Year: 1859

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BULL0CKs CREEK CELEBRATION,


THURSDAY, MAY u, 1859.


We are met together this day, to lend
you whatever influence our presence may
give to your laudable efforts to ameliorate
the condition Of the human family, and on
an occasion which cannot fail to call forth
emotions of the deepest gratitude from the
minds of all who are not insensble to the
moral influence exerted by your efforts. We
are now arrayed under the banner of "Love,
Purity and Fidelity" Let me congratulate
you in the outset on the prosperous condi-
tion in which we find your Society," con-
dition that is well becoming the honor, the
dignity, and the intelligence of community
like this. And we would ardently hope
that the fruits of the great seminal prin-
ciple here sown and cherished, may be rea-
lized and cherished in every part of your
State. Yea, that the whole South, infu-
enced by your example, may soon cause the
pure and limpid waters of temperance prin-
ciples, which shall bountifully flow from your
united exertions, to roll back upon the great
Northern source until our whole Union,
mingling in one magnificent stream of emf
grafton westward, shall pour forth peren-
nial food of temperance with all its concom-
liant blessings upon our boundless and un-
trodden waste. Still on, then, with your
noble and laudable undertaking. The hap
py rewards of your undertaking and indus
try will not only be felt in the present, but
will spring up in another generation, and
your children and children's children shall
reap the harvest.


The evils arising from intemperance are
so manifest, that it would seem that every
man possessed of common reason would be
convinced and persuaded at once to abandon
the use of intoxicating drinks. But such is
the constitution of man by nature, that we
need line upon line and precept upon pre-
cept. We take it for granted that no one
directly or designedly seeks his own ruin
The desire of happiness is so deeply implant-
ed in the breast Of every human being, and
indeed of every animal, that no one seeks to
make himself wretohed. Yet many take
such course, as according to the laws which
God has established, terminates in disgrace
and wretchedness To illustrate the means
by which young men are frequently allured
from the path of rectitude and led on step
by step until they are involved in inevitable
ruin, | will refer you to the ancient method
of taking birds in net. The fowler goes at
night, or some other time when the birds are
not present, to place which they are accus-
toned to frequent, and scatters some kind of
grain or seed as bait land suffers the birds
for several days to come and pick up the
bait unmolested. After he has accustomed
them to come daily without disturbance to
the place which he has selected, he carefully
folds up his net, attaches toit spring and a
rope, covers it over with leaves, and makes
the place look as nearly as possible like what
it was when the birds had visited it with
out harm. These arrangements made, be
conceals himself in place which he has
previously prepared, and when the unsus
pecting birds alight and commence picking
up the bait, he draws the rope, springs the
net and incloses his game Another strata.
gem is also sometimes used. A bird of the
same species as those which the fowler wish
es to take, is used as decoy. And wher
the sportsman notices flock of birds passing
over, he causes his decoy to futter and ap
pear to alight where his net isspread. This
attracts the notice of the passing flock and
suspecting no danger, they descend on the
spot prepared for their destruction. The
success of the sportsman greatly depends or
the secrecy with which he conducts his op
erations. If he is seen spreading his net Of
making his preparations, such is the sagaci
ty of birds that they cannot be tempted tt
come near the fatal spot. These methods o.
taking birds in a net, illustrate in plair
and apt manner, the means by which young
men are frequently allured from the path Of
duty, and led, before they are aware of dan
ger, into fatal snares.


Perhaps, young man may. mot deliberate,
ly cast off the fear of God and reject the
Bible, as the first step in the road to ruin
Without rejecting on this subject and with,
out intending to renounce the religious
principles inculcated by pious father OF
mother, he may, through the influence of his
associates, be induced to use Intoxicating
drinks. At first, they may be drinks of the
weaker class that be will venture to taste,
and that only occasionally or as some would
say, "only use it in moderation" From the
exhilirating effects be may be induced to
repeat the experiment more frequently, until
he acquires taste for intoxicating drinks I;
and then his history is soon told. With
some, the progress is rapid. Tasting once or
twice, creates such an appetite that there is
no stopping until they become frantic or
beastly drunk; and some act of violence or
mischief is committed, or such disturbance
is made that their condition cannot be kept
secret. And what would not the unhappy
youth then give, could his disgrace be kept
from the knowledge of his father, mother or
friends? With others, the progress is slow,
but not less sure. That an individual has
not become frantic-that he has not shouted
like madman-or committed any outra-