Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-02-03
e.. %.
TEMPERANCE AGAIN.

suD)ecLs ana tnat the captlouS reader may
turn from thi1nrticle in contempt, to some
thing more novel, and, to him, more attrac-
Little can be said upon the subject
that is new. 1t has been argued in every
and from every position. In our
humble way we have presented the subject
to our readers from week to week for several
years. We despair Of offering anything new
or attractive; but while intemperance holds
rule. and, with its blood stained sabre. hevs
down the brightest andbest interests ofhomes.
and lays in waste our most pleasant places.
we shall, as in duty bound, continue to utter
a warning cry and urge all to fee to the tenn
perance mountain Of safety. Carpers may
taunt and ridicule as much as their evil ma
lures may prompt; but we know our duty
and it we mean to perform.
The prevailing intemperance of the day is
truly alarming. Despite all the lessons of ex-
perience, all the eloquence of fervid oratory
and fervid writing, drunkenness-beastIy.
sensual drunkenness still lifts its offensive
front all over a land claiming to be christian
lied, and among apeople protesting to be gui-
ded by the precepts of the Bible. The old
drunkards die and new ones reel in their pla-
ces. The temperance gospel, like a steady
bugle blast from themountain top. falls upon
every ear, and yetthe bloated ranks of the rum
conqueror are unbroken, and a beaten high
way records its march from the GROCERY to
a cherries grave, without a heaven or a hope.
This is a sad spectacle to contemplate as &C.
: curing in a christian land, and one over which
: the heart may sicken.
Why is it that intemperance holds such king
|, ly rule, and why is it that SO many of our
young men enter the lists of the drunken p
c There must be something radically wrong in
the very foundations of society-in the fire.
side teachings of the day. In many families
protesting to be christian, drunkenness is not
regarded with that degree of horror its helm
business merits, and social, family drinking is
n, perpetuated. On festive occasions this is
"a too generally the case. A bowl of egg-nog
must be compounded in honor of Christmas.
he and rare old rum or wine brought out to en-
liven the guests at a birthday reunion. Mem
r. bers of the church urge brother members to
ng partakc of the gilded poison on these occa-
ate slons, and they feel very secure in their own
W. personal safety in so doing! Are they blind,
ON deaf and ignorant to what is daily occurring
ner around them? Have they never given a
bv moments thought to what is passing under
,tv their own observation? Or do they foolishly
prefer the giddy and fashionable dissipation
,ese of the passing moment to the eternal safety
he OF themselves, their sons and daughters?
oil The christian ministers labor and pray for
of a revival in their separate charges. There is
a crying want for a temperance revival in the
churches. The religion of christians forbids
drunkenness but all those calling themselves
r., christians do not forbid the rum-glassi A
- stronger feeling against this custom prevailed
~ in days gone by than at present. To see a
AZ c~hurchman take a drink of brandy does not
lsed -, ~, "" ~ o"
Co. did. The old customs are striking deep
Ding
must 20 wa ~ can Il
- be to me to take a drink of spirits when | fee
like it would do NE good? Such an argu
- ment, coming from a christian man, is to b,
y of 10 make ignt Oh Tn
danger attending habits of social drinking, is
taking high grounds in its favor. So far Al
a child of ours might be concerned, we shoulc
ho.t have no fears of grogshops and drunken men
a We could easily teach him to despise the on
and pity the other. But the influence of tn
the $50 AN " NE iAlhei
friend-of his fathers brother in the churcI
what shall we say? 1t is not a matter c
surprise that so many young men, brought u
In christian families, turn out to be WORTHLESS
and reckless sots. The wonder is that S
-, many of them run clear of the trap set b
!. -, the devil for their overthrow-especiall
-, when the old arch fowler has the aid of p:
rents protesting to be christians and heirs {
"A. heaven.
We have read of men being given over I
a strong delusion that they might believe
lie. We have certainly seen instances of TIL
a~t in reference to strong drink. Who has nc
seen the delusion, the strange infatuatio
which presents some from seeing the Siler
-, influences which are constantly producin
new cases of drunkenness ? Parents are az
to think their sons too strong, too sound
their moral integrity to be overcome. The
rty to cannot coo hom : toto &c : rt,Io can aro,s
- ~AAGO6 oNS " q NASNS " -" 1919 1890 1880
a thirst for a great deal. They denounC
drunkenness and heap harsh epithets u
on the drunkard, and yet they set befol
their children the poisonous cup which pr
- duces all they reprobate, and urge them
- taste. They preach against drunkenness an
ofort utter long prayers concerning it-and sti
lead their children into the fowery patl
= ho which leads to the beaten highway of sin al
!. ;eho to the very gates of the drunkard's hell.
These things are true and to be deploreC
. And worse than all, there are members of Il
:. ia church who sell intoxicating drinks, and OF
-. ers who partake of them to intoxication.-
e. Need we hope that the reign of intemperant
- may be oyerthrown while it has such homo
They ao'e Pauohss IA ior a great 'enPerah
f the revival, in which all shall be convinced, a
-. when the watchword, Te1aperance-TEMPI
. ."A' AScE shall ring out, like an earnest buI
they blast, from the hilltop of every home in o
4 they sorely rum-scourged landl
"a -.