-08-07


confession is two-fold to wit, visible con-
nexon, and practice in the life. The man,
who Processes to be a christian is expected to
seek and exhibit this visible connexion, and
not merely to practice in his closet the obli-
cations Of duty. Why should not this prin-
ciplc apply to the professors Of temperance ?
In our view it has direct application. If
you regard the language of Isaiah as truth /:
"Wo unto them that are mighty to drink
wine, and men of strength to mingle strong
drink: which Justify the wicked for reward,
and take away the Righteousness of the
righteous from him"-if it be your duty to
abolish, by all the means in your power,
the use and evil of strong drink--if you
claim the distinction and title of friend Of
temperance, how do you excuse and exone-
rate yourself frCm this visible conncxion-
this principle of confession 81 know thy
works, said the faithful and true witness to
the church of the Laodceans, that thou art
neither cold nor hot: would thou vert
cold or hot. So then, because thou art luke
warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spcw
thee out of my mouth" Obedience to the
injunction of Paul is your duty "Qait you
like men, be strong"
1t may be you have reason for avoiding
this connexion with the Sons Is the rea-
son valid? Have you examined the whole
ground carefully-prayerfully? In extreme
ly rare instances this may be true. In a
multitude of cases VIC in candor doubt it.
The great majority, we imagine, have enga.
ged in little thoug ght on the matter. Some,
VIC fear, have taken their elfshness-othcrs,
their prciudices-and few, perhaps both
to the examination. We hold that the re-
marks of the pious Wilbcrforce, respecting
the course of skcptics, are in a great degree
applicable to many obiectors to the society
of the Sons of Temperance. "Can the skep-
tic in general say with truth, that he has
either prosecuted an examination into the
evidences of revelation at all, or at least with
a seriousness and diligence in any degree
proportioned to the importance of the sub.
ject? The fact is, and it is fact which
rebounds to the honor of Christianity, that
infdelity is not the result of sober inquiry
and deliberate preference. 1t is rather the
slow production of a careless and x >: * life,
operating together with preiudices and er-
roneous conceptions concerning the nature
of the leading doctrines and fundamental
tenets of Christianity * x i = a confused
sense, for such it is, rather than formed
idea Of its being desirable that their doubts
should prove well founded, lends them
much secret aid # ItcaSon. and hnnght
and ;ngni,y had little or nothing to do with
it * f: + It may therefore be laid down rs
an axiom, that infleliiy is in general us
ease Of Die hrnW more than of the under
standing" SO far Wilbcrforce. We call
upon the obicctor to examine himself in the
light Of Divine TRUTH whether his present
position in the Temperance Cause be the
result of Dan examination prosecuted with I"
scrio"So"sS and dliycncc proportioned TO the
Importance of the subject whether that
position be "thc result Of Sobcr inquiry and
delibcr"ic pr~tcr"""c'- or is it 'srather the
produ:tion of r"rc|rs& and selfish life, opera
ting together with pry"1iccs and errO"co"S
conceptions concerning the nature" ofthc So
cicty-or is "a c0aiuscd mnSc rather than Il
formed idea or is it ga disease Of hr
hcnH more than of the understanding p
The responsibility of the examination is with
yon, and not with us. We leave its settle
ment between God and your conscience.
The ingenuity of the human mind can
suggest dllicullc*in in every thing. The Will
of Heaven, as revealed to US, is itself not
free from them. Wearc free to admit, that
every human institution--and ours is no
more-is in certain sense, sinful, or in other
words, that every human work is imperfect
But We dare to maintain boldly, that the Or
ganizatiou of the Sons is built upon princi-
Piles recognized by the apostles and prophets,
(not covering, by any prctensions, the whole
fsundation)--that its cause, in great and
leading objects, is the cause of God-and
that it recognizes no sinful principle or prac-
tice, and transgresscs no precrrt or injunc-
ton of the Divine Law. However, let us
fora while come and reason together. 1t is
plain and undcniable proposition, that the
Society is either laulable and ought to be
supported, or sinful and should be opposed.
If it contain the evil which dcbars you as a
protesting christian from entrance, We tell
you, that as faithful follower of Christ, you
are bound to oppose the Sccicty openly and
fearless'y. 1t becomes your duty to sound
tfe trumpet Of alarm-to assemble the pee
pie, and proclaim its sinfulness from the
housc-tops BY whom will you or your Oral
tor be sustained ? Of every conceivable
shade of character in this community, from
the most devout to the most dcbased and vile,
on what shade can you calculate for support
with the more perfect faith and assurance !?
Dare you answer to your God? Prompt to
the call, they come. What an asSemblage /?
The sight would turn good man pale. To
escape from the slahbcring embraces Of his
drunken allies, the orator mounts the ros-
trum. "AIy noble and most worthy peers ::
my orderloving and Misunderstanding COM
panions my estimable associates in the
cause of morality and Of happy fresides -
No good man onght to have any thing to
do with that atrocious set, the Sons of Tenn
pcrancc," proclaims the orator. "lloo-raw,
90 it, my hearty-truc as pren"hi"g," re-
echoes the motley crew. As all earthly