Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-04-13
For the Spirit of the Age.
Dialogue between a Son of Temperance, a
Retailer, who is a Member of the
Church, and a Minister ofthe Gospel.
CONTINUED

(ooNTrNuED)
At a subsequent interview, the conference
or dialogue between the above named parties.
was resumed Dur good Minister commencing
the conversation.
Minister.-At the close Of our last CONVEX
sation on the subject Of the Temperance re-
form, if | remember right, | expressed some
doubt rs to what course !, as n Minister of
the Gospel. ought to take, seeing my people
we're divided in their views, in relation to
this highly important movement. Inow feel
II nv duty 10 state, that my views in refer
cnce to this thing have undergone some
change. That the use Of intoxicating drinks
as q beverage, is unnecessary to health,
and AS it is unquestionably the use-althouph
moderately Mt frst-that leads to intemper-
ance, II is therefore wrong for day man to
indulge in their use, especially as no man
knows certainly, what the issue may be
and then the example Of drinking temperate
w, may be n stumbling block to others"-
for Paul, who is certainly good authority,
has said, THAT if eating meat cause my
brother TO offend | will eat no meat while
the world standeth"-besides, the example
to our children is unwiSe and unsafe. For if
we wish our sons to be honest, we must be
careful to act honestly before them, and teach
them to be so also by precept again, if we
wish our sons to be men of v~eracity, we must
neither by prccept or example, teach them
10 lic-neithcr should we act on different
principles if we wish them to be Sober men.
And by the grace Of God enabling me to do
SO, / have resolved to neither use it myself,
nor CountcnanCe the use of it in Others-let
the consequences be what they may. The
Lord hath taught us in his word, THE
young lions do lack and suffer hunger but
they that seek the Lord, shall not want any
gooi HiHg' In short, the conclusion ! have ar
rived ut is this, that if am unwilling or afraid
to discharge what | conceive to benny impera.
tive duty, for fear Of mourning the displeas
urc of some of my ~people-and thereby di
minish the means to support my family, as,
under other circumstances ! would wish tC
dot would be better for me to engage in
some ot5~r calling-"It is better to obey Cos
than man
Son Of TT am not at all surprised thai
our good Pastor has arrived at what | con
cciye TO be a correct conclusion on the sub
jrct Of the great Temperance reform have
always believed that he was a pious, consci
cutious man, and | have often pitied anC
Sympathised with him, knowing the views o
some Of his Pensioners in reference to tn
Temperance reform. And | have no hesita
ton in saying, that | honestly believe tina
there are u great many Ministers situated
precisely as he is-and have heretofore acte,
from similar motives. May the God whom
he serves, sustain, uphold, and succor him
and not only so order the events Of his Prov
deucc that the temporal wants of his famil.
be abundantly supplied, but that eventually
they all be transferred to a holier and haT
pier cline, where they will bask forever i
the smiles Of q covenant keeping God"
hsigier-I see, gentlemen, from tn
CourSc things are taking, that ! had bette
wind up my business, and engage in som
other business for n living-indecd | hav
come TO the conclusion, that retailing into,
icatiug drinks just for the sake of none,
when immense mischief is the inevitable an
necessary consequence, is, to say the least
il, Of evil tendency, and must injure tho:
who patrOnize me, in proportion as 1t enricI
cs me. now regret that | have pursued
50 long-aud have been the occasion of IL
ruin, degradation and everlasting overtime
Of so many Of my poor erring, infatuated, te
low immortals. If | can obtain mercy, al
forgiveness at the hands Of q merciful al
thrice holy God, | will now resolve new
again to earn Il livelihood at so great a sac
tce to my neighbors, but engage in any ca
ing. however low and humble, provided C
Ao IL Nlil All appIONluS CoHSSlShCSi ~ "
God helping me-endeavor to make oil t
atonement | can, by trying to dissuade
others to abandon a calling that entails
much wretchedness on those whom Dug
30 love as myself.
Son Of THE result of our first int,
view and conference on the subject OF
Temperance reform, is such that | feel gre
~ encouraged TO perseyere in my efforts
advance the noble cause Of Temperance.
And now, my good friends, allow me to ur
you to take another step, which regard
OF vital Importance in furthering our glorlo
enterprise mean to identify yourself
with our noble Order, as associated ett'
will accomplish more than individual etfo
This fault is abundantly manifest in the ia
that when men concentrate their etfor
much can be done which individual ell
eouldnot possibly achieve-hence the Chur
as well as a great many other organizatio
We will be happy to sec you ut our Dlvisl
Room to be initiated into our noble ORD
You need not entertain any scruples as.
The morality Of the Order, nor its effcienc.
can assure you that as far as | am acqua
ted with its nature or machinery, it wo
4dmirably-and the best evidence of this
ITS great success in retaining hundred
even. low down inebriates, who had been
ca up by their friends and ~neighbors, as /
iectly ineorrigible.
The various objections to the Order, WI