The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-03-26
NO. 50.

the use of ardent spirits But this does
not cover the whole ground Of intemper-
ance. This is bad enough, it is true, but
much worse when intempergte In other
things added thereto. The professed
Christian may not only be Incorporate in
drinking, but as we'll in eating, sleeping,
in working, in his charities so as TO rob
his own family, or the reverse, in being
so economical as to initiate the miser-
But the greatest sill of intemperance, coz
sist in the excessive use of spirituous IL
quors, so pronounced by community in
general. No mBtter where or in what
condition or state of society man is found,
we soon discover that he is naturally fond
OF stimulauts in some form or other
I Whether Adam detected anything ardent
in the juice of the apple which mother
Eve gave him we know not. Yet man
seems to have discovered the art of ex-
tracing spirits, alcohol, out of almost
every substance wherewith to crafty his
appetite.
Now it is against the abuse, the intem-
perate use of this appetite for ardent spi-
: rits that, the professed Christian Is to-
guard. But when we see him openly or
secretly indulging to excess, we are dis
posed both to pity and despise him. No
vice which the professed Christian is gull
ty of so much .obstructs the growth of
Christianity as that of intemperance.-
This units him in a great measure either
/ for business or society, and worst of all fora
place in the church. There is nothing
more disgraceful or more humiiatinc than
tn ba
drunkenness, along the streets, thus not
only making a laughing stock of himself,
but also a shame and a reproach to Chris.
tianlty, and worse than all, only too fire.
quentIy are We panied to see such char
acters without any acknowledgement of
their guilt or any visible marks of penit-
tence, appearing at the Lords table to eas
and drink, we fear, damauation to them
selves. The non professor looks upon all
this and asks, whether this is Christianity?
He will say, II thought he who professed
Christ has the spirit of Christ which ex-
emplifes itself among other graces in be-
/ ing temperate, in having the appetite in
subjection-but l see the reverse of all
this, aad if Christianity cannot control
this vice, | will not be called a Chris
I L
struction thrown in the way Of the wrowth
of Christianity by protesting Chritians
themselves.
". Fulgarity and i'll temper.
y Vulgar Christian Az i'll tempered
/ Christian ! What commentary upon
the Christian name. 4 vulgar Christian
he who without blush can take the
name of his Maker in vain-he who can
with vulgar and obscene words associate
his God with the vilest of the vile, sure
ly cannot lay much claim to being
Christian Such an one places himsels
far beneath the non professor who claims
to be a gentleman, for he will not indulge
IN vulgar and obscene language no, not
he, for he cannot lay claim to the title of
gentleman whilst given to vulgarity-
Much less can man lay claim to be Chris
tian who can do less than the non -profes-
sor. Yet the non professor looks upon this
vulgar professor, and comes to the conclu-
sion that there is at least nothing refRing
or eievatiRJ in Christianity, and so de-
cides not to be a Christian But then we
find another obstruction in that of the H.
tempered Christian. He who cannot or
will not restrain his temper, but will give
way to all the feelings which Satan can,
put into and bring out of the human
heart, and yet call himself Christian, is
at once an obstruction to the growth Of
Christianity.
Skeptics sneer at the idea of maniacs
and of persons being possessed of evil,
spirits in the days of Christ aud of the
apostles. Well, for argument sake, let
US admit there were none. But if we will
turn to some of our profeSsed Christians
and see them in some of their fits of ILL
temper, of cursing, swearing, and yieldi
ing up all their finer feelings to the spirit
} of the devil, we would pretty soon come
to the conclusion that, if there never had
been evil spirits in apostolic times, there
, certainly are IN our own times. And
; thus does the non professor conclude, fars
says he, 'if Christianity cannot restrain.
and keep IN subjectiou the temper Of pro-
, Tossing Christians, what good is there in
: 1t = And so he stands aloof.
: Y. The spirit OF revenge instead of for
: givness manifest in too many protesting
: Christians. Our Saviour's injunction to
t his disciples was, Glove your enemies.
: bless them that curse you, do good TO
them that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you, aud persecutes
: you" This doctrine, as we may readily
4 see, is in direct opposition to that found
5 in the old testament which says, Gan eye
t for an eye, and tooth for TOOTH -
r This doctrine is also in opposition to the
q feelings and dispositions OF the natural,
, the unregenerate heart. Hence the spirit
e of revenge instead OF forgiveness which so
: frequently shows itself not only in the
r man of the world, but in the protesting
e Christian as well. He however, VINO
e thus manifests such spirit, and at the
1 same time claims to be Christiaa, cosa 50
D wide of the mark The snirit of Christ