Beloved Brethren, THE subject of our Circular Letter is important: "In what manner does it become professors of Religion to preserve and exemplify the temperance and sobriety which christianity requires?" May the spirit of wisdom assist us to make an edifying discussion of this interesting question! In communicating our sentiments on the subject, we shall, in the first place, after defining the terms, consider the nature of the temperance and sobriety which christianity requires, and secondly, shew in what manner it becomes professors of Religion to preserve and exemplify these virtues. -- Temperance, in its limited definition, means moderation in eating and drinking; but it may, with propriety, be defined, the prudent government of our appetites and passions. The usual acceptation of sobriety, is a refraining from the immoderate use of spirituous liquors, but in its more comprehensive sense, it signifies gravity of temper and deportment in general. In man's primitive, innocent state, his appetites and passions were in perfect harmony with his reason and conscience; they were wings to his intellectual faculties and moral powers. Without their animating influence the devotion of our first parents would have been destitute of fervor. But, when Satan, in an evil hour, seduced the federal representatives of mankind, the horrid monster sin entered the hallowed mansion of purity and peace, darkening reason, polluting conscience, blinding the understanding, demoralising every affection, passion, and appetite. The divine image being effaced, happiness forsook her late abode, and on the wings of holiness and love, flew to her native skies. The poisonous seed of every corruption was deposited in the bosom of human nature. Those instincts and affections, which had dignified and sublimed man, were, by the tempter's infernal breath, blown into dangerous flames. The gentle whispers of guiltless conscience were converted into the voice of thunder. The clear sunshine of the offenceless soul was eclipsed by the intervention of the dark and gloomy body of sin. Where concord and love had reigned, disorder and confusion usurped the throne. Thus did the pure gold lose its lustre: thus did the crown of original righteousness fall from the head of disobedient man: thus was war kindled between the flesh and the spirit. The peaceful empire of temperance and moderation was thus demolished, and the tyrannic empire of luxury and dissipation erected on its ruins. Reason and philosophy, with all their boasted lights and powers, cannot rectify these evils. When they have exhausted all their virtue and skill, the wounds still remain unhealed. To the sure word of prophecy, to the law and the testimony of God, to these divine magazines, we must have recourse for, arms to subdue these internal enemies of our happiness. The sacred oracles furnish us with the shield of faith, the breast-plate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. These weapons are to be found no where else. The holy gospel teaches us the nature of genuine temperance and sobriety, and enables us to practise them most strictly. Temperance is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit; it is a characteristick of the heirs of salvation. Without holiness, which includes temperance, no man Can see the Lord. Drunkenness, gluttony, rioting, and revelling are works of the carnal mind, and characterise the servants of unrighteousness, the children of Satan. The ungodly walk in lasciviousness, excess of wine, revelling, banqueting, and abominable idolatries: but the humble disciples of Jesus crucify such lusts and live soberly, righteously and godly. Pure and undefiled Religion shews us, that intemperance is criminal in is embryo state, before it has birth in words and actions: it forbids us to lust after any thing in thought or desire: we are consequently culpable, when we indulge ideas of excess. It instructs and assists us to lay the ax at the root of the tree of depravity. When the bitter root is purified and sweetened, the blossoms become fragrant, and the fruit delicious. Every lascivious, inebriating, rioting, volupuous, envious, malicious, proud, towering thought and imagination, must he brought into subjection to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not that which goeth into the mouth, but that which proceedeth out of it, that defileth a man. Out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, covetousness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. From a clear fountain impure streams are not emitted. Christianity requires us to keep our hearts and thoughts with all diligence. By nipping the first buds of intemperance; by extinguishing the first sparks of evil passions, innumerable pernicious consequences are prevented. By such a government of our thoughts and desires, we escape a multitude of calamities: our appetites and passions are kept in the ever smooth channel of moderation; not foaming like angry billows; not rushing like impetuous torrents: we are preserved from the tempests and hurricanes, quicksands and rocks, to which intemperance exposes us. The dictates of reason, and the maxims of morality, alone, cannot give us this intellectual authority over our thoughts and desires. -- It is the word of God, which, in the hand of the Divine Spirit, being quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, must sanctify, subdue and govern our depraved inclinations & rebellious passions. Such a victory the ingrafted word of divine truth does effect in the souls of those who are translated from the bondage of sin into the liberty of the children of God. By adverting to the strict rules of Christianity we shall not lose, but gain: For its gracious author gives us all things richly to enjoy. Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. Wisdom's ways are way was of pleasantness, and all her paths peace. Whilst we follow our compassionate Lord and master, he will shower down manna upon us in the sterile wilderness, and stake water flow for us in the parched desert. "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall, yet we will rejoice in the Lord; we will joy in the God of our salvation."The temperance required by christianity has a direct tendency to promote the health of the body, and the happiness of the mind. Habits of intemperance enervate the body and render it dull and sluggish; but moderation in eating and drinking invigorates it and renders it strong and active. Excess of every kind has the most inauspicious influence on the happiness of our minds. Robbing us of peace and tranquillity, it creates a chaos of guilt, tumult, remorse and confusion in our breasts. There can be no alliance, no amity, between mental felicity, and the despotic government of appetite and passion. They are elements so dissimilar, that they will not coalesce. How can light and darkness unite? How can Christ and Belial dwell together? What God has separated no man can join together. But, on the downy tranquil bossom of temperance, peace and happiness delight to repose. The man who rules his spirit by the laws of piety, enjoys a bliss which the voluptuary and the debauchee never tasted. He was happy who said, "give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? or, lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of the Lord in vain." By intemperance the understanding, memory, imagination, and other intellectual faculties are blunted, contracted, obscured, and rendered insusceptible of much improvement; but temperance serenes, expands, and illuminates all our mental and moral powers. There is such an intimate connection, such a constant action, and reaction, between the soul and body that when the latter is not oppressed, not debilrated, the former possesses the greatest acuteness and aptitude for improvement. In the suffocating fumes of intoxication, who can expect to find, or increase intellectual light? In the lap of effeminating voluptuousness who is able to strengthen the powers his mind? The wholesome food of moderation gives energy to the wings of genies. The temperate cup of sobriety refreshes and enlivens the spirits, Habitual intoxication is a hydrae a many-headed monster: Legion is the name of his filthy, ghastly offspring. He devisers health, character, peace, knowledge, decency; every thing useful and ornamental. Alas! how many immortal souls are ruined by, this enemy of all righteousness. Our holy religion warns us against the insidious foe, and furnishes us with armour to resist his fiery darts. Every illicit indulgence is uniformly and expressly interdicted by christianity. Let us, secondly, shew in what manner it becomes professors of religion to preserve and exemplify these virtues.
In the present state of fallibility, error and sin, the wisest and most devout christian must use means to establish his faith and confirm his holiness. In our warfare, we must contend with internal and external enemies. If we are not armed for the combat, we will fall a prey. Satan, like a roaring lion, is going about, seeking whom he may devour. He often comes among the sons of God in disguise, sometimes assuming the form of an angel of light. When he finds them vulnerable in a defenceless situation, he improves the opportunity. The guilded bait is presented;, the forbidden fruit appears. He whispers, eat, drink, and enjoy thyself, and thou shalt be happy. To preserve and exemplify our temperance and sobriety, in the midst of so many imperfections and errours, temptations and dangers, we must be careful to keep our thoughts and imaginations under proper controul. Extravagant, vain, indelicate thoughts, must not be indulged. When such evil thoughts are cherished, they gradually gain strength, and, at moments favourable to iniquity, ripen into action. Small sparks, buried under ashes, by a little breath seize conbustible fuel and blaze into dangerous conflagration. Every spark should be extinguished, and then the strongest gales of temptation could not kindle them into a flame. Desire and appetite are these springs of action; when they are exorbitant, unreasonable, sinful, the whole character is tainted; when we suffer a wild romantic imagination to create worlds of ideal, impure happiness, we lose tranquillity of mind, and foment many baneful passions. Christian temperance and moderation must, therefore, commence their reign with the government of our thoughts and desires; these, must be circumscribed within the straight and narrow path of self denial. This internal heart government is the foundation of genuine temperance and sobriety; it effectually prevents improper gratification. We may be assisted in accomplishing this glorious victory over our thoughts and imagination, by seriously considering the evanescent, unsatisfying nature of affluence, honour and sensual pleasure. How often does experience prove that where roses are supposed to bloom, nothing but thorns and briars grow. On the splendid, decorated summit of gaiety and prosperity, the black storm generally exhausts its fury, without reaching the vale of moderation and humility.
Secondly. Temperance and sobriety are preserved and exemplified by the judicious, prudent, government of our conversation: this should be holy, such as becometh the gospel of our blessed Saviour. Our lips should not be defiled with an indecent, or indelicate expression; our words should be seasoned with grace. Those who are accustomed to obscene, profane language, must be strangers to the spirit, and discover no predilection for the language of pure religion. Solomon sought to find out acceptable, upright words, even words oftruth. Such words should constitute the conversation of those who profess religion; who wish to adorn the doctrines of the gospel and glorify God.
Thirdly. Temperance and sobriety are preserved and exemplified by reading religious edifying books. Irreligious books are fuel to our depraved inflammable passions. How ruinous to the piety, morals and manners of youth are most novels, romances, and dramatic publications: yet such works are frequently written in an elegant, fascinating style, by authors of literary celebrity. Writings, In which piety and virtue are ridiculed, should be rejected with detestation. -- Our eyes should not be suffered to peruse their infectious contents. By day and by night let us read, let us study the immaculate page of the gospel, if we wish to preserve our temperance, sobriety, and other christian graces. -- Out of the wells of salvation we drink the pure streams of holiness and knowledge, which make glad the city of our God. The scriptures edify us with whatsoever things are pure, just, honest, lovely and of good report. Intemperance and other vices they paint in their true and hateful forms. The perusal of a good book confirms and establishes virtuous habits. Such books we should select and separate from the worthless heaps of printed trash, and make them our daily companions.
Fourthly. The society of temperate and sober characters is a great mean of preserving and exemplifying temperance and sobriety. Bad company, like putrid air, is contagious. By frequenting the company of the dissipated, we become less and less disgusted with excesses. Evil communications corrupt good manners, The ungodly are always ready to seduce the righteous into their own abominable practices. They triumph at the errours and transgressions of christians. Every art is used by them to make professors of religion stumble and fall. Should we escape their snares, let us not make them our companions; let the devout, humble children of God be our bosom friends; their society will promote our growth in grace and knowledge: Let us not be drawn into sin by the dazzling splendour of rank, honour, or wealth. It is better to be door-keepers in the house of God, to suffer affliction with the holy meek disciples of Jesus Christ, than to dwell in the superb palaces of criminal magnificence and luxury. By the image of our blessed Saviour, wherever we behold it, let us be attracted; to this bright centre let us gravitate.
Fifthly. Places and scenes of dissipation, must be avoided by those professors who wish to preserve and exemplify temperance and sobriety. Whilst we keep a proper distance from places where the pestilence rages, we are in no danger of its malignant effects; but when we approach near enough to breathe the infected air, we fall victims to its fatal power; the pestilence destroys its thousands; intemperance its ten thousands; the former can only kill the mortal body, the latter ruins both body at soul. Professors of Religion should not visit places of dissipation, unless duty make it necessary. At such places, by the address & influence of friends and neighbours! even the virtuous, sometimes, forget the golden rule of moderation and purity. Well known facts evidently prove this not to be an unexampled, imaginary case. Satan will dare to visit the assembly of the children of God; but let not the children of God visit assemblies where this prince of, darkness is served; to scenes of revelling and dissipation they should be strangers. Associate with the wise, the pious, the temperate, and you will become wiser, and more temperate.
Sixthly. We should chuse employments favourable to temperance and sobriety. Certain professions, trades, and employments are more exposed to temptation than others. The business of those professors who keep publick-houses, according to the character they usually sustain in this country, is very unfavourable to temperance and sobriety; in the country, generally, they are tippling-houses; such houses are nurseries of vice; the hotbeds of dissipation. -- Are not professors who keep such houses justly censurable? A good tavern is lawful, necessary and useful. Disciples of Jesus Christ! you profess to avoid the least appearance of evil, to practise self-dental, to let your light shine; how, then, can you be justifiable, when you engage in any business that invites temptation and endangers morals. Chuse those employments which will least expose your piety and virtue. Never give preference to any employment because it is profitable, when it opens many avenues to iniquity. Poverty, obscurity and affliction, with a conscience void of offence, are blessings incomparably greater than crowns with stings of sin, and terrors of guilt. Let Lazarus and the rich man illustrate this truth. It is to be feared, that the love of money, and false honour, lead many professed disciples of Jesus Christ out of the safe and smooth path of moderation into offices and employments, which too much expose them to the shafts of intemperance and other evils. Josephs, Jobs, and Daniels, remaining firm and faithful to their Lord and master, though placed in the highest stations and surrounded with temptations, with enemies powerful and formidable, are characters too uncommon. Let professors of Religion in general rather chuse low seats and humble stations, and then they will be less assailable to the fiery darts of Satan.
Lastly. Let professors of religion walk it the foot-steps of their holy, meek, and humble Redeemer. Brethren, let the same mind be in us which was in him. We shall then add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. If these things he in us and abound among us, we shall not be barren, or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We feel or obligations to the divine goodness to be great, and with gratitude would acknowledge them. Of this goodness we have been partakers, in the interview which we have, at this time, enjoyed with each other. If we have not enjoyed those sensible manifestations of the divine presence and that affecting sense of Jehovah's love, which are sometimes afforded to his saints; yet we have met, and continued in peace, and have been blessed with fellowship and harmony in our consultations, feelings and sentiments. What we have done our minutes will manifest. We particularly recommend to your attention, the observance of the first day in the ensuing year, as a day of solemn fasting and prayer, to deprecate the divine displeasure, and to implore the mercy of God, for the Redeemer's sake, on our churches, and on the nation at large. Wishing you the choicest of Heaven's blesssings, We remain, &c. ============= [From the Charleston Baptist Association Minutes, 1807, via Wood Furman A. M., A History of the Charleston Association of Baptist Churches, pp. 135-141. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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