Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-25
He Has No Enemies.

This is sometimes said of persons, to Illus
trate the good esteem in which they are held
by their fellows-friends in writing an obitu-
airy notice of a departed neighbor or acquain-
tance, sometimes write-'he died without an
enemy"-"none knew him but to love HIM"
dc Now, asa general thing, such remarks
are extravagant, and are to be taken in a mod
lied sense. But taken in their literal signifi-
cation, even admitting that it were possible
for a good man or good woman to live with
ont having e1emies-to pass owes the rough,
stormy voyage of life without having any one
to say an unkind word or entertain an un-
friendly feeling towards them-is it to be de
sired, in view of the responsibilities we owe to
God and human society?
This question gives rise to much contem-
plative thought. The population of this
world is a mixed multitude of good and evil,
and it is as natural for the corrupt and wicked
human heart to hate that which is pure, good
and holy, as it is the duty of the regenerated
man to abhor that which is sinful, wicked and
abominable in the sight of Heaven. How,
then, can a good man, whose duty it is to re-
prove sin, to raise his voice and set his face
against evil and wrong doing in all its forms,
how can he do so without exciting the wicked
passions of bad men towards him? The Scrip,
lures teach us that ''the heart of man is en-
nifty to GodI-and if an enemy to God, i
unjust be also an enemy to every body and ey
cry thing like God-to everything that is op
posed to their wicked prastices, evGeySdinI
that reproves the sinful habits in which the,
moral code and government of God, for an
thing good to exist in the world without il
curing the malice and enmity of wicke
men. And it is this reflection which nerve
and sustains the Christian, or the bold R
former, who sets his face against the perm
cious and wicked customs and practices
men. They know that for the same eau
that makes bad men hate the Bible becau
: it condemns them, will they hate men wi
:, insist upon principles and measures that e
pose and reprobate their course of conduC
A good man cannot float down the current
life without trying to rear some barrier to
rest the desolating food of evil that surroun
=, him. II is as much his duty to expose a
: oppose evil, as it is not to engage in evil
= self.
g These remarks are peculiarly applicable
:. those engaged in the Temperance Reform.
. Our faces have been set against a most ct
! mo n and popular vice, one that is entwir
wit h endeared fondness around the appeti
! anCl customs of men, andit is to be expec
tha they will d~enounce, vilify and abuse
,s for it-but instead of lettering, it sho
stimulate us torenewed and redoubled ez
n tons in the great struggle IN which we
&c engaged From the days of the great Al
y tie, the preacher of Temperance has b.
is hated and prosecuted of men; and it
e. be so until the great millennium shall us
Il in that day when Goods will shall be d
in earth as IN Heaven" This never can
while the liquor scourge blights the eartl
Let us press forward then and labor fol
remODGl, regardless of the enmity and pc
of -e1tione of bad men.