Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-05-25
News of the Dav.

7 am a reader OF your paper aiu ~
nv much, although I think you Gahu h 4
ms in general,) somewhat ui1fa a;ng bee
emperance question. l thlnh III III T am 5et
nn oa;St for and I am utterly opposed 10 diff
: leo of alcoholic liquors as a beverage. pu. tai
oonsc;ent;ously believe that the occasional 90,
90 of the 0ure Juice of the grape, domes1o =
= olberry and cherry wines, and sweet cluei, pu
80 onlv harmless, but b~enehclai' anu 1T
sboIeSome and not at all inconsistent VIII M
christian department, or the strlcC IuL af 4,
.nhr;atv Others, however, may thlnk aLr =
but I am yet to be conVlneeI u u a 'NN Il
fact.
The above seems to be written IN hones' c
e..nLness and sincerity, and though the VIII l
80 ;deas are far behind the Spirit OF the
Ace double entendre) and the Temperance
view Of the subject in this age, yet We are us
nosad to respect the candor evinced, anu ih"N
a brief reply.
The pledge of total abstinence from all IN,
v;co+ino drinks was formed, because an
halfway, or exceptional pledges had ProNeo
failures in correcting the evil. IL was hn'e"
ded to reach those whose tastes anu aPPeuVe'
cohhsreremHgPPttqqdaaR y t tbs yse a q Ss a9 Beverages
in which alcoholic properties were contained.
Thousands of reformed inebriates have gone
back to intemperance, who confess to being
led astray by the use of these lighter and so
called innocent @ beverages, such as black
berry cordials, native wines, sweet cider, &c.
The pledge Of total abstinence was formed by
drunkards themselves, who desired to reform
their lives, long before the Sons of Temper
ance had an existence. They knew the eta
del of their safety was on the high ground Of
total abjuration Of everything calculated tC
awaken and revive the thirst for long used
beverages. Thousands Of men who had re
nounced the use of strong drinks and who
run well for a season, but finally returned tC
their cups, testify that a drink of beer, cider
or wine, awakened the old devil within them
and like the famished tiger who has just hat
the taste of blood, the old appetite ragec
which had lain dormant and quiet for years
under the regimen of total abstinence, ant
nothing short Of whiskey and brandy woulC
satisfy it, and soon they were wallowinl
Ill IIC HUI Ol GACcSS anu UEuIlkeUleSS again
No, no, dear friend. There is no Scylli
and Charybdis fable about our pledge of to
tai abstinence. 1t is plain, matter-of -fac
truth, that the moment We abandon total alb
stinence-either for light or strong drinks
the power of our pledge to 'succor and t
save" is gone forever. Not only is its eff
I cacy lost for retaining the inebriate, but tn
equally, yea more important one of savin
the y0ung from acquiring the taste for exc
ting beverages, is also destroyed. For it
a lamentable fact, that most of the youth {
1 the land who have become fond of the intoxi
eating cup, have taken the incipient step a
t home!-The glass of blackberry cordial, ma
q tive wine, or cider or beer, has been tender
), ed the child by a mother or fathers hanC
= and these indulgences have led unmistak,
ably to thu excuses of manhood.
o But it may be argued that those who cal
70 not use even these lighter drinks withol
peril, ought not to indulge in them; bl
>, those who can use them properly CO ougl
not to be prohibited by the Pledge. A vel
= POOA "SuhhChO lIHdOCu. LIN OIuSI Vi u
II Sons of Temperance was organized to bril-
!, to its aid all classes the drinker and abstai
~ er. No determinations could be made, tolt
o. ating in one what was prohibited in anoth,
To have attempted such a thing, would ha
te been ridiculous, and subjected us Justly
tv the scorn of all. What would be thought
nd any organization having one set of rules
he some of its members, and another for other
he The contempt of all could not be more su
ly gained.
But, to sum up all in a few words
great results were. ever accomplished by
to temporizing, partial policy. IF intempera
in is wrong, it is wrong to encourage or G
to tolerate any thing whose tendency is to |
re- into thisf fearful avenue. We must insist
full on the doctrine of scripture, that it is
- wrong to touch or handle, as it is to tas
we otherwise the foodgates are opened and
lal, deluge of intemperance will submerge
err whole land. God forbid the return of
an doctrine of safety in the use Of light alcoh
beverages.