This is precisely the language of the 'ministers and church members' of South Carolina, in defence of their guilty traffic in flesh and blood-only we must do them the justice to say, that their alleged precepts and precedents are tenfold more lucid and pertinent than Mr. Daniell's. How long shall common sense be insulted, and christianity be dishonored, with such paltry pleas and apologies? We ask for an inspired precept to drink intoxicating wine-only one? It is permitted, allowed,' we know; so were a thousand things which it would be pollution to practice, and folly to defend. But where is it sanctioned, commanded, approved? Men may attempt to justify things the most iniquitous by scripture precedent. If the morality of the New Testament be too stringent for certain tastes, they have only to go to the old-and there they shall find laxness, 'liberty, and allowance,' to their heart's content. The Jews divorced their wives-they had scripture precedent! They practised polygamy and concubinage-they had Patriarchal and Princely precedents! Cromwell massacred his enemies without mercy:-he averred that he had scripture precedent! Judges and Juries burnt defenceless women as witches:-they did it by scripture precedent! Men, who call themselves 'ministers, deacons, and christians,' hold their fellow creatures in bondage, traffic in God's image, and part asunder those whom He hath joined by the dearest bonds of blood:they urge scripture precedent! Aye, and our Daniells and Tullochs may have 'scripture precedent' too; and yet do very much amiss.' In justice, however, to scripture precedents' we may say, that if men of old drank intoxicating wine, they did it in ignorance of its nature and consequences: they did not, like the moderns, drink poison-knowing it to be such-or, which amounts to the same thing, with the fact demonstrated before their eyes beyond the power of confutation. e We have now done with this weak apology for strong-drink. We have approved where we could, condemned where we must. We have spoken strongly and unequivocally, because the theme demands it. We have affected no false liberality in our treatment of this author (or his Echo), for tenderness to him would be treason to truth. Besides, we conceive that a severe dose of criticism is best calculated to produce a beneficial action upon his constitution-it may at once purge away the films of ignorance, and the rheums of prejudice. If so, we shall be glad to meet him on a future occasion, when experience has better taught him the use of reason, and when, with a more disciplined mind, he shall be fighting worthily for the truth. The cause we plead is, by his own confession, worthy of support. TEETOTALISM, says he, is a laudable expedient of good men, whose intentions are worthy of universal e The Second Edition of Mr. Daniell's tract contains a 'Preface,' so full of childish fallacy that it is wearisome to read it. We need only furnish a specimen or two. He says, 'As to the boasted hypothesis-If every man were a teetotaler, then drunkenness would ccase is it not equally true, that if every man were a moderate [drinker], drunkenness would cease?' Our lecturer reasons with the husks of thought-words-and forgets the facts they enclose. The facts beneath the words 'teetotalism' and 'drinking' are essentially different, and are not mere verbal ifs. Drinking-water, or not drinking wine, tempts no man to excess, but drinking-intoxicating fluids docs physically generate a tendency to excess, and so surely that no drinking-community ever were without the fruit of intemperance. Our smart logician is not only for cooking his 'hare' before he has caught it— but talks of securing social sobriety by means of a gin which never yet did catch it! He next says, that drinking-stimulants is no more the cause of the drunkard's appetite, than a man's early honesty is the cause of his becoming a thief! It is not needful to answer such trash as this. The fact is, that all morbid-stimulants (as opium, tobacco, snuff, alcohol) tend to excess, and gradually transform those who employ them, from little to large consumers. The proof is supplied by the opium eaters of Turkey, the alcoholdrinkers of all Europe, the smokers of England, and the snuffers of cannie Scotland. esteem '—and, in another part, he adds-'Its existence is praiseworthy-and its success to be desired.' It is good, useful, desirable, and efficient. What more need be said? The happiness of the creature-the glory of the Creator-are advanced by the success of this 'laudable expedient.' These are, or ought to be, the end of all our studies-the landmark of all our toils. Remember, then, the words of truth, and act accordingly: 'To HIM THAT KNOWETH TO DO GOOD, AND DOETH IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.' We cannot, however, acknowlege THE DRINKING SYSTEM to be good and praiseworthy. As a theory and a practice it is unmixed evil. The Drink is itself bad, and all its supporting-agencies are false and unholy-whether cunningly concealed in the Church, or openly confessed in the world. It is founded in 'INFIDELITY '—it is fostered by 'JUDAISM' -and it is defended by 'OPPRESSION.' The proof is at hand, and challenges refutation. 1. 'Infidelity' is unfaithfulness to Divine Truth-to the manifestations of the Eternal Light. This light, as the Psalmist and the Apostle beautifully declare, comes to man, first, thro the Divine Works, which reveal the Truth and Godhead of the Creator, and render the Fool and Atheist without excuse:-second, thrö the Divine Word recorded for our use in the sacred books. Teetotalism maintains the harmony of these two,-while our Daniells and Tullochs renounce and blaspheme the first revelation, as certainly as Voltaire and Taylor reject and ridicule the second! The only difference between these two kinds of Infidelity is, that while the disciples of Paine honestly avow their doctrine, the Disciples of Drink add cant and hypocrisy to their scepticism. 2. 'Judaism' essentially consists in imposing the imperfect moulds of the past upon the purer modern-life-in limiting the spirit and universality of Christianity by the barbarism, darkness, and sensualism of an earlier dispensation. In this way, men deny the doctrines of Peace, Purity, and Philanthropy, by affirming that Polygamy, Concubinage, Kingcraft, Slavery, War, Drinking, etc., were sanctioned by the Old Testament!—i. c., in plain English, that Pollution and the Slave-trade, Kingcraft and Jack-Ketchism, the Gallows and the Beer-barrel, appropriately repose upon the Bible! All these Judaic matters are justified by the same process of argument-viz. that employed by Messrs. Daniell and Tulloch to show that Teetotalism is not true! They plead their right to play the Jew' in the Christian Church. 3. Oppression' is the cruel, unjust use of any power, whether ecclesiastical or political. How the power of the Priests has always been used is matter of history. They were ever the stoners of the Prophets, and the garnishers of their sepulchres. They set the robber free, while they crucified the pure and incarnate Truth. The modern Priests are true to their ancient lineage-and are equally reckless of the rights of conscience and the interests of unadulterated and Divine Truth. Intolerance, falsehood, and persecution, as a body, are the chief traits which they have displayed in dealing with the Temperance Society. F. R. L. THE POET. HEY err who find the Poet wrong, God never yet gave lofty song The poet is the true High Priest— Beside the ample stores he holds, How poor the merchant's glittering dust! Rich treasures that the soul unfolds, Unharmed by moth or rust. His words, like benedictions, speed From shore to shore, from clime to clime, Strong by the soul's perpetual youth, He meets his destiny. His Spirit, filled with light Divine, Sees no hour barren or inane- Yes! they do greatly err Who find the poet wrong; Dark are their spirits who aver That God speaks not in song. That empire kings would fain possess, The might, the majesty, the power,— The sway exerted but to bless— These are the Poet's dower. K. B. HESPERIA. A METAMORPHOSE. BY GOODWYN BARMBY. Hesperia, a nymph, daughter of the River Cebrenus, was beloved by Esacus. When he pursued her to the wood the nymph threw herself into the sea, and was changed into a bird. Esacus followed her example, and was changed into a cormorant. MID the Troad, a fair river strayed, Like a green trailing plant with blossoms rayed; But tho its banks with flowers were starred and pied, Its urn but poured them forth a tearful tide, For Troy was taken, and still flowed the flood Of Simöis and Scamander, tinged with blood; For ashy Ilion to the Dardan shore; And thus its spray were tears, and mournful gushes And even the belled and orbed flowers by its bank, And the sweet nymphs, whose white limbs oft would gleam So flowed Cebrenus. Thus its fairest nymph F Hesperia was her name. One evening soft, Some swains whose flocks fed in a neighboring croft, Found a fair infant floating on the billow, Cradled within a boat wove from the willow, And naked as young bird-and such on earth Was all e'er known of the river daughter's birth. The shepherds nursed her, and bestowed a name From the fair star which shew in the west its flame When first they found her; and Hesperia grew Rounded and pearly as a globe of dew Beneath the western planet's ray—a child Dimpled as ripply lake and sweetly mild; And when her fair form tapered into girlhood It flowed in beauteous grace as lustrous curl should, And the young Damons of the Troad gazed In red confusion, as their throbs she raised; But she was given to musing, and would stray Beside the Cebrenus, for days away From all companionship, but what the stream, The flowers upon its bank, and the west star's beam, Her limbs flowed liquidly like streams in a stream, Mystic her Mood. She loved the soft eve shut: The yellow mild Anothera of the eve, Which like her, loved her planet, and would bloom In secret worship to it thrö the gloom. In such a mood, rapt, gazing at the west |