Newspaper Page Text
Vo. 1 VOL. Vl.]
Extracts Irom Dr. Ramsay's History of South
Carolina.
’ Drunkenness may be called an endemick
vice of Carolina. The climate disposes
to it, and (he combined influence of religion
and education, (oo often fail to restrain it.
Tne free perspiration which takes place
especially in summer, calls for a great pro
portion of liquid to replace the discharged
fluid. Several persons are contented with
the beverage of nature, and maintain good
health and spirits without any artificial li
quor whatever ; but a much greater num
ber drir.k water when they can get nothing
else. The most harmless substitute that
has ever been found for that pure element
is beer. This communicates strength
while it quenches thirst, and in its most
common lorms does not readily intoxicate.
Unfortunately for Carolinians cheap fer
mented liquors do not suit wilh their cli
mate, especially m the summer when they
are mo.-t wanted. Reronrse is generally
had to spirituous liquors; medical theories
are made to bend to appetite. Accom.mo
dating professional men by their example
and advice, recommend it as a corrector of
the water. Such opinions are readily re
ceived and acted upon. The general posi
tion being once admitted that the addition
of rum, gin, brandy, or whiskey, is an im
provenv.nt of water, it is no easy matter to
stop at the precise point of temperance.
The reasoning powers are so far the dupe?
of sense, that a little more and a litde stron
ger is taken without hesir.lion. Thirst
makes the first drink a plentiful one: a few
supplementary draughts complete the busi
ness of intoxication, and induce an oblivion
ofall cares. A repetition of the pleasing
delusion takes place : an habit of ehriety is
insensibly formed. To resist a growing
fondness for liquor in its first stage is possi
ble, but it requires much fortitude and per
severance. When the habit is completely
formed, reason is dethroned: the reins are
surrendered to appetite and the unhappy
man is hurried on irom bad to worse till he
becomes a nuisance in society.
All these temptations to intoxication are
increased by idleness. Men are so consti
tuted as to be incapable of total stagnation.
Something to stimulate the senses, employ
the body or occupy the mind, is a matter of
absolute necessity. He wbo®e vacant mind
cannot amuse itself wilh reading, reasoning,
reflecting, or the reveries of imagination;
wiiose circumstances elevate him above
bodily labour; has only one avenue left t >
save himself from the painful sensations of
being without any employment for mind or
body : that is, to rouse his senses by the
poignancy of something that acts directly
and strongly upon them. This may be
dune by tobacco, opium, and some other ir
ritatmg substances, but by nothing so read
ily or so conveniently as by ardent spirits.
The draught which at first excited the sen
ses, soon becomes inadequate. The quan
tity must therefore be increased. A per
furious habit is thus insensibly formed from
having nothing to do.
The hard labouring man is assailed by
{•djttiptations of a different nature. Labour
ill warm weather excites great thirst. The
attending depression of spirits i* supposed
to requiresomelhingconlial. The quantity
ol water which nature require*, dashed with
only a common portion of ardent spirit®,
makes in the whole too much of the latter
for health or comfar*. Habits of intoxica
tion in this manner grow on persons of this
description while they are without any ap
prehensions of their transgressing the rule®
of temperance. Thus a large proportion
of the laborers who take up their abode in
Carolina, either lose their healths or their
lives in the course of a few years. Drop
fies, complaints of the liver, dyspepsia or
bad digestion close the scene with people
of this description.
i To rhese may be added the gentlemen
Aho spend their afternoons and evenings
over their wine. By the help of semiannu
al fits of the gout they sometimes make out
to live for several years, though they sel
dom go to bed sober. Their habiis are
expensive, destructive of time, and incon
distent with close application to business;
but their live* are not so directly and imme
diately threatened as in the ca®e of lhose
who in shorter spaces drink equal quanti
se* of spirituous liquors.
Perplexity, from debt and other etnbar
rasetnents or troubles, is in Carolina a com
mon cause of inebriation This state of
mind produces a physical effect which re
seinbles the pressure of a bar across the
breat. To remove that sensation, and to
drown care, recourse is had to the oblivious
draught. But being often repeated, it dis
qualifies the sufferer from manly exertions
to extricate himself. Instead of more in
dustry and economy, it too often happens
that more ardent spirits are taken till the
case becomes hopeless.
The too early introduction of young lads
into company has an unhappy effect on their
habits. They need not the stimulus of
strong drink, and are often indifferent and
sometimes averse to it; but when fashion
leads the way, they have not fortitude
enough to make a stand. They are apt to
prefer social folly to singular wisdom. To
he occasionally drunk in good company, is
considered by (heiryoung companions as a
proof of spirit. As duels are sometimes
THE MISSIONARY.
fought against the grain incompliance with
custom, so habits of iotoxication are con
tracted by young men not from any self in
dulgence in the beginning but merely to
please other people. When once contract
ed they are rarely laid aside. The good
Datured, pleasant, accommodating youth,
dies a sot before he attains a middle age.
WheD all the preceding classes are taken
into view, the number of strictly temper
ate people is far short of what is generally
supposed. On this subject medical men
have much better opportunities of informa
tion than others. Let him that stands, take
heed lest be fall ; for the temptations to
drunkenness are. so great and so common,
as partly resulting from the climate, that
great self command, prudence and fortitude,
and a strict discipline of the passions and
appetites, are absolutely necessary to main
tain the empire of reason over sense.
FEMALE INFLUENCE.
From an Esay on the Influence of Women in civ
ilized countries, copied from the Family Visitor.
1. MarriedLarties. —The influence which
is peculiar to married ladies, results from
Ihpir connexion and intercourse with their
husbands and their children. It is in vain
for a man to say, uxori, nuhere n v !o me®,
my wife shall not wearthp ‘ breeks.’ Now
and then, perhaps, when their wills come
in direct contact, he may keep possession
of the field, and flatter himself that he has
won the victory. But even then his gene
rosity, if he have any, will induce him to
wave any advantage he might have derived
from it. And oineteen times in twenty,
while he thinks he is pursuing an indepen
dent course, and assumes all the credit of
his success, the suggestions or persuasions
of his companion are influencing bis opin
ion®, and controlling his conduct. If in ad
dition to the usual charms of hpr sex, °he
possesses gentleness of manners, sweetness
of disposition, and a well cultivated mind,
it must require a singular share of obstina
cy to withstand her influence in a single iu
stance. As it regards the rising genera
tion, the case is still more plain. Children
in the early period of life, are almost whol
ly under the care and direction of the mo
ther. Their minds are developed under
her tender and constant cultivation. Their
characters are usually formed at that early
period, when their ideas being few, itnpres
sions are easily made, and when they natu
rally apply to their mother for advice and
instruction. Besides the greater freedom,
which is observable in their intercourse
wilh her than with their father, and the
fact, that they are almost continually in her
society, it constitutes a great part of her
occupation to unfold their tender powers,
and impart to them the rudiments of their
education. A pious, intelligent, and faith
ful mother is the greatest earthly blessing
that a merciful Providence can bestow on
a child If she performs her duty, her off
spring will rie up and call her blessed It
is evident from the biographies of Washing
ton and Dwight, that their intellectual and
moral greatness wa® derived from the bles
sing of heaven on the instructions and ad
vice of their mothers. The same is no
doubt true of many, if not all the worthies
of our land, and the benefactors of our
race.
2. Young Ladies. —Next to mother*, the
young ladies have the greatest agency in
forming the character of the other sex
Their influence commence* at a period
when it i® most neednl. Young men, al
though their characters are in a great mea
®ure formed, require some powerful re
straint, jut at the time when they are be
coming acquainted with the world, and are
beginning to move beyond the inspection of
a mother’s eye. The young females, with
whom they then associate, are the guardi
an? of their virtue, and are accountable for
most of the evil practices into which they
fall. It requires hut tittle observation, to
he convinced, that multitudes of young men,
who are destitute of religions principle,
pursue (hat line of conduct which is most
likely to meet the views of the young la
dies with whom they associate, and whose
approbation they desire to obtain. There
is not a vice prevalent among them, that
would not he relinquished, were it repro
bated, and the perpetrators of it avoided,
by the young, the fashionable, and the in
telligent of our sex. None but the most
hardened and impudent blasphemer will
even now utter an oath in the presence of
any respectable female. Why then i not
profanity banished fr>m our country? Be
cause we welcome the swearer into our
society, on condition that when he retires,
he may give full vent to the oaths which
have accumulated in proportion to the peri
od of restraint. If the omission to do good,
or to prevent evil, when in one’s power, be
a crime, what a tremendous account we
shall have to render on the score of pro
fanity, intemperance, gambling and duel
ling! These practices, which disturb the
peace of society, mar the happiness of fam
ilies, burry multitudes to death and perdi
tion, and must ultimately call down the in
dignalioo of Heaven on our country, might
be greatly restrained, if not entirely exter
minated, by a vigorous and judicious effort
on the part of our sex. Let the practices
themselves be uniformly mentioned in]
Ofall the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity ‘ Rebgionlnd mpporfs.- JVashivglorx.
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA.) MONDAY, JUNE 21 film!
terms of reprobation; and let u 9 avoid
those who pursue them, as we would the
midnight assassin, or the grand adversary
ot God and man. Unless we set our faces
against them, blood will be found, in our
skirts, and a most solemn account roust he
rendered for those that are lost through
our neglect.
There is another point to which I wish
to call the attention of my young compan
ions—l mean the intellectual improvement
of the young men. A large proportion of
them have no great fondness for study ; and
those who do not rely on a profession for a
support, acquire just as much information
as will enable them to pass through life
with respectability. Both the kind and ex
tent of their knowledge, are determined by
us. Whatever may be our standard of im
provement, theirs will never rise very far
above it. If a little light reading will ena
ble them to appear well in our society,
they will never become any thing more
than mere pedants. Still, however, it is
extremely mortifying to them to be found
our inferiours—to be unable to converse on
subjects which we introduce. I have seen
many a young man shrink almost into anni
hilation, on betraying his ignorance in pre
sence of a favourite female. Such an oc
cnrrence, whenever it happens, imparts to
him an impulse and an energy and perse
verance, which any other cause whatever
would fail to produce. I well recollect one
instance. A young man is now pursuing
his studies with unwearied industry and sig
nal success in one of our Colleges, who,
but for discovering his inferiority to a lady
in conversation, would uever have had en
ergy enough to obtain an education. Simi
lar instances are numerous. Several young
ladies of my acquaintance, by continuing
their studies two or three years beyond (he
period which custom has prescribed for the
education of our sex, and thus adding to the
accomplishment of the female character,
a sound and thorough education, have
thrown around them a literary atmosphere,
and excited a wonderful spirit of improve
ment in all the young men within the cir
cle of their acquaintance. None dare at
tempt to palm pedantry on them for sound
learning. These ladies are not only an
honour to the “ Ancient Dominion,” but
they deserve a place among her greatest
benefactors and her noblest patriots.
Were all the fair of Virginia possessed of
the same attainments, they would exert
a greater influence in raising the literary
character of the State, and in giving her an
elevated rank in the Union, than all the
Colleges and Universities in the land.
Jennie Deans.
Christian Eloquence.
Extract from the Speech of the Hon. David Dag
gett, before the American Bible Society.
To those who occupy exalted places,and
who are to a certain extent the vicegerents
of Heaven on earth, this book enjoins rules
for the discharge of their high trusts,which
should be written in letters of gold on eve
ry hall of legislation—on every tribunal of
justice—and on every throne of power.—
“ The God of Israel said, the Rock of Isra
el spake to me ; he that ruleth over men
must be just, ruling in the fear of God ”
Such an administration would be “ as the
light of the morning when the sun riseth,
even a morning without clouds; as the ten
der grass springing out of the ground, by
clear shining after rain ;” and under such
an administration the eye of benevolence
might look for the influence on those who
“ submit to the powers that be,” of that
precious maxim, “ whatsoever ye would
that others should do to you, do ye even so
to them.”
The solemn declaration, “ that righte
ousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a re
proach to any people,” should admonish
those cities, stales and empires which dis
regard truth, equity and justice, and which
delight “ in hearing the confused noise of
the warriour, and in seeing garments roll
ed in blood,” that a tremendous curse has
gone forth, “shall not my soul be avenged
on such a nation as this.”
The patriot should turn away with dis
gust from the Absaloms who proclaim in
the streets, “ Oh that we were made judges
in the land, that any man who hath any
suit or cause might come unto us, and we
would do him justice.” It is recorded of
the ancient felon who made this declaration,
that he stole the hearts of the men of Israel,
and that “ when any man came nigh unto
him to do him obeisance, be put forth his
hand and took him and kissed him.” If
this was the first kiss to betray, unhappily
it was not the last. The patriotism of Ne
hemiab was of a different stamp. Laborr
ing, with one hand to build the walls of
Jerusalem, and holding in the other wea
pons of defence against bis enemies, he
manifested his perseverance and love of
country by deeds and not by words only.
Under their influence he made that heroick
and magnanimous speech, “ Should such a
man as 1 flee? and who is there that being
as I am, would go into the temple to save
bis life?—l will not go in.”
The declarations, “ifany will not work
neither shall he eat,”—“ the hand of the
diligent maketh rich,”—“ the hand of the
diligent shall bear rule,”—“ he that galh
ereth by labour shall increase,” —are pro
verbs of inestimable worth, and powerfully
tend to promote industry, the parent of
health and plenty. And how is sloth re
proved in the hitting sarcasm, “ Go to the
ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and
be wise, which having no guide, overseer,
or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer,
and gathereth her food in harvest.” How
is the man addicted to sloth, by thi? com
parison sunk below the groveling insect?
In passing by his farm we should expect to
see “ his fields all grown over with (horns,
and that nettles had covered the face there
of, and the stone walls broken down.”
In the Bible, the character of a virtuous
woman is drawn with unrivalled beauty.
*1 he estimate of her worth, “her price is
above rubies,” prepares the reader fora
description unlike those which abound in
novels and romances. Os this description,
a scholar and a Christian of our own day
thus speaks—“ The foregoing is a picture
of a fine lady, drawn by a most celebrated
artist, and proper to be hung up in a gilt
frame in every family-hall or parlour in
the United Stales.”
It A polite and courteous demeanour unit
ed with genuine hospitality, be a virtue,
where shall we find a more delightful ex
ample of it than in Abram. “He sal in the
tent door in the hect of the day, and lo
three men stood by him.” He met them
so courteously, entertained them so hospita
bly, and gave such signal proof® of genuine
benevolence, that he showed himselffit for
ihe society of angel®, and accordingly “ en
tertained angels unawares.” This story,
without adverting to the principal incident
—his fervent intercession for Sodom—f
lords a fine specimen of the exercise of the
kind and gentle virtues.
The manner in which this patriarch set
tled the dispute between his herdsmen and
‘.hose of Lot, is worthy the attention ofall
who disturb the peace of society by their
controversies.—“ Is not (he whole land be
fore thee! Separate thyself, I pray thee,
from me. If thou wilt take the left hand,
then 1 will go to the right, or if thou depart
lo the right hand, then will I go the left.”
This simple proposition for a treaty, might
make some diplomatists blush; nor was his
conduct the result of pusillanimity, for he
was as brave r.s he was courteous.
An example is furni*hpd by Solomon, of
the respectful treatment due from children
to their parents. When Bathsheba, his
mother, came in to see him, that powerful
and accomplished monarch, in the midst of
the splendors of royalty, rose up to meet
her,and bowed himself, and caused her to he
seated on his right hand. From the lips of
such a wise aod dutiful son we might ex
pect to bear that withering declaration of
filial cruelty and ingratitude. “The eye
that mocketh at his father, and despisetb
lo obey his mother, the ravens of the val
ley shall pick it out and the young eagles
shall eat it.”
The story of Joseph is a theme of uni
versal admiration. It abounds with inci
dents the most inleresting and instructive.
What a pathetick expostulation, mixed with
parental affection, do we hear from a father,
“Joseph is not—Simeon is not—and ye
will take Benjamin away.” Where have
tender emotions, submission and resignation
to affliction, appeared so happily blended
as in the simple expressions, “II I am be
reaved, lam bereaved,?” Observe also a
son inquiring of his brethren in the peculiar
circumstances of the case, “ Is your father,
the old man of whom ye spake, yet alive?”
And again, “I am Joseph, doth my father
yet live ?”
Where has there been such an exhibi
tion of tenderness and compassion as in rais
ing from death and giving to his disconso
late mother, the son of the widow of Nain ?
Where is there a parallel of the miracle of
restoring alive to his weeping sisters the
dead Lazarus? And were it not that in
these works of benevolence, the Saviour
obscures every other object, what ought to
be said of the beloved Mary, who washed
his feet with her tears and wiped them
with the hair of her head ?
How severely are the unfeeling 1 churl
and the furious bigot reproved and tbeir
hateful characters exposed, in the simple
story of the kind Samaritan ? Who that
reads it, will ever after pass by on the oth
er side ?
“ He that ruleth his spirit is greater than
he that taketh a city,”—“Let not the sun
go down on thy wrath,” —“ Be ye kindly
affectioned one towards another, forgiving
one another”—“Overcome evil with
good,” and innumerable other precepts de
signed to direct and control the passions
which operate in the life and conversation
of raeo, are found in nameless variety on
the pages of this book.
This book delights the Christian, as it
prescribes the rules of his faith and prac
tice—it delights the scholar by its sublimity,
and the orator its eloquence, while it opens
exhaustless treasures of knowledge to all
who read it. Why then are not its praises
on every tongue ? Is it because the light of
the Bible shining on the moral world be
comes so familiar to the eye of the Chris
tian, that like the most glorious object in
the natural world shedding daily its bles
sings on all created matter, it is too often
[Pn’ce $3 50 per ann.
forgotten, regarded with indifference or
neglected?
This book the Bible Society proposes to
send to every house and every ear within
its reach. For its encouragement, if such
a work of beDevolence need encourage
ment, there is contained in it. an assurance
animating to every heart. If the Bible, as
is believed, is calculated to bless those to
whom it is given, is there not ground of
congratulation, in the declaration, “It is
more blessed to give than to receive ?”
I have madp these brief observations on
the Holy Scriptures, as they bear on the
welfare of man here—as they regard this
life only. lam aware that their chief ex
cellency and glory have been by me in
these remarks unnoticed. Are “ life and
immortality brought to light by the Gos
pel ? Does it contain a proclamation of
pardon to the unnumbered millions of the
revolted subjects of this Province of the
Dominions of the King of Kings? Does it
propose the only terms of their restoration
to his favour, and of their deliverance from
that wrath which shall forever beat on the
guilty soul?— Here then is its glory. But
of this it becomes not me to speak. It be
comes those to speak especially, who are
the heralds of the salvation of the cross, in
the midst of whom I uow stand, who join
the song of the angels at Bethlehem, and
who by their labours, their counsels and
their prayers, are bidding God speed “ to
the angel flying through the midst of Heav
en, having the everlasting Gospel to preach
unto all that dwell on the earth.”
VALUE OF THE SCRIPTURES.
Extract from the Speech of the Rev. Dr. Mc-
Murray, before the American Bible Society.
There are scenes which occur in the
every day’s observation of one, the duties
of whose sacred office lead him to be the
frequent visiter of the abodes of poverty,
and often to sit by the bed of sickness and
death to administer the consolations of re
ligion to the distressed and the dying;
which set forth the excellence of the Bible
as adapted to the present state of man, in a
way which no powers of human understand
ing could unfold, and which the most captiv
ating displays of human eloquence would
fail to impress on the heart.
Ah sir! could we present to the view of
this assembly to-day, the interior of one of
the innumerable dwellings in which is ex
hibited to the eye of the observer every
form of human wretchedness; where guilt
and hopelessness had once added their gall
to the wormwood of poverty and sorrow ;
hut which have been cheered and blessed
with that word of eternal life, which puts
imperishable wealth into the possession of
the poor, which diffuses joy and gladness
into Ihp afflicted heart, and pours down the
light and ti.e glory of heaven on the dark
ness and corruption of the tomb! Cooid we
witness the change produced ; could we
see the content and gratitude of the heart,
giving animation and serenity to the pallid
features; and could we hear the thanksgiv
ings and praises to a God of providence,
poured plentifully forth to sweeten and
to bless the scanty crust of bread and cup
of water! Could we present to the view
of this assembly one of the many victims
of vice and of ignorance and of profligacy,
once lost to relatives, lost to society, lost
to God, and to heaven ; who have by its re
novating power been reclaimed, and raised
to respectability and usefulness! Could we
present to view one of the innumerable in
stances which have occurred in which
the child of affliction has been taught to re
joice in tribulation, and the victim of dis
ease to resign up his spirit in hope of fu
ture glory; no other argument would be
necessary to bring with irresistible force
to the conviction of all, the importance of
the object contemplated by this Institution.
—zzZzzz-nezzzzzzc—
HEATHENISM.
At the opening of the Chatham Garden
Theatre, New York, on the evening of the
17th of May, a Prize Address, written by a
lady of Boston, was recited. Os its poeti
cal merits, which do not strike us as being
remarkable, we say nothing. The follow
ing lines we quote, as specimens of the hea
thenish modes of thought aod expression
which are not uncommon in the popular lit
erature of the present day, in Christian
nations :
The Stage !—whence rise in tributary flame.
Our mingled offerings to Apollo’s name •
If h,m ’ our willing vows, we pay to night;
Throng round his shrine, and consummate his
rite ;
To him, and his, we dedicate the dome—
It is his Temple—be it hence his home !
A Greek or Roman poet would have writ
ten in the same strain,on a similar occasion
It may be said, that the terms used are sim
ple figures of speech, a D d relate to personi
fications of abstract ideas. The fact wa
the same in ancient times. Apollo was
then a mere personification, but he was,
nevertheless, worshipped, as the
“ God of the unerring bow,
The Lord of light, and poesy, and wit,
The Sun in human limbs arrayed.”
There is, however, a strict keeping j D
the case before os. A Theatre bag noth
ing m common with Christian institutions
and ideas. ’
There is a circumstance connected with
the late address, on which we must animat!-