Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-03-13
An Appeal To Young Men.


every nation on the face of the earth. And
it is your lot to live at a period in which
your influence in deciding the great questions {
before the country, must be felt more deeply ,
than it could be at almost any other; for it \
is generally admitted that a crisis is upon I
US, such as the nation has long dreaded but q
never experienced before. Living as you do :
at this period of momentous interest in our ]
country's history, and destined as you are
soon, to take the control of the great moral
machinery of the age, you cannot think it
strange that the patriot, the philanthropist,
end the christian, should rely much on your
cooperation for the accomplishment of their
wise and benevolent plans! You cannot
wonder especially that the Sons of Temper
ance should desire to enlist the full amount
of your influence in behalf of the great
object which they are laboring to accomplish
There are several reasons why the friends
of Temperance look with deep interest to-
ward you as most efficient coadjutors in that
department of moral reform to which they
are devoted. One is, if the voice of Mtem-
perance is to be p~ropagated to future gener-
atoms, you especially are to be the medium
through which it is to pass from the present
generation of drunkards to more distant pos
terity and on the other hand, if it is to die,
in a great measure, with those who are COW
yielding themselves to il, and gradually fall
ing under its power, you are the generation
that is to be most emphaticaily honored in
throwing yourselves againstth b desolating cur
rent, and prevent it rolling down the track
of ages. Let the Young Men all enlist hear
tily in the cause of Temperance, on the great
principles advocated by the Sons of Temper
ance, and the moral atmosphere Of our coun-
try is, in this respect, purifedl the great
Victory over the Destroyer is won ! future
generations coming up under the influence of
an enlightened public opinion, and correct
example, will scarcely need to be exhorted to
have no fellowship with these unfruitful
works of darkness, because nothing but the
earth
Another reason why we wish to enlist
your most active efforts in this glorious cause
is, that you, as a class, viii soon combine
most of the vigor and enterprise of the day
: The bosoms in which this noble project orig
: mated, and by which it has been cherishe'
into existence, Will soon be beneath tn
clods and the hands that are now busy il
D carrying it forward, will at no distant tim
/ be palsied in death. And when that da,
/ comes, upon whom shall the conduct of thi
mighty enterprise devolve, if you are nc
b: prepared to take it into yeur hands? A lii
h tie while hence you must be the acting men
e, bers of society you must take the lead j
Of this as we'll as every other work of reform
le And We wish you to be well informed on tt
subject of its importance, and to join wit
lg US now, that when the day comes for yot
ir taking the whole work into your hands, yc
is may be prepared to do it with intelligenc
ar with efficiency and success
But we wish to engage you not mere
A with re ference to the future, but the presen
indeed we are willing to hope that your
wv bors while you are yet young, join
with the labors of those who are mo
Ill ouFoiSCu, may iCdNO yOu Dut mutt " uO
the decline of life that you may be at
ng then, in the peace which a good c~onscien
to inspires, to look over your country and reAe
ly, that, though %intemperance vas once he
ian doing its work OF Devastation, its footste
it, are no longer to be traced IN this good
de heritage.
"a While We earnestly exhort you to col
AN forward, without exception, and lend yol
by selves to this great cause, we cannot forbe
to say, that We regard it as one of the m
suspicious indications in respect to the 81
ne, cess of the Sons of Temperance that
lily, many of you have entered with setermir
ear zeal in the good work. A warm friend
unit temperance, lamenting that in his neighb
hood there wax a back " ardness, even on
OF part of many worthy people, to join the
selves with the Order, SAID, with an air
lim, satisfaction and delight, the young men
ut | with u.s." The same may be said Of hi
love other neighborhoods; while fathers +,
ought to be doing with their might v
their hand findeth to do, the young men
coming up to the work with noble resolur
orld determined that they will never re
ends from the conflict with this great Destro
are until be is driven into perpetual ex e.
one wish to see this same spirit exempli6ed
and every young man and with such an
rma- ~tensive and powerful cooperation in f
'nat of our object, we should anticipate its spt
rlVes and entire accomplishment
aiter If We were to suggest motives to in
u' you to come forward to this work, and !
for it according to your ability, we n
i"U urge you to it from the influence whit
80 will exert upon your own character ; fc
have your faculties brought into vigc
exercise in so noble a cause, cannot fai
- contribute to the improvement both of
Intellectual and moral nature. Such a.
vice will quicken and brighten your DC
on the one hand, and will elevate and D
your dispositions on the other. And
such a benign influence is exerted upon
own characters, who can estimate the an
p of blessing that will be secured to
fellow-men ? You will contribute to dr.
Wy the fountain of misery whose stream
moIO difuSiDp themSalvec evarvuhara 49,