Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-11-02
5tllstfllane0ns
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Intemperance.

grievous than that of lntemperance ; for
when we behold it in its greatest mag.
nitude, and contemplate it 10 its won
derful power and influence on mankind,
We are perfectly sastonished hat per-
sons of rational minds will suffer them
selves to be beguiled and led into the
paths of folly and vice by this terrible
monster. We expect to c%onine our
remarks principally to that particular
species of intemperance commonly
called drunkenness, or intoxication.-
We say that a man is incorporate
when he INDUCES his appetite to ex-
cess, either with regard to eating too
much food or drinking too much Ii
quor ; in short, he is said to be intern.
perate when he INDUCES to excess in
either.
'The mar who INDUCES his appetite
to excess in eating delicious fruit or
food of any kind, is or less sub
ject to drowsiness or stupidity of spirit,
and consequently in this condition he
is not capable of answering the ends
for which he was created, that is to
honor and glorify his Maker in this life,
that he may be prepared for happiness
hereafter. Instead of liveliness and
activity on his part, when required to
perform any known duty, there is dull
ness and stupidity. But the man who
drinks to excess, is not only not lively
and active, but is not capable of filling
any position of honor and distinction
whatever; for intemperancc Influences
, the heart to evil, and excites the pas
sious to sin, so that he is ready and
willing to commit some of the most
heinous crimes ! aginable. 1t also
dethrones reason, :naairs the memory;
for it has a power il ,euce over the
brain and mental 1:.,,s,so that in
stead Of being a rati, nalcreature, he is
a raving mailman OF maniac.
% Some of the evils of intemperance
are to be seen in the distress it causes,
the disquietude it produces, and the
calamity which it brings upon families,
upon communities and even upon whole
nations. Behold the distress it causes
in families: the home that was once
lovely is no longer such !; for around
the desolate hearth, where happiness
and peace once prevailed, gather a few
haggard forms with pale countenances,
trembling limbs and qri7ering lips, and
they weep tears of bitterness and an
guisb, from the fact that one of its
members is away engaged in bacchana-
Ian revelry, miDgling his voice in
songs of mirth and sin, and participa-
ting in acts of folly with the unhappy
baud that throng the broad way that
leads to hell. Look at the pale, trem-
bling form (the wife OF the n who is
thus engaged in drunkenness, debauch-
cry and crime,) and see how she weeps
rs she looks upon her little family, once
so happy and we'll provided for, but
now in want and deep distress, half
clad and half fed. She aise remembers
that her husbands character is not OF
" in disrepute, but that his immortal
soul is really. to be consigned to the
flames Of the damned, at any minute
the brittle thread of life should be cut.
She also knows that he has brought
shame and disgrace upon her aud heI
children, and that they are or will be
objects of scorn and contempt by those
who would have looked up to them but
for accursed intemperance. Shall we
draw the picture? The fierce. winds
howl about their little cottage, the sa-
BILE curtains of night have gathered
around, the husband is far away en-
gagged as we have said the little fam
iiy psrtake of their morsel of bread
Ihey have 1t, and retire in the NEAR
time the wife is thinking Of her hus
band, the children of their father; anc
though uneasineas rests upon thei
minds as to what will become of him
yet they might enjoy some quietude
were it not for the dread of his return
Hank ! what sound is this / hear in tn
mid night stiffness 1t is the voice o
an Infatuated mailman ! He come
cursing and swearing and threatens t,
punish them, and often carries thes
threats into effect. Tue wife arise
and attempts to pacify the anger OF he
enraged husband, but all in vain /; tn
~rnatar %ha aTor+e tbA loso oyoilabl