Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-12-01
Virginia.

We are under obligations to our Brother
Grand Scribe of the Old Dominion, for the
following interesting account of the progress
OF the good cause in that State. It is indeed
refreshing to read the evidences Of advance
ment here given and from it the Sons of
Temperance in North Carolina and all other
States, may learn a lesson by which We may
profit, and realize similar blessings, if we will
be vigilant and untiring in the means. The
secret Of the success Of the "Sons" in Vir-
ginia is simply this they worked-eUery one
Of hem-day and night and the fiercer and
stronger the opposition, the harder they
worked, and the more resolute and deter
mined they becamel If this spirit dwelt in
the heart and was carried out in the actions
OF the "Sons" every where, we should no
longer have to chang our harps upon the will
lows" but the shouts of our triumphs would
fill the whole land. But here is the letter.
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. goth, 1858.
have sent you a copy of the proceedings
Of the Grand Division of Va, held in Chris
tiansburg on the 9th of last month.
We had q glorious meeting. AUthe Grand
Officers were present. The like has not oc-
Cured for several years. We also had in at
tendance a goodly number of delegates. The
greatest harmony and good feeling prevailed.
| have never, never seen manifested so deter
mined a purpose to push forward the good
cause.
Our statistical reports, as you will perceive
from our journal, are very encouraging. Du-
ring the year we have chartered forty-four
new Divisions, and admitted over 800 mem
bers. In October 1857 we numbered 5402
members in October 1853, over 1000 men,
bers, showing a nett gain of members during
the year Of more than 1900.
An effort was made to send into the field
two paid Lecturers it was unsuccessful and
| believe that one reason of its failure was
the fact that we had so many good speakers
who would volunteer their services. During
the discussion of the matter, it was asked,
how many ofthe Delegates present will pledge
themselves to make each at least one public
temperance speech in each month of the cur
rent year? when t~Uenty;fr6 rose to their feet
Immediately and agreed so to do. So that
this secures at least 300 speeches in the next
twelve months. We may reasonably calcu-
late on more, because all of our speaking men
were not at the meeting of the Grand Divis-
ion. Great good must result from these
speeches.
But we did not content ourselves with this.
Provision was made for the publication of a
series of Tracts. There are many men who
will not come out to the public temperance
meeting; these are blind, not because they
cannot, but because they aoiU not, see. As
they will not come to the light, we mean to
carry light to them.
The Virginia Conductor, our Temperance
paper, which for two years has been publish
ed monthly, was changed into a weekly is.
sue, and is now published in the City of Pc
tersburg, and brother j. Richard Lewellen is
the Editor. He has taken the chair graceful
ly, and enters upon the work with great zeal
and an earnest of success. Nothing connec-
ted with the promotion of our cause has more
of my sympathy, than our Temperance pa
PeTs. They should be sustained, and there
ought to be twice as many of them as there
are. The people need light, and what better
means of conveying light to them The
newspaper IS the great infOrmer of the age
let us make it the great Retormer! What
political party, or religious denomination, at
this enlightened period of the world, dreams
of promulgating and establishing its doctrines,
without the aid of the Press without its or.
gan, aye without its organs? We should be
as wise, in our day and generation, as they
and should lay hold of the same great lever
which is in the hands of almost every organ
lied body Of men in the world. But | an
somewhat wandering from my purpose. ]
merely want to give you some account of oul
condition and prospects in the Old Dominion
The cause Of temperance was never on {
tirmer and more enduring foundation-and tn,
signs of the times are full of hope. True
there is much intemperance in our State
many localities seem to be wholly given ovel
to the beastly rule Of Bacchus but there il
q widespread and deeply-seated enlightened
temperance sentiment pervading our who'll
community, which must continue gradual,
to widen and deepen, till it has permeateC
every class of Society. Virginia has enlisted
for the war, and never means to lay down he
arms till a peace as conquered. IT'S peac
that we are fighting for and seeking to es
tablish that peace which the whiskey seller
contribute so much to break and destroy.
In L. P. & f.
THOS. j.. EVANS, G. S.