Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-01-21
influence Of Temperance Men

MEN Possessing the principles If tenaar
ance, exert a very great Influence NM, Tho
public. In consequence of the hiub and
bic profession they have made, Ike the sa,.
OF Rechab, to drink NJ wine while tha
world standeth," they a. once. from tlix ,.,.
become possessed Of an infrence .m,nr
their %fellowrhen capable If e~xertiuc > oraa,
deal of good or a great deal of harm. accord
ing to the way and manner thew c.Ddpc+
themselves. They become men Of p,oyn mote
the higher they set the mark of their mora,
standard They become as beacon E,.b.s
set along the rugged coast If life. In Will
the mariner on an eternal voyage NAV staar
has bark safely and avoid the shoals the
seeis aud the breakers that lie hidden bsro
and there beneath deceitfnl waves. Spcb
lsh's are important to the mariner. If they
De lowered, they may deceive and lad On 70
ruin. If they leave their high and noble Sta
ton aud from sCme other point east their
light across the great butlic sea. they may
lure some hapiess craft upon breakers to b.
torn and destroyed %f5reTer. Very important
Is II, then. that mea, who by profession be-
Come signals and beaeons tn the greet crew
OF humanity, should always be al their post
with their light neither too high or too lou
always on the high and commanding Hill
where they have beea set. and never in odd.
out oEthe way places.
One can very readily see that evil conse.
quenres would constantly arise by men nro-
Tossing to be beacon lights, and by their con-
duet proving that they were just no beacon
lights at all, at least no true light varpip1
) OF danger. Other men. who had cou6danaa
: IN them, would be sorely tempted by the evi
4 one to follow after them thinking they mus.
be right, This is Il very grave consideration.
and one calculated to produce a very unpleas
! ant twinge under the vest of man who once
I mace high professions of regard for the tenn
y perance cause and afterwards fell from hi.
high estate and transgressed the law Of tenn
e peranee. Suppose such a man had a neigh
Dor, one who bad, in former wears. bean
drunkard almost beyond hope. abusive to
It his family and insulting to his God. and had
E happily reformed through the influence Of
his friend, who had long labored in the cause
e OF temperance and especially for the reforms-
IF ten of this poor, drunken neighbor. Nov
le if this temperance man forgets himself and
in an unguarded moment drinks grog him
self, he lowers himself from the high posi-
ton he once commanded and in all probable
ity will be the means of leading his half re
formed neighhor astray and p~lurging hin
lie again in the terrible whirlpool Of moral de
Of generacy from whose dangers he had happi
o ~ been snatched. Suppose such should hap
lie pen to you. my reader? What wonld be th
g. feelings that would haunt you-and how yer
troublesome conscience would be, day an
- night constantly twitting you of your trans
n gress;on?
g Not only in an individual relation does II
= backsliding temperance man exert his inf
ence for evil, but he also stahs the cause
which he once vowed a lie lorg alIegianc,
" The cause suffers frcm such men-they b
to come a reproach-a byword and a stigma
re All! reader, we envy not your feelings if 20
have unfortunately caused your brother I
: "ofend" by your unworthy example. b
70 ware how you employ the infuerce vuu D..
ns sess. 1t may be greater than Won think
is you may be instrumental in saving man
sheaves for the garner of the skies-yon ma
:, aid IN crowdiEg he'll with tares