Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-08-19
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
FATAL ERRORS CORRECTED.

FATAL ERRORS
Mr.. Editor The following avowal is made by
r. A. CRENsHAw in his first article 1.-THE wri-
ter of this article, is now in the twenty eighth year
of total abstinence in the use Of Spurious liquor
and he has often been a member of rarious temper
ance societies, net for conscience sake, but for good
policy in the cause"
Such is the undisguised declaration of the gen.
tlemsn, that he has SOFTEN and on ''parious" &C.
casions acted without any reference to the dictates
Of conscience. In the anne article from which the
above extract is taken, the gentleman uses the
words, conscience sake, duty, moral duty, and moral
obligation, as Synonymous, or expressive OF the
same idea. This is'allowable. In using the ex-
preston, &C good policy" in the sentence as given,
be its meaning what it may, it is plain at oil events,
the gentleman processes to have been governed IN
his conduct on the occasions to which allusion Is
made, by some principle altogether distinct from,
and exclusive of, q sense of conscientious convic-
ton, duty, moral duty, or moral obligation. But, in
justice, it is due to say that, in utter disregard Of
his own distinction, snd of all consistency OF speech
and specification, he thinks proper, in the same
paragraph, and in the fourth line from that in
which the observance is made, to unite and blerd
in harmonious concord the identical words, "daty
and good policy" His question: "What does the
man mean,' would seem to be appropriate here.
The word, policy, is found in the Bible only once,
and then in q very bad sense; Through his policy
also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand.
Dan. 8: %; but how .tgood policy" in Christian
morals, can be disunited from the operations Of
conscience, from moral duty, and holy obedience
confounds nv understanding. BUCK defines con-
science, "to be the judgment which a man passes
on the morality Of his actions as to their purity or
turpitude ~ duty, 'sany action or course Of actions,
which flow from the relations we stand in to God
s 10 ---J JJ.~.k:o., gtkl,o4 h, mhtoh rc a ~
bound to perform that Whichis right, and to avoid
that which Is wrong"
When his language, s'not for conscience sake"
is explained and illustrated by theological de6ni-
ton. we shall be prepared to understand what E.
A.. Crenshaw says he did in joining various tenn
perance. societies. Under this unobjectionable
rule, he implies that he Joined without passing
any Judgment on the morality of said actions as
to their purity or alphabetically regardless
whether they were right or wrong-and without
reference in any manner to those relations in which
he stands to God and man. This is the position
in which BUCK and theology place the gentleman,
If he report himself correctly. Has he not mis-
represented himself, is a question for himself
The Scriptures certainly say: 'Whether there
fore ye cot, ordrink, or whatsoever yedo, do a u The
glory Of God."-~And whatsoever ye do in 1cord. or
deed. do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" 1t is
n DrlQClpS lyluR ~ luc lOuuudtlOn VI
walk and conversation, that every act should be
not only materially but formally good: 1t must
.Gs GOOD not only in itself, but good in its motives,
object and end. What say the Scriptures? "Our
rejoicing is this, the testimony Of our conscience,
that &C." The end of the commandment is chart
IT," mot outward butt ''out ola pure heart, and of
a good conscience, and Of faith unfeignsd"-a glo-
riops union, and there can be no disseyeranGe.-- -:
she is not q Jew which is one outwardly but he
is q Jew, which is one inwardly."
have been furnished by a friend with the Con-
stit1toi Of the only total abstinence society, ex-
eept the Sons, ever established in Yorkville, of
which I have any information. The Preamble is
so truthful-so beautifully expressed-so honor
a6le 70 the author, be he who he may=so credit
sble to the temperance man of that day-about
l830-that I cannot forbear to give it entire.
s:In all the catalogue Of evils which aflict the
human family, none strikes more Immediately at
the best interest Of mankind, or spreads more
widely its desolat:ngj influence, than INrENPER-
Ascs whether we consider the lumber of individ-
uals affected, or the extent of the misery and deg
radiation brought upon the unhappy subjects of
intoxicatian, This calls laudly ON the friends of
humanity to devise ways and means, by which, if
possible, to arrest its progress. Strange and un-
accountable as it may appear to the rational
mind, thousands in our country, at this day, in
Auenced both BY appetite and habit, are endeavor.
ing to secure to ~Intemperance o popular standing
1T therefore becomes the duty of those who
would counteract its baneful influence to associ-
atc together for the purpose Of defending them
aelyes, their families, their fortunes, and the COM
muuity OF large from the influence of this destruc-
tive evil. Resolved, therefore, that we the friends
of Temperance, do agree to form ourselves into a
SOCIETY,", and pledge to each other our most sacred
booo, 70 nhsarue tho follouipo krtiolee which
We adopt as our CONSTITUTION"
There was proclaimed the truth of God-ast true,
when written, as the everlasting hills. I would
rather have the honor of having written that Pre-
amble, than be Governor of South Carolina. The
pledge too is equally full, and alike honorable and
ereditable. Oh if the Christian Church, in solid
column and marshaled array, had then come .to
the help Of the Lord, to the help of the Lord a.
gaiust the mighty" what t~opgqe9-Bpt to return
to our subject.
Of the various temperance societies, this one
was perhaps the first with which E. A. Crenshaw
united as o member. What was his deliberate,
solemn, written, and published declaration by said
act?-that Intemperance, of all eriis, strikes di.
rectly at the best interest-Me souls-of men: this
calls Loudly-no ordinary Gallon the friends of
humanity Christians inclusive-to devise ways
snd means to arrest the eyil:-it therefore becomes
The GRy-s moral duty-a moral obligation-a
dictate of conscience-to form themselves in q
Society.!! Is not this what E. A. Crenshaw then
said by word and by deed-by preceptand by ex-
ample: This is what the Society proclaimed to
the world in its organic law, and every member
virtually avouched its truth. Was it the truth
wholly the truth? This question, in reference to
the 'York District Temperance Society" isforced
upon all Of us.
Many of the MEMBERS fthis dormant Society are
still alive and, I am sure, will yet maintain that
the Society and they both spoke and acted sin
simplicity and godly sincerity, and not with flesh
IL wisdom" But E. A. Crenshaw gives US to I'M
derstapd, in express and plain words, that he
Joined the Society iinot for conscience sake, but
for good poliey"-nor from q sense of duty-of
moral duty-or of moral obligation; that where
the organic law asserted, it was the duty of the
friends Of humanity to associate and form a Soeie-
ty, there was, in fact and in truth, no such duty
moral duty-moral obligation-or dictate of con-
science inculcated within the lids of the Bible;
that the officers and members of the Society, no
matter how venerable from age and character, or
distinguished by profession civil or ecclesiastical,
yere in ignorance on the subject-utterly mista-
ken and Self. deceived, CT d~eceiving others, IL
knew there was no such duty-he had acted 'not
for conscience sake, ut for goodpoiicy in the cause"
But the members of the York District Temperance
Society might very properly ask E A. Crenshaw
these simple questions: How can we or any body
else know, when or on what occasion you act from
q sense of ~duty-moral duty-moral obligation or
conscientious conviction? When you CO., say, you
Joined then "not jor conscience sake, but for good
policy how shall we know whether you make