Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-10-27
"a 20
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THE RIVER INTEMPERANCE.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE

where with ease could survey the sur
reundug country. After looking for a !
while on the glories of the world, my mind !
suddenly turned to the evils that man has
brought on himself and entailed on his
postc.ity. Just then there appeared before
me q very grave looking parsonage who
accosted me thus:
"Sir, my name is Contemplator. l am
the genius Of this beautiful place and
when person visits it, willingly show
him the magnificent works of bis Creator
as displayed in the beautiful landscape, in
the wide expanse of the seas, and in the
shining hosts of the universe. | was as
sistlng you while you were scanning The
green wales of the earth, and singing out
each blessing prepared for man by his Gre,
ator Your conclusions were just that
not the least thing is lacking that the im-
agins,lon can light upon, for the comfort
and happiness OF man. You were right,
toe, when you came to the conclusion,
while looking on the gloomy side of life,
that were it not for mans eyil inventions,
earth would be almost AN Rden STILL And
now have visited you to show you more
fully the prcdominating evil in the world
Arise now, look around and tell me what
you see"
"I see," said l, a very wide stream,
like the mghtiest river, running through
every part OF tie earth. Here and there
the crest of hill hides it from view, but
through every opening I see its dark and
troubled waters rolling on"
"Here is perspective glass; take it and
look again. What do you now see?"
80 horrible see millions of human
beings with faces distorted with rage, and
eyes swollen and bruised, floating on the
nnGrv biIio~Da, do-vn---eio~n----Iatvn-s Mar
cy. what dreadful chasm what gulf
below Deep like hell and its mountain
pillows all on fire! What curses, what
wsilings Yonder is one astride of the
highest wave just nearing the gulf! He
takes backward glance at the world, bids
farewell to life, and through his last groar
he cries,
"ls this the seat
That must change for Heaven
This mournful doom for that celestial light?
Farewell happy fields,
Where joy forever dwells dall, horrors nal
Internal world And thou-profundest hell,
Receive ruined son of earthl"
Hero, take back your e ass. | can loo
no longer on such horrible scene bu
explain it all to me-"
"WeIl," /" be said, "you have been look
inc on the mighty river of Intemperdnc
You have seen it emptying itself into tn
abyss-the guilt of perdtion, but l wi
now show YOU its source. 1t rises In tt
upper regions of the earth, in the mo
beautiful and healthy spot ever inhabite
by man. 1t was supposed for long tin
to have no source, but quite recently it h
been discovered. Man is very slow
finding out the moving principle in son
things that even fools might find OUT
Who would for moment suppose th
De Soto, when he first set his foot
the banks of the mighty Mississippi, d
not let his mind range the vast exte
of territory through which it flowed,
he rested on some snow clad pee
pinnacle of the Western Hemisphe
from which gurgled the beginning
that magnificent stream? Well, long
ter that period-atter the Anglo Sax
had explored and settled the New Wo
the groans of the dying inebriate,
walls Of his wife, and the cries of his III
ones, called for some hand to stem the
ging flood OF intemperance. Human
was moved by the cries OF millions as tt
rode It's dark biilows to the gulf Of per
ton, bat none seemed to inquire fr
whence it had its source, till thousands
gone down to rise no more. At las
band of philanthropists explored the W;
plains of misery, and discovered its sou
whose name is Moderation. ArounC
thousands, yea, millions are gathered c
tinually, slipping its exhilarating waters
Legislators and statesmen visit 1t to re!
themselves and even there talk of bu
ing rail roads, opening the channels of
ers, building State prisons, erecting eu
ipgs for the insane and deaf and blind,
many other things that they say will
ward civilization and the interest of
whole State hut though memorials
petitions are heaped up around them,
ping the necessity oe some law to stol
navigation of the river lHtemperance,
PRAYING them to act upon it, they
them not. Yes, though they have
shown the verdapt plains submerged
laid waste by its foods, though they
seen that it breeds war, famine and
lence. and though they see millions RI
10 perdit;on on its waves-thcy are
dnmb and biud on the subject