Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-11-16
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Our Condition.


Nh. EDlroR: We have indeed fallen up
on evil times. The spirit of the love Of
filthy lucre' seems to have fastened It's
greedy fangs upon the vitals of purs be
ne%volence, and is draining out the last
drop of its life-blood. No ags or coun-
try can furnish a parallel case 10 eur
C~oHfederacy in point of speculation, and
an almost universal desire for lnordinate
gain. Countries, and even certain local
tiles, may have practiced extortion and
speculation under similar circumstances,
to an equal extent with our own; but
they can form no parallel with this South
crn country, because they did not exist
IN the nineteenth century.
1t Is a burning shame to those men,
and ladies too, who call themselves Chris
tidns, to shut up the bowels of their be.
nevolence against the tears and walls of
widowed mothers and orphan children,
under the fimSy pretext Of necessity !;
when at the same time they have at
command thousands of the necessaries Of
life The poor, and helpless wife, made
so by the strong arm of the law, snatching
from her the prop upon which shs leaned
for her support, is forced to call upon
that farmer whose granaries arc grooming
with abundance, for a bus hel of corr TO
keep her helpless children from starva-
zion. She is told that she can have it at
SO per bushel. The poor creatures
breast heayes with a heavy sigh, and she
exclaims, Can you not let ms have it
for less My husband is in the army.
and he gets but $l1 per month, and
have seven little children to support
Lis has sent me % dollars but we have
not a pound of meat, and we arc out OF
meal. Besides, we are all barefooted,
and L want to save = small portion oil
these $50 to get sone shoes for the TIVE
c oldest children. Can't you let me have
the corn for less :"
and says, Mrs. s., | am very sor-
~ that things are so dear; but I have to
SO pay high for-for-for-thread and
l and-salt, that [ cannot afford to let YOU
. have it any cheaper. | wish [ could dc
: better" and he begins to lock about for
! her sack, ashamed to stand longer anC
: look a poor honest woman in the face
! He measures up p bushels of corn tina
I has cost him 35 cents per bushel to raise
puts it into the poor woman's sack an(
: puts the $25 in his pockcT, where the,
meet up with several thousand of thel,
q fellows, and he walks about his bushes!
as if lie had done some great act of be-
nevolence
q Next Sunday is Sacrament day, and
: follow my here to Church, for, don't b
$ atfrishted reader,) he is a professor Q
q the religion Of Christ, and even prays i
public, He takes his usual place. at til
Lords table, and | watch his changin
features as he thus reasons with himself
/" 1t is hardly right for me to take thi
holy supper,"-and a long grunt escape
: his mouth as if to excite himself into
: devotional fame Of mind! Il sold Cor,
d last week to poor Mrs. S., at 81
pei. bushel, ANOTHER grunt; Il don
want to eat and drink damnation to my
: self, and the Bjole says | shall, if [ ca
unworthily." But in an instant | Sc
his features brighten up, and | hea
him reason thus: "True, | sold he
corn at $40 per bushel, but | aidn'
Le strike the measure as is my usual Gus
TOM" and another Lord have mercy
. escapes his lips, and he takes the hol
It Eucharist Wien he uttered the la.
n prayer, l heard thu holy angels sa
!, Amen; for they felt there was grea
need that it should be answered.
Such, Mr.. Editor, is the character {
some christians () in Western Mort
$. Carolina. PHILO.
a Happy Home. n. G..