Washington telegraph., 1856-03-26

Noah tasted OF the fruit of the vine and be-
come drunken, down to the present era. the
Oracles of God have been the same in their
denunclations of the inhunan, brutal, de-
baslng. denoralizing, hellish practice and
Will ever. to all eternity. thunder in the
ears of men their fearful and frishtful
anathemas against drunkenness and its un-
fortunate subjects. But as all are ready 20
admit. that in the light of Revelation, the
meridian sun, to cur dark and benighted
world. 1t is wrong for beings, human and
intelligent, to indulge in drunkenness, we
proceed to other considcrations-why sober
ness should be pre-eminent and crowning
virtue IN every mans character. Our Gre
atOr. IN the eternal counsels of his wisdom.
determined TO make Us beiGgs of SociabilIty.
whence should Issue streams OF pleasure and
en- lOyment, to cheer, buoy uD and enliven
the dcSponding soul. In the very or ganiza
ton and foundation of societies, eommuni-
ties and social compacts. each Of Us Is ne
cessarily compelled to abriIge. to a certain
extent those natural aud unhridled liberties
which We might claim and eIii;oy under diff.
terent circumstances, in order that the GEN
eral good and welfare of the community be
promoted aud advanced. Such is indispen-
sably necessary IN the very constitution aud
existence of societies Lam brought under
obligations to yOI and you to me, for the
performance OF duties. personal and social,
which requirements would net and could
not be made at our hands. were we not
bound by the laws and relations necessarily
growing out of social compacts. As MEM
bers OF society we are called upon to make
those sacrifices of the mcaner and lower OBJ
Jects Of pleasure and enjoyment and drunk
enness Is one of the lowest anG r,cano,t of
them all but instead of the nobl,.r ana Du
rer enjoyments of life being curtailed there
by. they are Enlightened and deepened,
heightened and extended, until every object
OF pleasure or qualification worthy the con-
slderatiOn of an immortal and aspiring
soul, is brought within their compass. No
one inebFiated, or under the full blast of in
tOxicatiou. is capable. or qualified in any
sense whatever, to perform Alright the du
ties required at his hands growing out of
his various social relations. Again. in the
formation and construction of our bodies.
there is something that revolts and shudiers
at the thought of anything that will so fear
fully shock and convulSe the beautiful, per
feet. and most delicate mechanism Of our
systems we are wonderfully and fear
fully made" and . tits strange that harp
composed Of so many strings should keep in
tune so long, Take any organ or system
of organs about the body. and the most per-
feet harmony and regularity pervades the
whole. Examine them. and push your re
searches 10 the very utmost limit in attempt
ing 10 understand and unfold the beauties and
mysteries connected Herewith. the adapta-
tiOn oe means to ends to be accomplished,
until thought and research faltey and
fail. and the mind. lost and bewildered in
the boundless iliimtable labyrint;s of un-
fatbomable mysteries and mazes into which
she has leaped. tires sickens and recoils mp
on herself. vet there is no want or defcien-
cy found there-no vacuum to be filed by
alc0hol-the beverage of demons and the
willy dart of devils: But the whole Is
most perfect and complete, and is living
moving monument of the onlnipotenee and
God like skill of Its Creator.
Can it be possible that such a being the
last, the noblest effort of Infinite skill and
wisdom. can so far forget himself. as to
stoOp so low beneath the exalted and disni-
fed position which Deity designed him to
occupy, as to tread the pools, loathesome
and revolving of misery. disgrace and de-
gradation that inevitably attend drunken
ness? But view him as an intellectual
being-the miniature likeness of God him
self-endowed with thinking, rejecting
r,Ir1 tbat orl,- O.,nc Fl, a,,I
by one mighty grasp of its powers. seizes
and unfolds mysteries dark AMI abstruse
but conscious of its abilities mounts upwards
on pinions Of thought toward Heaven where
fields of reflection and study. more lovely
aud fair. and more congenial with its tastes
and desires shall continually open up and
presen: themselves for It's Investigation
TO The very shrine Of Deity itselt-to the
temple of mysteries profoundly secret and
sacred-it approaches, aud would enter In
and grapple with abStruSitiez, alone com
pretended by the Infinite.
Again. as moral being, endowed with
faculties capable of enjoying aud appreeia-
ting. not only the richest blessings that ger
inmate and grow iu earthly soil. but fit com
Panions of angels. 20 walk the golden streets
of the eternal city. and there bask and de-
light itself in pleasures heavenly and di-
vine, shat cluster Immediately about the
throne. or to sink down deep and yet deeper
into the woes Of eternal night. and there
endure the knawings of the undying worm,
aud the fierce anger Of Jehovah's wrath
that shall ever fash and play before its Wis
ion.
Do you tell me It's not wrong for such
a being to become drunkard, and thus
by one mighty bound. o'erleap the objects
and Purposes of his creation ? Shall he
strip himself of property. friends. and eve
ry endearing tie of earth Shall his fami-
" become outcasts and vagabonds in the
world, and his home the hell in miniature
where devils infuriate shall celebrate their
baechanalian revelries ! Shall those eyes.
once sparkling with immortal youth and
brilliancy, glare with unutterable woe and
misery Shall hissbosom. where peace and
TRANQUILITY shou1d reirn. become the abode