Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-04-03

t9pHS g temperance, On me l2tH 0f JUlH-
arg, 1861, By DR.. j. F. FoEMAN, on the
Effects Of Ardent Spirits on the Human
System.
LArtgs ASD GENTtENGN While am CON
scioas that little is to be expected from one
whose experience as a public speaker is as
limited as mine, and Of my inability TO do
justice TO my ljecL yet, as a well wisher
to your sJcIety, and from the interest | feel
IN the onward march Of hg gtemperance cause
chceriIl,y eSmgiy with your kind iayita
non to address you on the pres cut occasion
TIE caree re whish yog asc ea.s.cd r. ege
50 fall OF intcrcs, to the we b ing Of ii, IN.
thai amy remarks IN relation to it cannot fail
to attract some attention and ir the impor-
tauet OF the good work you haze uudei taken.
au ann lc apolyI", l conceive, may always be
found for amy attempt however feeble, TO
add solitary ray Of information
would here bgspeaE your Indulgence for
the numerous impcrcctjons you may discov-
er in my address THey are errors of the
head and not Of The heart which feel as-
SureI yol will kindly overlook That inlem-
pcrance is one OF the greatest evils that ever
scourged Our race, i. iac0, that no man at
this day will atempt 10 deny. l. might apt
ly te compared to
Whose mortal taste brought death into the world,
And a our woe.
Under It's influence man r.linqushcs his
humlulty ant acquires The character Of a
hcud, II iuitmes las passions, dcthrones
his reason, w.thals hi intellect, sears bis con-
science, hcnumJ- his heart and btights all the
bcnigner feelings Of the soul The intem.
pcrate man loses all self respect aud is alike
indifferent to the god or bad opinion OF his
foil veil int 1.
reputation, his character in the pit OF nfamy
and ruin. lie loses all natural affection,
and win suffer his family his friends ali
who are near and dear to him-to come to
want and wrctchcdness. He loses all honor
and honesty, and Will break his engagements
without feeling Of shame or rcmorsc, and
is unsafe ia % business transaction. He loses
al sense Of ] sttce and fellow feeling, and
Will laugh over the misery Of his own ma
King and riot on tho tears and blood of the
injured and the slain.
The drunlard sacrifices ease. peace
Truth, tdth integrity good conscience, friends,
Love, charity, hHlvyutruce, and all
Tho sweet and tender sympathies OF life;
And to complete the h1rrid murdcrous rite,
And sguale his folly offers up
His soul and an eternity OF bliss,
TO gain him what ?-au hour Of dreaming JOY,
A feverish hour that hasten to be done.
And leaves him In the bitterness OF woe.
A. f,r ns we are p"rfpitieI 70 scG1 the de-
signs of the Amj sAty God, in the con true
ton of the wonderful mach ne which lie has
placed upon the earth to lord 1t over his ere
alton, we are struck with awe and admira
ton at tho beauty, harmony and simplicity
Of it's arrangements. In every particular
connected with the mechaDism Of the human
system, the preserv ,tjon and happiness Of the
individual being which it Composes, appear
the grand design Of that infinite intelhgenc
that created man for It's honor and glory
In the natural cDadjtipn of the system, al
its functions are b, beautifully con,rIycd, admi
rably adjusted aud nicely proportioued T.
eacn other and are governed 10y a few Slmpl
laws, on the correct ohse vance Of which dc
pend our present and future welfare and enjoy
mCuts our powers Of action, oar intellectual
eXi>teuca, our capacities OF feeling and q
reasoning, nj, thit renders life desirable, nay
tha. very lte itself The human body as
mere mlcuinc is perfect: it bears within it
self no marks by which we can possibly pre-
dcatc It's decay. Il is endowed with "A Sc
ur,scsvin, y ,wer that enables Us to cndur
from yclr TO year, the tolls and tatiguos
life. the variations of heat and cold, the Wei;
situdes of the seasons, the floating atoms
the atmosphere, the UoXous eXhalatior
from the earth, and poisonous yapors fro
dec,mposcl animal and vegetable matter. -
The Ahui ,hty Architect,
Whose spirit in our spirit shines
As shines the sunbeam in the drop of dew
Has SO f,arruily and wonderfully construct
man. that his fluctio1s are apparently CO
Cu',tel to 20 on forever; and physlulOglS
have zone so FIR as 70 say sucI woJld be {
results. did not some cNtfaueoHs cause ops
ate 10 dgrangc the fair proportions Of Il
master piece of Cots mechanism, The sar
cause that pro iuccs liies mysterious acti
t.day. they contend should exist on to-mC
row, and SO on TIL
Like clock worn out with eating time
Tie wheels Of weary life at last stand still
The perfect and uninterrupted health {
loved hv the inhabitsnts Of those countr
where the human family exists in state
nature, is confirmation st ong,' in support
this position. Capt Cook, in speaking
thc Great number OF cd men with VIII
Nev Zealand abOundS, remW ka-that ma
of them by the loss Of their hair and tee
appcar To be very ancient, yet none Of tn
wcrc dcerepid. Although they were
cnuaI ro the youug in muscular "treng
thsv aid not come in the least h,hind tn
in rrgqld 20 checrIuneSs and vivacity
furth,r states. that m all the visits made
their towns where old and Young, men
women crowded about him, he never obse
n single person who appeared To nave
bodily complaint. Natl' rs Iar IA IVY u
i,aror could discover, is Ihe universal
ONLY drink Of the New Xsalanders, and
assigns this as the principal cause for Il
remarkable good health and longevity.
Disease and 81 iieling are in no degree
legitimate and necessary results OF the
crationS # our bodily organs, and hy
means necessarily incident to human ut,
The rimordtal laws that govern theiuncu
and operations Of ,he animal economy ia n
are ,sab she'd upon the most cxtep
prineiple Of bCneyoieucc, and are Fccnll
designed for an end Of utility and enjoym
By a strict observance of these laws
secures his highest SO and happin
and every infrng cement of them is sure
lollowed by suffering and misery. In a
lion to all the physical blessings which
hountiGul giyer Of al good has layished |
nan the noblest Of h,s works, he hai
dn,ysd him with intellectual faculties
arI attributes that should elevate i
nobleness o? h,s nature and greatness oil
,y;sdom to aspire, were II not imp Gus,
80 ,he Throne OF the Divinity
:, is exceedingly to he regretted that
,,id sill not follow the simple dictat
na,n,e and live precisely as they oug
i;so Forever dis urbing the nicely adj
balaoee which constitutes health, he IS I
er suffering the reward Of h'S temer''!