Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-27

of heaven, it becomes you to avoid their
crime, that you may escape their doom.
It is not certain, however, that others will
prosecute the destructive business, if you
abandon t. Men of forethought will not
now embark their silver and gold on pes
tilential stream, soon to be dried up under
that blaze of light and heat which a merci
full God has enkindled. They will not deem
it either wise or safe to kindle unholy and
deadly fires where the pure river of the water
of life is so soon to overflow. In the eye of
thousands, the distillery on your premises
adds nothing to their value. Indeed, should
they purchase those premises, the filthy es-
sablishea aieTs would be demolished as the
first effort of Improvement And every
month and hour is detracing from its value,
and blackening the curse that rests upon it.
Let the thousands now concerned in dis
tilling at once put out their fires, and the act
would cause one general burst of Joy through
the nation; and any effort to rekindle them
would excite an equally general burst Of in
dignation and abhorrence. None but
monster Of depravity would ever make the
attempt.
Bat again, perhaps you say, No one IS OBJ
hged to use the spirit that as made But re-
member, that you make it only to be used
You make it with the desire, with the hope,
with the expectation that it will be used
You know it has been used by thousands
by millions-and has strewed the land with
desolation, and pe)pled hell with its victims J;
and you cannot but acknowledge that YOU
would at once cease to make the liquor, did
you not hope At aCould c0utinue to be used-
Indeed, you must see that Just iR proportion
to y0uT success will be the amount Of mischief
| done tn YOUR fell0w-men,
| 1t seems hardly needful to say that the
/ foregoing considerations are all strictly appli-
cable to such as furnish the matherials for the
distiller. Were theee withheld, his degra-
ding occupation would of course cease. By
suffering, then, the fruits of your industry
to pass into his hands, you perpetuate his
work CT death. You share all his guilt,
and shame, and curse. And remember too,
that the bushel of grain, the barrel of cider,
the hogshead of molasses, for which you thus
gain pittance, may be returned from the
fiery process only to hasten the infamy and
endless ruin Of beloved son, or brother, or
friend.
Nor is the crime of the retailer of ardent
r-spirt essentially different. He takes the poi
son from the distiller and insidiously deals
it out to his fellow men. 1t is truly stirring
to ones Indignation to notice his variety of
artiice for rendering it enticing. His occu-
patton is one which the civil authorities have,
in some places with a noble consistency,
ceased to tolerate and one which must soon
lie put down by the loud voice of public sem
, timert.
Indeed, the retailer, thed,st1Ier and he who
furnishes Hq materials, must be looked upon as
forming a triple dangerous alike to private
| and social happiness, and to every liberty q
Q the nation. And an awakened people cannot
e rest till the deadly compact is sundered Why
/ not, then, anticipate little the verdict and
: the vengeance Of a rising tone Of public sen.
, timent, at once proclaim the anh0ly alliance
l dissolved? Why not anticipate the verdict OF
infinitely higher tribunal-why not believe
e Gods threatening, and escape the eternal
: tempest that lowers for him rho puiteth Hl
e cap 10 his nejghbor's lips +? Why not coope,
4 rate promptly in a public reform that is re
r garded with intense interest in heaven, on
G earth, and Ia hell?
y 0 review, as men of reason, and conscience
e and Immortality, this whole business. And
if you have no ambition to benefit your tslloa0-
) men-f you can consent to 1uiD many 70,
y both lC0rtdS-if you can persist in 1castin1
r and perreyting the Jouaties OF a kind ProUidenc,
+, If you can outrage the feelings of the most
Il enlightened and cjrtuoIS-if you can pursue a
a work Of darkness amid monday Hghf-if you
y can sacrifice good name, and entail odium
9 on all you leave-and if you can deliberately
} offend God, and leopard your immortal in
e terests for paltry gain, then 90 on-go on
i little longer but, " 0 my soul, come not thou
e into their secret; unto their assembly min,
If honor, be not thou united"