Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-06-23
Unworthy of Imitation.

The conduct of the Magistrates Of Cum
berlapd County Court in refusing at their
March term to renew the license of certain
individuals to retail spurious liquors, was
noted at the time and commended as
"worthy of imitation" The very good
reason assigned for their refusal to grant
the applications was, that such establish
ments were nuisances, especially on the
thoroughfares used by persons going to
church. The decision of the Court was
sustained by the moral sense of the COM
munity, and not few expressed their re-
gret that this abominable and ruinous priv
ilege was enjoyed by any dealer in the place.
But it seems that our congratulations
were premature, and our satisfaction was
destined to be short-hved. On last Mon
day, the first day of the term, and early in
the morning, application was made in due
form of law, and grandfather the old
s.erectyped testimony about good moral %
character was taken-to sundry individ-
uals, to measure and sell by the drink their
''liquid FIRE" consuming both soul and body,
which biteth like serpent and stingeth
like an adder. -.--.
Our Magistrates, by this act, have taken
a long step backwards and downwards. In
sorrow and kindness, we will say that their
decision will doubtless result in the tempo
raj and eternalruin of more than one young
man, whose promise of life is now fair and
bright. We fear that more than one will
have cause to reproach them for this act.
Thousands begin their career of shame and
To- nI gl,o
sands who begin there, end their awful Ca
reer in drunkards grave and drunk
ards hell "No drunkard shall enter the
kingdom of God" "Wo unto him that
putteth the bottle unto his neighbor's lips"
Total Abstinence is not our hobby. We
do not, and never expect to, belong to any
other or any better temperance society than
the Church. We do not know the merits
of the Maine Liquor Law, and do not advo-
cate its general adoption.
But we should be faithless to our Mas
.er, to our conscience, to the souls of our
,ellowmen, to our duty as religious jour
nalist, if we did not lift up warning voice
ind beseech those whose pcrilis imminent,
10 beware. During the last three months,
iwo bar-rooms have had the "full swing"
lf public patronage, and they have been
| provided daily by scores of persons whose
l.ppetites are strengthening as their pow
lrs of resistance and self-governmcnt are
| srowing weaker. Other doors are to be
l,pened now, and new attractions and
temptations to be offered to the young and
ihoughtless. The Magistrates have decided
that there shall be no monopoly in the
privilege of destroying soul and body
iWell-there ought to be none. To thi,
point, their decision is certainly right. i
IS our privilege too to interpose word o
entreaty and expostulation, and this priv
tIege we will exercise. To theyoung meI
i of Fayetteville, we say, avoid the bar-room
he old and the new ones. No gentleman
,ught to frequent them-no Christian NIL
And we apply to those engaged in this un-
holy traffic the language of Solomon =
! + They have cast down many wounded
. Yea, many strong men have been siam oy
, them. Their house is the way 20 nell, go
: mo down to the chambers OF aeath.
". O. Presbyterian.