Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-06-17
For the YorkviHe Enquirer.
1E CHURCH AND TEMPERANCE,

HI CHURCH AND TEMPERANCE.
Mr.. Editor 1T is known full well that he, who
says aught against the practice Of the members Of
the visible Church, does SO at g~reatpsril, and that
revelation and history concur in the fact that, to
do so successfully, he "must be fenced with iron
and the staff of q spear !" yet Paul had the bold
ness to tell the church Of Philippi: "For many
walk Of whom I have told you often, and now tell
you even weeping, that they are the enemits Of the
cross of Christ: whose end Is destruction, ,Ohoss
God is their belly, ("the indulgence Of their sppe-
titles was the chief good" as explained byscorr)
and whose glory is in their shame" These words
of Paul were addressed to, and Of christian pro-
fessors. 1t was o hard saying, and its truth made
Paul even weep.
BROWN, of Haddington, too was not afraid to ut
ter his sentiments Of the Church Of his day. "At
present" says he, 'tsuch is the condition Of the
Protestant churches, by reason Of the prevalence
Of ignorance, contention, and hcentiousness among
all ranks, and of negligence, and even profaneoess
of clergymen, that one can hardly say, whether
they seem fastest returning to Popery or to Hea-
thenism."
At q later period, WnBsRroRcE said: at be-
belongs not to our purpose to speak Of the grossly
and scandalously profigate, who renounce al pre-
~tentions to the name Of Christians; but Of those
who, maintaining q certain deoncy Of character,
and perhaps being tokra6ly ~o6seruant ofhe torms
of religion, may yet be not improperly termed
sober sen,uali,ts. These, though less impetuoue
and more measured, are no less staunch and steady
than the professed ~votaries of l~icentious pleasure,
in the pursuit of their favorable objects. "Aorti-
p the flesh, Nth It's affections and luss," is the
Christian preeept; but Q soft luxurious course Of
habitual indulgence is the practice Of the bulk Of
modern christians: and that constant moderation
that wholesome discipline Of restraint and SELF
denial,-which are requisite to prevent the upper
i ceiyed encroachmentA of the inferior appetites,
seem altogether as disused as the exploded auste-
rites Of monkish superstition"
In our own country, and in this day, Rev. Mr..
FISK. D.. D. says: 1.-THE Churoh!-How back
ward to enter into the thousand great and effectu-
al doors of usefulness which Providence Is open
inc around them! Nay, brethren, it must be own.
ed that a vast many in the visible Church are &C.
tually standing in the way Of sinners, and are him
ORANGES to the work Of God. This may seem q Sc
rious charge; but il is the moro serious because IL
is true. / tremble when I think how many of Us
will be found in the day of eternity having the
blood of lost sinners in our skirts; and this, not
only because we have neglected to do the good We
MIGHT. but because we have actually put 4 stumb-
ling.block in the way of. sinners, by which they
have been plunged into he'll.
nBut lar admonished that I must not dwell long
GER IN general statements. Publia evils, In church
or state. are not often, if ever, removed in the
qross; nor are duties successfully enforced by gem
seral iniunctions. Since, then, SO great Q responsi.
bility rests upon the Church, and since her deliu.
ouences; are 80 great, what is TO be done!-
In the first place the Church should remove her
stumbling blocks; aud to do this, she must re-
claim or remove her offending members. It is not
enough that 0 majority of the Church keep them
selves from evil If they hold the sacred and pro.
tecting banner Of the Church over those Who cause
others to sin, they ere verify guilty themselves
This might be illustrated in numerous instances (;
but I will now confne myself to one point-he
use and sale of ardent spirits by the Members Of the
Church of Christ. - ;
. r..
.But, Christian brethren, there Is one thing con-
nected With this subject which we have not yet ell
learned. It Is this:-Tie same train Of means and
cause, that has produced the iatempsraates of The
past and of the prssent generations, q satin opera.
tion to produce an equal or sreater PROPORTION in
the nezt generation, and 80 on for evsr. And, what
is still worse, The Chureh isi aiding and abettins
this dia6olcal conspiracy agaiast tho bodies and
souls of meal We had indeed hoped for better
things Of Christians but we are obliged to ac-
knowledge the fect And I appeal to the Church
herself. and ask her in the name Of sincerity, II
she, can clear herself Of the charged Do not many
Of her members use ardent spirits'
.aGssius With 80 much opposition from many