Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-11-16
Original 4apers,
A VIEDICATIOR
SONS OF TEMPERANCE
by REV. GEO. d. wETMoRE.

There arc many who think that the Or
der Of the Sons of Temperance is hostile
70 the church, and that the principles of
the Temperance Reformation tend to inf
deity. This opinion, whether due to the
prejudice Of others, or TO our own indisere-
tion, is much to be regretted. Intelligent
christians have not fairly examined our
purposes and position, and irreverent per-
sons amongst us have given cause for jeal-
ousy and suspicion. But, although COM
parsons odious to the church have been
made by a few individuals, yet our institu-
ton and the cause which we advocate, are
not responsible for their errors. If our rul-
ing bodies should prefer charges against
the church, many ofus would protest against
their course, and il the evil were not cor
rected, would withdraw from their jurisdic-
ton. In our respective ecclesiastical or
CARNATIONS, we use our influence, each man
in his own sphere, for the removal of error.
But as a society, not claiming to be eccle-
sastical, we do not profess to amend the
church. If the church were, apparently,
at the point of destruction, we would not
dare to save it by substituting our institu
tion in its place.
In order that our brethren in Christ,
who treat as coldly, may understand us
better, and that any real cause of their i'll
opinion may be removed, shall present to
the christian public the true position OF
this Temperance Society, as | view it, the
grounds upon which it can be justified, and
the principles upon which We invite CO,
operation.
There are different sentiments on the
subject of Temperance, both within and
without the Order. do not now argue
with those who arc moved either by appe
tito or by pecuniary interests. But ever
our christian opponents are not as one
Some of them, recognizing the Civil Gov
ernment AS a divine institution, call upol
the Legislature to put down lntemperanc
even AS sin. Others arc opposed to le
gislating on morals. Some Of them use al
coholic liquors rs a beverage; others d.
not; while many abstain even from wine
so ,ce do not agree among ourselves as t.
the propriety of legislative Interference
We do not agree that the Bible prohibits
entirely, the use of fermontod wine, or tina
its use as q beverage is always sinful. Blu
We do agree that it is expedcnt, nc
only TO practice total abstinence for the e1
ample of the incorporate, but, also, to pei
suadc them by argument to follow it, an
to assist them by organization.
1t is said, that by our abstinence we Ca
stigma upon the good creatures of Go,
Such is not our intention. Especiall
would we not throw rcproach upon tn;
creature which the Saviour made by IN
raclc, and which he still gives us as a syn
Dol of his blood But while We all agre
that in the sacrament wine is an instrumel
of salvation in medicine, Of health; is
in our country, and at the present ag
when used AS a beverage, the instrumel
of greater happiness or misery lfthe la
ter, then, those who make this charge sti!
matte wine as much as we. But the r
proach is, in reality, placed by us all, nj
upon wine, but upon the moral agents VII
misuse It.
Again, may we not voluntarily rcsig
the most innocent pleasures, the enjoymel
of the most innocent creatures, for n wo
thy object? John the Baptist and 9th
Nazaritcs, the Rechabites, denied ther
selves entirely the use of wine. Certainl
then, none can reproach us for practisir
similar abstinence, unless those who u
wine as beverage deny that Christ h
given liberty to us equal TO that which th
claim for themselves. And we have t
right to convince our christian brethrc
that they can do more good, not only
resiguing the use of alcoholic liquors, b
il truth be on our side, by abstaining
many have already done, even from t
use Of wine.
But some who practice abstinence {
pose organization. Let me ask them, {
there no grounds upon which organizati
can be sustaincdl The Temperance Sc
ETY. does not profess to be religious boo
its chief object is to assist the irreligio
True, we pray and read the Scriptures
Hcrod, for not rendering glory to G
was eaten of worms. And if our Socic
human institution, seeking divine ;
should refuse to acknowledge the han(
Providence, in all the temporal gooC
does, 1t would deserve, like Hcrod, sudd
ly, to give up the ghost. Those of Us W
as christians, give praise to God, would,
on the same principle, DC unwilling, by
Temperance Society, to throw any repro
upon the Church. The Church is far d
or to us than the Society. The large