Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-05-19
NO. 90.

door, and which the Division does not now
dare to avow,' and which may ultimately
tprove dangerous to the liberties and institu.
tions Of our country. Alas for poor human
nature; it does appear to me unfortunate,
that the best things are SO often prostituted
to evil purposes :, Surely every temperance
society'should keep their great object steadi-
ly in view and not suffer itself to be turned
aside, either to the right or left. 'e' ..
Ahother reason still is found in the i,con
sistency and instability of many Of the avow-
ed friends Of the temperance cause Many
men do not judge of the truth or correctness.
of propositions, by the direct evidence by
which they are supported, or by their intfrin-
sic value; but by the conduct of those that
advocate them. Hence they often conclude
that cause is bad one, because, unfortu-
nately, some Of its professed friends act quite
inconsistently with their profession. Itisin-
deed true, that this is avery fallacioust way
Of reasoning. But unfortunately ymany seem
to beiucapable Of appreciating any other kind
of argument. Anything else is like speak
ing Latin to an English peasant, or Ike
description of brilliant color to blind
man. While men remain in such state of
mind; there is no way to teach them, or make
an impression upon them, butb exhibiting
before them good examples. But we have
greatly to lament the fact, that where we
have looked for good examples, in too many
instances We have found evil ones. Here,
man belonging to the Sons, or some other
temperance organization, has openly violated
his pledge; there, another man privately uses
the forbidden beverage, yet under circum-
stances which cast violent suspicion upon
his integrity, though be cannot be publicly
convicted of his crime. What is the amount
of the evil done in this way, we do, not un-
dertake to say, yet we do say thattBis ipcon-
sistency on the part of men protesting to be
friends of the temperance reform, has been
a very great stumbling block in the way Of
many, who might otherwise be INDUCED to
take decided stand in favor of our cause.
1t would not be difficult to show that the
evil effect which these EXAMPLES of incor-
sisteucy have upon human minds, has its
foundation in the very structure and organi-
zation Of human nature. Being formed as
we are for society, We are endowed with GER
tain qualities which render us susceptible of
being impressed, and, often times, Of being
swayed by the opinions, feelings and habits
of those who surround us. Hence, man
cannot live without joining his influence with
others, either for good or evil, and the ma
tdre Of every mans influence, whether it is
on the whole good or evil, is known BY the
company with which he is most accustomed
to associate. This fact that every man has
an influence, and this influence is always ex-
erted in conjunction with the influence of
others, probably led the inspired Apostle to
say "No man liyeth to himself and no man
dieth t6 himself" Hence We are Justly made
responsible for the moral influence we exert
upon human society. This being true, HAT
all men have an influence and that this H.
fueuce must, in the nature of things, be,mofe
or less associated with the influence of Others,
it is easy for Us to account for the disastrous
consequences which grow out Of the incon-a
sistencies of the professed friends of temper
ance. While the human heart remains what
it is, the unthinking will make the different
organizations responsible for the hypocrisy
'ofits retained members, and will take license
accordingly. Indeed while it is even sus-
pected on any rational grounds of belief,
that members of temperance societies are in
the habit of using that beverage which they
condemn in others, the whole cause will be
condemned as accessory either before or after
the fact. IF this be true, we see at once,
what fearful influence must be exerted by
those temperance men, who are inconsistent
with their profession; since by their connec.
ton with the society, they convert the inAu-
ence of the society itself into an instrument
for its own destruction. tits as if the sword,
which we WELD for the destruction of an
enemy, were plunged into our own bowels.
Thus have endeavored as briefly as posi-
BILE to answerthe question-what has been the
reason that our just expectations of com-
plete success have uot as yet been realized ?
Temperance men should certainly look at
this matter. And we hope that all true
friends of humanity will feel the Importance
of removing all those impediments which
hinder our ultimate triumph.
SANDY RIVER.