Ar a meeting of the PENNSYLVANIA STATE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, held 21st April, 1834, it was Resolved, That Messrs. Peltz, Clark, and Pechin be a Committee to wait on the Rev. Albert Barnes, and solicit of him the favour of his Sermons, preached on the 13th and 20th of April, on the subject of Intemperance, for publication. DAVID MCCLURE, Rec. Sec. The following discourses are printed in accordance with the above request. It is due to others to state, that in their preparation free use was made of all the arguments, facts, and statements, within the reach of the author that he supposed would contribute to his purpose. The Sermons were preached with a desire to do good. They are now submitted to the public with no other design. THE IMMORALITY OF THE TRAFFIC IN ARDENT SPIRITS. Matt. vii. 12.—THEREFORE ALL THINGS, WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO TO YOU, DO YE EVEN SO TO THEM. Micah vi. 8.-AND WHAT DOTH THE LORD REQUIRE OF THEE, BUT TO DO JUSTLY, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH THY GOD. Habak. ii. 12, 15.-WO TO HIM THAT BUILDETH A TOWN WITH BLOOD, AND ESTABLISHETH A CITY BY INIQUITY. WO UNTO HIM THAT GIVETH HIS NEIGHBOUR DRINK, THAT PUTTETH THY BOTTLE TO HIM AND MAKEST HIM DRUNKEN. I HAVE placed these passages of Scripture together that they may bear unitedly on the subject which I propose to introduce to your attention this evening-the immorality of manufacturing and vending of ardent spirits. I need not dwell on the reasons which have induced me to select this subject for discussion. Regarding, as we all must, and do, intemperance as the source of most of the evils in this land,—including those of pauperism, and theft, and assaults, and murders, and suicides, and irreligion, there needs no apology for introducing it with great frequency into this place. On this great subject, if the country is saved, every place of influence must be allowed to speak. The pulpit, the bench, the bar, the medical profession, the hall of legislation, must be all combined. Every man who loves his country's welfare and the Church of God, must utter his sentiments in the ears of his fellow men, and exert his influence, whatever it may be, on the side of temperance, of liberty, of law, and of religion. Every subject, whether of business or of morals, comes fairly within the province of the pulpit. It is our duty to commend that which is right; and to lift the voice of entreaty, and remonstrance, in regard to that which is wrong. It is one of the duties of our office, if possible, to carry the principles of the pure law of God's gospel, not only into every man's bosom, but into his parlour, and counting-room, and office, and workshop. We claim the right, as a part of our high embassage, of discussing any subject, whoever it may effect, or whatever calling it may reach, with perfect freedom, and of convincing men, if possible, that they are wrong; and of persuading them to abandon an evil course, cost what it may, and to walk in a different path. There are some great principles in regard to our country, which are settled, and which are never to be violated, so long as our liberties are safe. Among them are these,-that every thing may be subjected to candid and most free discussion; that public opinion, enlightened and correct, may be turned against any course of evil conduct; that that public opinion is, under God, the prime source of security to our laws and to our morals; and that men may be induced, by an ample and liberal discussion, and by the voice of conscience and of reason, to abandon any course that is erroneous. We are to presume that we may approach any class of American citizens with the conviction that if they are convinced that they are wrong, and that their course of life leads to sap the foundation of morals, and the liberties of their country, they will abandon it. With this conviction I always approach the people of my charge. With this conviction I approach you this evening. My proposition is, that the manufacturing and vending of ardent spirits is morally wrong; and ought to be forthwith abandoned. In discussing this proposition, I propose 1. TO EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN BY IT; II. TO PROVE IT ; and III. TO ANSWER OBJECTIONS TO IT. I mean by the proposition, that it is an employment which violates the rules of morals which ought to regulate a man's business and conduct. The doctrine proceeds on the supposition that there is somewhere a correct standard of morals-a standard by which a man's whole conduct and course of life is to be tried; and that this business cannot be vindicated by a reference to that standard. Or, for example, we mean that it is man's duty to love God, and seek to honour Him, and that this business cannot be vindicated by a reference to that standard. That it is man's duty to love his fellow men, and seek to promote their welfare, and that this business cannot be vindicated by that standard. That it is man's duty to render a valuable compen sation to his fellow men in his transactions with them, and that this business cannot be vindicated by that standard. That every man is bound to pursue such a course of life as shall promote the welfare of the entire community in which he lives; as shall not tend to promote crime, and pauperism and misery; and to make widows and orphans, and that this business cannot be vindicated by that standard. In one word, that by any rules of life that have been set up to regulate the conduct of men, whether in the Bible, in the necessary relations of social compact, in the reason and conscience of Christians, and of other men, this business is incapable of vindication, and is to be regarded as immoral. In this proposition, however, it is important to be understood. We mean to confine it simply to the business where it is sold as an article of drink. For to sell it as a medicine, with the same precaution as other poisons are sold, would be no more immoral than it is to sell arsenic. And to sell it for purposes of manufacture, where it is necessary for that purpose, is no more immoral than to sell any other article with that design. Between selling it for these purposes, and selling it as an article of drink, there is, as any one can see, the widest possible difference. When we speak of this business as immoral, it is also important to guard the use of the word immoral. That word, with us, has come to have a definite and well-understood signification. When we speak of an immoral man, we are commonly understood to attack the foundations of his character; to designate some gross vice, of which he is guilty, and to speak of him as profane, or licentious, or profligate, or dishonest, or as unworthy of our confidence and respect. Now we by no means intend to use the word in such a wide sense, when we say that this business is immoral. We do not mean to intimate that in no circumstances a man may be engaged in it and be worthy of our confidence; and be an honest man; or even a Christian. For our belief is, that many such men have been, and are still, unhappily engaged in this traffic. The time has been, when it was thought to be as reputable as any other employment. Men may not see the injurious tendency of their conduct. They may not be apprized of its consequences; or they may be igno |