Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-04-20


BUT IT WILL COST SO MUCH. We cAS'F DO IT.
Yes, it will cost good deal It is not
for us to say how much-time, thought,
money, feeling, high resolve, courage aud
hard work. And we shall incur much op-
position, reproach aud slander. We shall
be forsaken and betrayed-it may be, by
the professed friends of tue cause. Yet
all must be done and met manfully-hero-
tcally. Complaints and whining on our
part, will either sink the cause or grievoas-
ly affect and overwhelm our co-laborers-
Cheerfully and assiduously must we keep
doing, and doing oUer, in this temperance
cause, or we shall show ourselves anything
bat true disciples. -
What are the Prospects Of temperance
Nothing can be said more to the point
than the following sentiments from the
Wisconsin Chief. We respectfully invite
public attention to them.
"In going about the country, the first
question asked by those we meet is this:
allow is the Temperance cause progress
ing?"
This is a difficult question to answer
The cause is alive and prospering, in some
localities; in others, languishing; and fire.
quently we find whole sections where it is
dead and buried, and not easily disturbed
by any resurrection trumpet of ordinary
capacity.
As with communities, so with people
We find live souls enough to keep our
faith in humanity from utterly dying out;
men who are always at the altar and the
council, and first in the field; men who
are always on the watch-earnest, jealous
and untiring. Such men we find quiet and
unassuming in manner, but always reliable
in action, and as devoted at the end of the
year, as in the beginning. The cause can
summer and winter with such friends,
and its standard never lowered whit
They need no incoming tide of popular
feeling to move them; no spasmodic action
to galvanize them into unnatural life.
There is another immense column in the
field, made up Of more sound than soul
They are generous in words, but miserly
in means. In prayers and good wishes,
| they are liberal to fault. In one invoea-
ton they will lay out more work for the
Creator, than He and His angels could
conveniently execute in an age. And yet,
did their words amount to a picayune, the
cause Of God and humanity would find
/ their months sealed forever. But words
cost nothing, and they give them on every
occasion. Well for such, that salvation
! comes without money and without price,
or else they would te lEzt. Thau would
rather stew in birthstone thousand years,
and save quarter, than to give one for
an eternity of glory. Could such men
make fifty cents for every drunkard re.
formed, they would ransack the earth IN
their labors As it is, the cause will never
have anything but their good wishes and
their presence, when they can attend lee
lures which men more liberal than them
selves have furnished.
There is large class of timid ones
Their hearts are right, their synpathie
quick, their hands are open. Bnt the
: are frightened at the sound of strife. The
shrink and cover before opposition. The,
are downright honest in their hatred Q
= the traffic, and in their wishes for Its sup
preston. But they lack courage, bot
! moral and physical. They do do not be
long to the race of vertebrate, and ar
worthless in hand to hand struggle.
]. : There is another class-a large class, to
of thote who make their profession Z
: religion the end of all the Tempersnc
cause. This position is a fathomless gul
where every obligation 10 the instrumer
talities for the advancement of REFORM ar
hopelessly swallowed up. They find ne
r thing in the world for them to do. The
: camp down by the altar, and borrow n
3 trouble about the hosts which are withou
s marching steadily to ruin. They are wi
D. ling the inebriate should reform, if God $
/ wills it, and willing that be should go I
OF Heaven, if he only goes via. their churcl
IN but they do not feel it their duty to hui
lp out those who. have fallen among thieve
e; and meet the returning. prodigal half wa
Ill They deem the church sufficient Temp
CT rance Society, and in that comfortable p
all sition, escape all labor and all sacrifice f
I'D the cause If God is disposed to refor
ce the drunkard and fill his heart with grac
nc these good christian people will make I
nd particular objection to their salvation
III But unless he works, they are enite- as w
I'd ling the erring should be damned. This
IT. pray in set phrases for the rolling on of Il
chariot-wheels of the Lord, and then wi
refreshing GOODNESS of faith, fold the
De- arms and await patiently for the Lord
le remove grog-shops aud drunkenness fro
m; the path. This class of people never c
.en with publicans and sinners, or commit {
ZEN improperly of leaving their church alt.
ga to snatch poor rum-cursed soul from p'
.he dition. They would be shocked to find
er- heart beating in their bosoms, and th
ell heart, warm with an earnest impu
to-seek out opportunities of doing goo
TER and ever alive with symPathies for the V
TINS Of intemperance, though such m
hat have wandered widely from the right pa
yer It will be glorious day when all th'
= wandering ones shall turn back to sobrie
wn and through the church, to God; but !
am counted hosts will 60 down to .rnin, ,beft
les that day shall dawn-go down unthoug
ev- of and unwept-by those who cannot tn
me hairsbreadth from their rice sense OF
ted ligioas propriety. The church is temp
and ance Society ,nough for them; let all
des, drunkards reform, obtain salvation, .becol
OBJ members, and no "outside" Ternperar
aust organization will be needed.
tingl Perfectly clear!