Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-01-13
@8.t. ..


who hath believed cur Report"2
The temperance gospel has been proclaim
ed for, 10 / these many years, until is truths
have been set before every one. From the
mountain, from the vallies ana from the plains,
nigh unto the sea, a bugle blast has been
heard at morning and evening, setting forth
The evils Of drunkenness and the blessing at
tending a life Of sobricty. The anguish of
the drunkard's wife and the suffering of his
half famished children have been painted
again and again and. heldup before the public
eye. The degradation ofthe drunkard has
been faithfully set forth and his miserable
end recorded time after time; The monster
curse has been portrayed after every c%onceiva-
bic manner. The subject has been fully can
yassed. The public has been thoroughly in
formed The pulpit the press and the lee
ture room have each done a faithful part
in this great work. The truth has been
proclaimed long enough for the utmost depths
ofthe public soul to have been stirreds "Who
hath believed our report'2
Alasl not every one who should have be-
lieved it. Like the seed-sower in the sacred
parable, some have fallen in barren places and
yielded no fruit, while some have given! an
.Lunarskold Go intoa ~promiscuous gather
ing ofthe people, and you will soon see who
have believed and who have not.
There Is a man standing at his cart with q
tin cup measure in his hand, dealing out his
destructive agents TO his fellow men, while the
rabble increases and the coarse jests and pro.
family grow more andmore disgusting around
him, and Keeling through the crowd the poor
drunken victims 60 to the gutter. He sure
~ has not well weighed the matter in bis
mind-he certainly has not properly regarded
his responsibility towards his fellow man.
Evidently he has not looked at it in the ligh
that the great body Of temperance men ha
been viewing it for the last quarter Q
a century. If he has considered all thes
matters it is certainly strange that he doe
not abandon it at once. He has not believe
our report.
There is another mana man well to d
in the world-a man who has long since n
garded the temperance cause, and has spoke
Of it again and again as one Of the grande:
projects, aside froma christian church, thatha
ever been brought forward for the considers
ton Of moral men, and has always desired I
be considered on the side of the cause, thong
not exactly with it or Of it. He, in the mid;
ofthis same promiscuous gathering Of the pee
pie, so far forgets himself as to be seen at til
tail Of a contemplate whiskey cart, in the az
Of buying and drinking whiskey! Now, TIL
man has surely forgotten himself-he has 70
gottennearly allhe has ever said upon the sui
ject-he has forgotten how he has deplored Il
ruinous effects Of general drinking and IL
whiskey peddling system; he has forgotte
the scenes of wretcheduess falling under h
w personal observation from the monst'
curse-he has forgotten his high social pos
lion and the influence such an act on h
part would exert amonghis fellows. He ha
ceased to remember these things, or has pla,
ed the hypocrite from the first, and has n
"believed our report"
There is a young man with prospects Of
brilliantfuture before him andrare promises
usefulness to himself and others. lie has be
reared in the midst of light upon this subje
lie has listened and has read. He has be
faithfully warned ofthe hidden danger luz
ing in the intoxicating glass. Relying up
his " strength he ventures to taste, and t
letters Of ungovernable appetite are begini
to fasten upon him. The danger has be
pointed out to him but he has not ''believ
our report"
And there at the outskirt Of this same p
miscuous gathering of the people lies the pC
drunkard, covered with filth and mud, a
sleeping off his debauch in the most hum
ating and degraded position thata man COT
possibly place himself in. He-has been ia
ly warned by experience and friendly coun'
lie stands on the last brink now with
surges Of a d~runkard's hell beating against
lie has not believed, and the last terri
doom yawns its darkness to grasp him.
'eNho hah believed our report?