Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-12-23
Yahiss' department,
IPUBLIsnED DY REQUEST or TIN DIVISION.
Address to the Members ofClio Division.
BY MISS N. a. SMITH.

though with reluctance, feeling my incom-
potency to do the subject justice. But the
cause Of temperance Is Of such great impor-
tance, it should engage the attention of
every lady and gentleman on the face Of
the earth, calling themselves friends to hu-
mainly.
Intemperance is one among the great
est evils IN the known world. Ii may APP
ply to excuses in eating, drinking, dressing
and to other extravagancies; but here 1t
has more immediate reference TO drinking
intoxicating liquors. BY this great evil,
what a number of promising fathers and
sons have filed drunkard's graves! How
many widows and orphans have been turn,
cd out upon the charity of the world, with
out a home or any means of support!
Intemperance destroys more human be-
iigs than famine or sword. How many
thousands are annually sacrificed to ap-
pease the i~nsatiste deyourer! Is it not
enough TO make our hearts bleed, to think
Of thisl How can we behold the suffer
mziags Of humanity and not fly to rescue the
pnkard from ruipl Should we not do
alpm our p6wer 70 rescue him from such
imminent danger? The question arises,
how can this be donei How shall we re-
liere him from thraldom? Is there no
balm in Gilead for the healing of the ma
tionl Is there no standard we can erect,
as Moses did in the wilderness, to save our
people from the bite of the poisonous SER
pentl Yes! the standard Of Love, Purity
and Fidelity will save them, if they will en-
list under its folds. May it wave with free
dom, until King Alcohol, with his numer-
Gus hosts, shall be subdued. May it float
unblemished, until its standard is planted
upon every soil Of the globe.
The temperance cause is worthy of the
support Of all. BY it the widows heart is
made to rejoice and the orphan feels its
benign influence. Heaven speed the time
when the Bachanalian's voice viii be hearC
no more, but ali shall be peace and harmo
ny. Could we see the tears and hear thu
heart rending cries that are daily ascend
ing from the disconsolate wife and famish
ing children, caused by the rum seller, W
could think Of no work so bard, SO labor
Gus, that We would not willingly perform t
restore them to peace and happiness.
What is more revolving than to see
gentleman quatflng the.poisonous cup, as
it were the nectar of the gods! To sc
him recling and staggering along OF
streets, filling the air with his blasphemie
"His mouth is full of cursing and bitterness
his feet are swift to shed blood destru
ton and misery are in his ways. The wa,
Of pcacc/he knows not there is no fear
God before his eyes" for he will even da
to take his holy name in vain. What
pity that man, the noblest work of Go
who has been a rational being, endow,
with wisdom above every other ereatul
should thus degrade himself! Had 4
Creator intended him 10 be like a beast,
would not have made him rational yet
puts himself upon a level with the beast
~wallowing in the mud. Oh! degrad
-fPS8NH III III f n rdfaGff stE 81 BEL 6sc8in9g DESTROYED.
Drunkenness had prevailed to such an
tent, that It was found necessary to dev
some means for a reformation. The 81
pie Temperance pledge was introduced
did not accomplish the end for which
was intended. Those that Joined were |
sheep without a shepherd they had
wall to defend them from their enemies
As the Chinese built a wall to protect the
selves from their enemies, so the Order
the Sons Of Temperance is n wall of
fence against King Alcohol. So long
the gates Of the enclosure can be kept 81
there is no danger of the enemy; bu'
soon as the weak members get outside t
are caught in a snare which is hid for I'll
at the grog shop. Therefore it is bette
keep their appetites under restraint, [
to be destroyed themselves.
Some oppose the Order of the Son.
Temperance because it is a secret soci
and say why not throw your doors opel
the world, and let every one see what
are doingl slide not your light und
bushelp Now this is a poor argumen
Does not the Church and every othel
s%titution have rules and regulations OF
ownl Docs not every family have sec
which they do not deem proper to re
TO the world ? and should we pass
friends by with disdain, because they
fuse to tell us all they know about I
family affairs 2 Certainly not. "Then
strain so hard at a gnat and swallow a
ell" Oppose the order of the Sons of I
perance no longer on account of its seci
Others will say the Sons are not t
they drink liquor after they join, and al
better than those who do not belong I,
Order. l hope this is not true, with m
at least and if some are SO false to
honor and thus impose on a good eau
that any argument that there are not {
true and faithful Sonsl Every instit,
is liable to be imposed on and shaI
give over the struggle because some \
u~nfaithfull Surely not; but let us de
our diligence and be more firm in
course, and be determined, let Others
they may, zoe viii be true and faithful
Perseverance is essential. 1t We
perseverance that Benjamin Franklin
the lightnings from heaven and col
them in the narrow space of a bottle.
US not be weary in well doing, for we
reap if we faint not. We are pre-em
ly situated TO every other nation on
we enjoy freedom and liberty, and
dare to modest or make us afraid.
while We enjoy such glorious p~rivileg
should not forget Him from whom al
blessings flow.
1t appears that even in ancient
there was need Of a Temperance re
ton. We arc told that when Cyru,
of Persia, was a boy, that he one day
as cup bearer to his grandfather Cal
II was customary for the one peri
this Office IN taste the vino hafora