Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-02-12

| our Strengtn before we SiaPpie Will 'hoin'
Love of strong drink is, in many cases,
stronger than reason and sets aside its decis.
ions. Stronger than conscience, trampling
it under foot. Stronger than all mans in
stincts Stronger than his sense of right
his self-resrect-hs love for his country
love pledged at the altar-love for children
love of character-or honor or life. Each
of these, yea all combined, fall before this
ruling passion of the Inebriate. By this af
fection he is bound hand and foot and
brought to level with the brute and made
to wallow in the dirt, or sent forth terror
and curse to his kind. This inward crav-
ing is Unsuitable and the misery which, at
times, it inhicts on its victims can only be
exceeded by the torments of the lost. Drlv
ing them to desperation, they are, at times,
compelled to steel, and to murder to satisfy
its demands.
OF the love of game from the traffic in ar
dent spirits, when matured, language almost
equally strong may be used And formida-
Bile as these obsticles are, they must be met
aud surmouuted by the friends of Temper
ance before their work is complete.
But it is said 'sthere is no hope for the
Drunkard. No one expects him to reform.
His case is hopeless. Our object is to save
the sober and to raise up a temperate gener-
alton" But humanity forbids that this un-
fortunate class should be abandoned. And
I assure you, if your means of rescue and
power of deliverance be not adequate for the
salvation of the apparently hopeless inebriate,
it can give but little certain and permanent
security to the sober. 1t is not the remedy
upon which to rely in this great emergency,
when so much is at stake.
We have seen the obstacles before US
examined their nature-the deep seated in-
Auence which they have on many. How
are they to be overcome? Can it be done by
an act of the wil-by resolution to abstain !?
BY giving visible form to this purpose by
signing pledge and by uniting himself with
some Temperance Association p In many
cases this process may succeed and preserve
men sober. And in others, for time. But
as to overcoming the obstacles already stated,
such means and agencies are perfectly Duga-
tory. A man whose love for drink is strong
er than his love for life, from his desire to
escape the ruin of IntemperaDce and from
exaggerated statements of friends respecting
the potency Of the Pledge and societies, may
be prevailed upon to form purpose to OBJ
stain-to sign Pledge-yea, to pledge his
honor. Does this course work out his Re-
formation? Not nece> sarily. Being crea-
ture of motives his course is, eventually, de-
termined by the strongest influences. His
immoderate appetite for Intoxicating drinks
having in innumerable instances triumphed
over him, is still within him. Itis not pro-
bable that now it can be mastered by mere
volition. 1t is there in the perfection of its
strength No strong man armed has enter
ed and subdued it. Our affections do not
obey the will. They do not go and come at
its call. Neither does love for drink. A man
may will to love his neighbor, but may not
be able to do it. Under the convictions of
reason he may resolve to govern his house.
But resisting agencies may be so strong that
he may not be able to carry out his purpose.
Running down hill you may will to stop
midway, but an irresistible influence may
compel you to 60 to the bottom; so, by the
habitual use of strong drink, when certain
point has. been passed the thirst becomes
ungover1Sble Our own ability as put forth
in the determinations of the will may be
sufficient for the supp ession Of the appetite,
while sustained by the presence and cheers
of trieuds-by speeches, meetings, euloeles
&c. So long as an excitement is kept up
and the eyes OF the community are on us,
the reform will exist. But life cannot be
passed under these circumstances. He must
90 to his home-into solitude. He must 90
among strangers, and too often his resolu-
tiuns become feeble and he falls Not be-
cause they have no potency in themselves,
or were not made in sincerity, but because
they are not sufficient to contend successful
ly, with this ruling passion of his soul. The
sight of his jovial compassioDs Scenes Of
former revels. The sight Of the wine cup.
The odor of the poison-any of these are
capable Of stirring the demon within and all
his purposes and pledges arc as chaff before
the wind. This appetite must be destroyed
or subdued by some agency more powerful
than any which belongs to man. BY one
which can effect an entire change in his
principles, views and feelings. Then per-
poses and pledges coming from such source
and sustained by Almighty Power will abide.
The presence, then, and agency of religion is
necessary. For by it alone such change
can be wrought in man. Shielded by its
strength he goes forth secure against his eue-
mics from within and without. For he is
armed with "the sword of the Spirit, which
is the word Of God" and the power Of The
Holy Ghost. Appetites and habits which
were assailed, in vain, by human wisdom and
strength, fall before the power Of God. 81
can do all things through Christ which
strcnghcneth me-" The religion of Christ
is the true lever by which man is to be rails
, ed from the degradation of Iutenpcrance.
If this position be not true, there is no
, hope for the victims of Intemperance, and
those who labor in this cause have no good
ground for assurance that they can succeed.
But while l am allowed to believe my Bible
and to read in it "Nor thieves, nor covctous,