Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-09-08
rnIroR,s coRREsPoNpENCE.
TrTTERs FROM BOAZ.
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spirit stronger t"u" PN"t.S VF"
fon-hence The difficulty Of arresting an
temperanee-thoGgh of ali eriLs the scorst
promoted by lao, which affords no SUI
tajieProtection against crime arising from
40.
DEAR c.. The opinion has very gen.
orally prevailed and seems to have been Ia
ken for granted, that the religious feelings Of
individuals or communities, are the strongest,
most influential and most lasting-will lead
men further-to run greater risks or make
greater sacrifices, than any or all of the pas
sions or prejudices which may exist in the hu-
man bosom. But the sentiment is most I'M
true, in oil Protestant countries that We wot
Of, unless we understand it to apply to the
feelings and convictions Of those who are tru-
ly and entirely consecrated to God and his
service. If we understand it to refer to the
feelings Of a religious Protestant bigot, it is
wholly false.
A man wholly consecrated to God, which
is the case only with the truly pious, has laid
on Gods altar his heart, mind and body-his
time-his property-his talents-his family
LIN word all he is ard all he has. He is
norhis own but Gods. Such a man, | grant,
is led by his religious convictions, to sacri.
flee property, character, influence, family
ties, social friendships, health and life itself,
at the command Of God. With him the be-
hosts Of self, family, friends, party or coun-
try, are not allowed one moment to displace
or silence the claims Of his Divine Master. -
Pestilencc, famine, the sword or the faggot,
he would gladly welcome, rather than COM
promise his religious principles or surrender
his faith in Jesus.
Romanists, it is understood, regarding the
Romish Church as the only medium Of sal
walton, would, in obedience to and in the de-
Tense Of that Church, make the same sacrif-
ces and run the same risks, which we have
said above truly pious men would make, in
obedience to God.
Thus far, perhaps, we are safe in admitting
the strength and influence Of religious feel
ings over mankind. But as regards the reli-
gious feelings and prejudices of the bulk of
men living in Protestant countries, we make
no such admission. With the mass of relig-
%ionists, there are feelings and prejudices aris-
ing from many sources, far more influential
and powerful over them than any arising from
religious conviction.
OF these, We consider party spirit the most
dominant most powerful and controlling,
than any or all others, over the masses in
those Protestant countries where the people
have any voice in the management Of govern
mental affairs. In the United States, party
spirit is omnipotent. This power has been
claimed for public opinion, but public opin-
ion is only another name, in this sense, for
party spirit. But if by public opinion is
nllaHt, the popular sentiment Of u people
arising from popular or general conviction,
Il has but little force, compared with the
power Of party spirit. Popular conviction
is decisive against the evil and ruin occasion
ed by intemperance; nay, every body cries
out against the propriety and utility Of licen-
sing the sale Of spurious liquors admits
the ruin brought upon the land by the in
temperate use of alcohol every man depre.
Gates the destruction to public morals, to jus
tice, to life, to virtue. Why, then, is it SC
difficult to array mankind against it in such
numbers as to put it DOWN. If a foreign fo'
were to invade our land, killing our people
burning our towns and destroying our prop
erty. would n man be found among us, un
willing to rush to arms to drive them iron
our territory Would our people lie on thei
arms until the enemy had been subdued an
conquered If a horde Of lawless bandit
were scouringth land, engaged in theft, mui
der and the work Of destruction, would Their
be anv hesitancy on the part Of any one, t
adopt the most summary measures for thel
punishment ? If in all our towns one
more men were to set up the sale OF poisor
Gus drugs, and we're to make such represer
tations Of their utility, as would lead the pul
lie TO buy them and under the infatuatio
produced by their use il were to eventual
In the death of at least one member OF ever
family, would the citizens of those towI
stand by and look on with indifference, al
Justify their course under the plea that Il
vendors had a right to sell because they we
licensed, and that they had no right to int
fere, because the infatuated had a rightto br
and use to their OWN destruction, if tn,
chooeodp W. think not
Now, the ruin accustomed by intemperan
TO our own citizens and country, is far mo
terrific and overwhelming than could be
fected by an invasion from all the armies
the earth combined, landed on our shores
thousand fold more destructive than horc
Of banditti i%nfesting every neighborhood,
more TO be dreaded than the conversion
every shop in the land into a mart for vel
ing poisonous drugs as above described, q
vet, who Of the thousands of our citizens
pable Of controlling public sentiment, is '
ling to risk anything, much less life, to $
press and drive out the evil from the lar
Why, is this : Does not every decent mai
the State, from his soul believe that dru
cnness is more destructive to the well-be
Of community, than war, pestilence and
ine9 Does not every decent man, turn