Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-10-27
"Take that glass again, and look to
'our beautiful eminence. What do you

see ?"
II see an almost innumerable multitude,
composed of people of both sexes, and of
every age and condition in life, gathered
round fountain,' drinking and making
merry. What place is that {"
"That is the fountain Moderation, the
source of the river incompetence, that We
have been talking about. Do you see any
thing e.se?'
/" Yes; | see another gathering of people;
but they are few in number compared to
the multitude at the fountain"
"Some OF them seem to be reasoning
with that jolly host, and it must be that
the fountain is the subject; for now and
then they point at the little rill that so
smoothly rims from it, and at the same hor-
rlble gulf where Intemperance empties.-
Who are they e.
"They are called TEEToTALERs. They
never drink at the fountain, Moderation.
They continually y warn that vast assem-
blage of their danger. They are now
showing them that they are in the way to
that stream on whose dark waters millions
float to hell. They are telling them-and
trnl y too-that if they will quit using the
waters of Moderation, Intemperance will
soon dry up, and perdition be robbed of
half its flames. Look again, and tell me
if you know the professions of any at the
fountain" @
see some clothed in the vestments Of
the holy ministry with great number of
their congregations drinking there. also
see statesmen, legislators, and thousands of
others who scorn drunken man, and who
claim place in the first walks of society,
regahng themselves there. Do they not
see that they are in the beginning of the
way that leads to death ?-are they not
conscious that they have the power to stop
the current of the food that lays waste
the land"
eyes, they all know that; but they
think that little stream too small to wash
them away to destruction. Indeed they
know if they stoD there they will eSsana
the swift current of Intemperance but
because they find a .teeo men, grey headed
and deerepit with age, that have been con-
tent to stay there, they think they will al
ways be satisfied with the water of Moder-
alton. But you sha! see directly how
easily and almost unconsciously they leave
there and go to the place of danger.
"The reason the law makers do not in
tcrfere with it, is because some of them are
proprietors of its waters, and make much
l. money by it's sale; while others fear they
will lose the votes of the majority tina
k frequent that place. They know that they
1t alone have the power to suddenly stop th
flow of yon mighty destructive stream
= bnt instead Of stopping it, they pass law
e. privileging men-a great number of me-
le to hand out the water of Moderation
Ill "Thus the law, in great measure, protect
lie the place from the hands of the Teetotal
st ers, who wish to heap destruction upon
ID lest their sons should learn to drink ther
&c and at last be swept into the great gulf
as Such legislators bring wars and desolatio
in on their country. They build prisons an
ne and poor houses, and their own loose leg
- islation fills them to overfowing with erin
at inals and paupers. But I'll say no mo
on about legislators at present. Look aga
nd at the fountain-what do you see 2"
nt i,t "How strange! I see great number
VII men bringing corn, rye, wheat, fruit &
'k' and pouring it all in the fountain Sor
1e,, have wagon loads, some horse loads, b
OF look yorder is a shabby man with a sa
Al full on his back see his wife looki
on on after him and weeping, while her childr
- iiu innocent things-all IN tatters, cryl
Ine for bread He heeds not their cries loo
.tle he is pouring his last bushel of grain il
ra II All +boco With uorope q
MY horses have already cast in their cumbert
ley loads and how strange! it has made
u'- water of the fountain gush forth boil
ON stream Why is this I! and who is +
lau tattered man that robbed his children
d their last morsel of bread ?" ....s.
roo Your first question I will answer at on
! t. the other you shall know after awhile
on Beneath the fountain the devil has cert
men at work, who receive all the grain
rale fruit that is poured in, out of which t
ia manufacture the water of the river Int
r;v- perance, as well as that of the fountain
I'D Yes, they cause that vast stream to Il
and in which sirty thousaTsd Americans pc
for every year. 1nose underground wof'
the of the devil are men bearing the hul
and form. Yes, some of them are professor
nv the holy religion of Christ-are church
otbe fcers-aDd frequently meet at church,
and make long prayers, theproprietors, in |
heed of the fountain, whom told you a
heen awhile ago, who spend part of their
and manufacturing the aqua naort's for
hove devil. What else do you see &
,esti. "I see the band of teetotalers tryin
u