ease. Men would then be as
much engaged in striving to merit a fair reputation, as they are how
in striving to obtain wealth. It is, therefore, the conduct of the
great by falsely attaching character and influence to wealth, that is
driving their fellow creatures into crimes to obtain it, and other
thousands into discouragement and intemperance. From this charge
preachers are not exempt. They too respect, and visit the rich more
than the poor, and thus indirectly lend their influence to drive them
from virtuous life to a course of dissipation and crime. And when once
they get them there, then they wish to devise some _great means_ to
bring them back to the paths of sobriety and virtue. Do they endeavor
to effect this, by ceasing to mind high things, and by condescending
to men of low estate? No--but instead of going among them, and taking
this unhappy class of our fellow creatures by the hand, and leading
them by encouragement and persuasion to the paths of temperance and
reformation, they have, in substance, said, "stand by thyself, I am
holier than thou." They have minded high things, by placing themselves
on an elevation above them, and made them out to be worse than
murderers, thieves and robbers, by ascribing all the crimes, that are
committed, to the use of rum! This has discouraged and exasperated
many, and made them feel that reformation would be of no avail to
raise them to be the associates of those, who appeared so anxious to
reform them. Their language has, in substance, been--you must reform,
give us the credit, but must stand where you are in the lower circles
of life, obey our exhortations, and look up to us as your benefactors,
but you cannot expect to rank with us, because you have no cash to
introduce yourselves into our circles. And as all men desire society,
they have remained with their companions in iniquity.

For any class of society to take a station above others, and endeavor
to force men to abandon the cup by passing votes or enacting by-laws,
that no spirits shall be sold them, is but exciting their rage, and
causing the intemperate to drink the more out of revenge, and causing
those, that are already temperate, to increase the quantity as an act
of defiance. It is a fearful precipice on which we stand as a
religious community. Estimating a man's standing in society by his
immense wealth, or learned profession, rather than by his integrity
and virtue, is attended with the most dangerous circum