Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-06-11
For the Spirit of the Age.

What does experience say? Who can
do the most work and stand the cold and the
heat best; the man who drinks or the one
who does not? For a few hours or a day, the
man who drinks may do the most, because he
is stimulated, and the system is not exhaus-
ted. But who can do the most work in a
year? Also, take liquor from a man who
drinks, and can he do as much work in a
day as one who does not No, other things
being equal, he cannot. And why Because
liquor, instead Of STRENGTHENING his %constitu
ton in order to endure hardships, has weak
ened and debilitated the man.
Objection. We'll, you say, all this may
be true. But what then will you do with
tobacco, coffee, tea, &C.? There is no nour-
ishment in them, they are only stimulants,
and he who uses them can no more do with
out them and work, than the man can do
without his liquor
Well, perhaps, it may be so. Let US ex-
anime and see. As to tobacco, we cannot
defend it you perhaps are right in it. But
as to coffee and tea, it is to be questioned,
edlh FIT FIAT th so ffeelggGSM Ha sJ Esa a i 5iuy L sj is Raa GfE,
some learned men of late say they are neces-
sary and useful, if not to all, at least to most
men. Gu very constitution seems to de.
mand a %stimulant, but not any and every
kind of stimulant. Our very life is like .
fire within us, which must be fed and KEEP
up, and it needs not only bread and meat, as
solid food, but it needs a liquid to answer
as kindlings. We'll, you say water anC
milk is best 1t may be so, but does expe
rience say so? Are those who use water o.
milk at meals-are they, according to thei
number, generally more healthy than thos
who use coffee and tea? Perhaps they ma,
live longer, but in the long run, can they d
more for mankind and the glory of God p
Very true, men may injure themselves il
drinking coffee and tea, as we'll as in drink
ing water or in eating bread and meat, We
we must not re ect a thing simply because
is a stimulant, else even meat which is
great stimulant must be rejected. God ha
given us all things richly to enjoy. Whs
he has given us is good for food and useft
to Us. tie has given us meat tc eat, He ha
given us bread, made of corn and wheat, an
He has also given us coffee and tea; but II
has not IN the same manner given us liquo
We dry and grind our corn, wheat, coffee an
tea, and then we cook and boil them to e;
and drink. But it is not just SO with liouo
Apples dried and cooked are good for food
and the %juicetof apples for cider, is good f;
drink, and IN moderate quantities will NJ
hurt a well man. But with liquor and viii
key, the apples and corn are suffered to re
and the juice must undergo fermentation b
fore we have what is called liquor and viii
key. Apples may do to eat before they re-
aud SO cider may do to drink but not liauo
tor 1t Is drawn from rotten apples, and is DC
soAous, and no more fit to drink thar the re-
, ten apples are fit to eat.
Also as regards bread and meat, coffee ar
tea, the same quantity viii answer a m,
from day to day, through life, but it is not
Z with liquor. Now does not this fact also {
! ex~perience) seem to speak against LIQUOR ?
The others are natural gifts of God, good f
) food, and in a daily allowance. But wi
] liquor you pray Tor more than your yestt
days allowance, you say 1T wont do. VI
! must have more. You ask fer your dai
. bread, meat, coffee and tea, but YOU wa
more than your daily liquor. What til
does God IN his providence seem to say
d this question Is liquor like bread, and W
e a daily quantity suffice? All! it seems th
the one is from God and suited to the natul
appetite, but the other is one of the inve
Z tons OF man to satisfy his unnatural,
: qulred appetite. Does it not seem SO? Y
) may boast Of liquor as one of the good gi
a of Coda good creature of God.' But is
u SO! Is it one of Gods gifts-is it a creatu
or thing of'His making? You may scar
the world over, and you may not fnd a
liquor made directly at hand by God. Y,
true, 1t, or something like it, may exist. or
! found in the decay ofapples and other thin,
but that Is to be regarded as the miasl
from decayed vegetables or low svamps
l. an evil to correct another evil. Nor is liqr
is in any just sense good, as a good creature
% article. Man in first taking liquor does
- think it good, and very few get to think
= good-yery few drink it just because tt
= , like it, but for the effect it produces ur
q them. Il makes them feel great and 90
L when they are really no better off, but of
Is leaves them in a much worse state. We c
3t liquor the staff of life,' but it is the helm
d death. B. j. S
SaT The news from Kansas continues
give accounts of bloodshed and riot to
l. alarming extent.