Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-05-06
Gen!ger1nt& Matter:
From the Spirit of the Age.
INTEMPERANcE INCREASING.

INTEMPERANcE INCREASING.
Despite the noble efforts of temperance or.
CARNATIONS and temperance papers, drunk
enness is alarmingly onthe increase in many
parts of the land. In defiance of all opposi:
ton, the curse sweeps on to destroy. The
terrible tide rolls against the feeble bulwarks
that a few have reared, batters them down,
sweeps on making wreck and havoc of all
beforeit. AlLoverthe landthis tide is roll,
ing, and It is darkened with the wrecks'of
homes and hopes, it has broken as it passed.
Strong men bow the knee to the rum dragon,
and drink from the poisoned cups with full
knowledge that they are sealing their dam
nation, to be cancelled only by the endless
sweep of eternity. With this terrible truth
written in their hearts, and written every
where before them, they still press the cup to
their burning lips and drink and die 1t
makes the heart sad to contemplate the IN
broken column of old men and young men,
beating down a pilgrim path from the grog,
shopto a grave on which nc star o fhope can
ever shed one lingering ray.
What shall be done to stay the progress Of
the great destroyer? Shall intemperance still
roll its black food through our favored land
and lay in waste our dearest interests, while
man shall find an abiding place here? 1sit
to be an undated scourge through al time,
and up to the, hour when the Angel trump
shall sound, continue to doom and damn
those who dwell in the earth Is there no
year Of promise away ahead, when earth's
sons and daughters shall shout Jubilatee !
JuB1LATEE !!-freedom from the oppres.
sive curse! .- r. F&TF
What shall be done? The agencies that
have been employed against the evil have
been faithfully tried and found to be too
feeble to battle with q power so strong. It
has been done as was commanded "and yet
there is room" Where shall we look to for
help? To what tower of strength shall We
apply for aid in routing the monster from
our midst?. (.
We look, first, to the public press: of the
country for aid. This great power has been
silent long enough upon this important sub
jeet and if all the conductors Of the same
had the fearless independence to write and
publish just what they really and truly be-
lieve upon this subject, we should see an in.
fuence .exerted upon the public, the like of
which hes never been seen before. The Press
does control and shape public opinion to a
very great extent, andif every journal circu-
lated among the people would have a good
word and an argument for the temperance
cause, the number of temperance men would
be abundantly multiplied. We venture the
assertion that there are not three Editors in
the State who do not: believe that the coun-
try would be happier and more prosperous,
if there was not a gallon of intoxicating IL
quor drank from one fourth of July till the
next. And now if this is really their belief,
and we are constrained to think so, for they
are all men of intelligence, why is it that we
see so little in their journals in favor of tenn
perance ? If any body knoweth a reason, let
him answer. Yes, we look to the public press
for aid, and shall continue to cry, "Come
over into Macedonia and help u.s." even if
that help i~s,along time in coming.
Again, we lock to the Pulpit for more
help than We have; ever; yet received from
that quarter. Tipplingand drunkenness must
be denounced as special sins, and metn more
faithfully warned of their danger in this re.
spect than ever before. Too many ministers
are disposed to speak Of these things in a
dainty manner, lest they, give: offence but
let the whole counsel be declared. Let a
warning be heard from every pulpit in the
laud-let men be assured,,upon the faithful,
ness of the Bible thatif they are found a.
mong drunkards their condemnation is sure.
Let us have help from the Press, from the
Pulpit and from every source for the work
is great andthe present laborerS too feeble to
perform the great task before them. If the
giant ,intemperance is ever slain, or even
crippled, it must be by the combined effort
of every power of earth that has the good of
man a heart. .