The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1869-04-20 00:00:00

THE 'TEMPERANCE" ASSOCIATION AT
STOURPAINE.
To tke Editor.

Fla, —I we much surprised on reading your report
of a temperance meeting at Stoorpaine, convened by the
rector of the parish; not, indeed, that a meeting should
haulier', but at the weak and unfounded arguments ad-
vanced by the rev. gentleman. His first objection to
total abstinence was this: " There is no command In
the Word of God to abstain," and therefore be con-
sidered it uneeriptural. Now I say there are such com-
mands and injunctions in the Bible, and if Hr. Watts
will look at the same chapter of Proverbs as be quoted
from, by way of objection (31st, 4th and sth versa), he
will we that "It is not for lamp or princes to drink
wine or strong drink," why' "lest they forget the law,
or pervert judgement" Again, in the 21st chapter we
reed • positive command to "Look not upon the wine,
bemuse at the last it biteth like • serpent, and stingeth
like an adder." In Leviticus the 9th chapter 9th verse,
the priests were comisna..iled "Not to drink wine, or
strong drink, lest they die." In reference to the old
argument of Christ turning water into wine, I would
first AA 11r. Watts if he can prove that it was intoxi-
cating; and secondly, is it reasonable or rational to
Pappas for one moment that He would give what he
calls in His word • mocker," and "raging." Again,
the men had been partaking of unfermented wine, and
now, when they call for more, eon we suppose that He
would give them that which was not pure, but fer•
muted. "If a eon ask bread of a father, will he give
him • stone, or a fish, will he give hho a serpent, or on
egg, will he give him a scorpion '.ii ye know how to
give good gifts to your children, bow much more shall
your Heavenly Father give good tkings unto them who
ask Him." Is it possible that the Lord Himself, the
God of truth and love, will mute and give that which
Be warns all men to beware of, and not even to look
upon. To imagine such an sot would beta plate the Lard

of glory on • lower level of senility thee any of yea
that are fathers. If, as Hr. Waite y, wherever whim
is meetiooed in the Bible it is fernmeted, hew doss he
reerincile the face that some peerages sondeinn and
others senetion the uae of it? Allow me to queer a
few:—' Witte maketh glad the heart of men ;" '' Look
not upon the wine." " Drink thy wine with • merry
heart;" "It Mirth like • serpent" " Deetrel it nOti
for • blessing Loin It;" "Woe unto him that giveth bb
neighbour drink." "Core shall make this young rase
cheerful, and new wine the maids ;" "Strong drab
shall be bitter to them that drink it." It will require
no small amount of love to harenoeier there In any way
but the right, that is, by interns( that two dinned
dames of wires are Inemit—thom which would intoxi-
cate, and those which could not. Where wino is
sanctioned, I believe it to be the pert juice of the grape,
an unfermented beverage, and where it is coodetnned,
tie Lrmented or intoximting ; and to leave that the
Bible dots speak of unfermented wine, f will quote this
fall and dedsies passage "Than with the Lord. as the
new wise is found in tb• Muster, one midi destroy it
NA
for &blessing join it." Thus we am that the mixed
objection of Mr. Watt.' is entirely without foundation.
The ger, gentleman also strongly obi. dad to Bendy of
Hops, " because the obiHnin did not know what they
were doing when they signed the pledge." I would
latterly repudiate such a notion as that; the children
very generally show more commoumense in the matter
than adults. Let Mr. Watts ask any member of a Barad
of Hope about the pledge, and I lam convinced they
will show him they know what they are about. Dose
not Mr. Watts think that "Prevaution is bettor than
cure?" if not, of course we arm understand his reasons
for condemning Bands of Hope. 1 suppose he thinks it
better to cure drunkards than to prevent any from be-
coming such, for he says, "It is useful, and even de-
sirable for those who masa refrain from exams to bind
themselves to abstain." Can Mr. Watts suppose that
the poor besotted inebriate can reclaim himself? le it
likely that he would abstain if there could be found cone
to 1p him? Are we not told to "Boar one anothee'.
burdens," and, "an we have opportunity, to do good
unto all tour and what better way is there, I ask,
what way more pleasing to God tbs. for • Christian to
act like the good Samaritan of old, go down to the
drunkard, bind his wounds, bring him up out of the
whirlpool of intemperance, walk with him, abstain with
him, pray with hen, and point him, not to baptismal
vows, forms, and ceremonies, but to "The Lamb of God
which taketh away the sins of the world." If we would
do away with drunkenness, we must not counknanoe
the use of that which mums it. Instructive lectures,
reading-rooms, and all these thine are very good, but
to suppose that they will stop the curse of intemperance
is really preposterous. Moderate drinking will never
answer; it bee been tried for eighteen hundred years
and haa signally failed. The total abstinence plan is
now In fall operation throughout the lend, and I trust
the day is not fax distant when such men as Mr. Watts
will come out boldly and help us in this reformation, Mid
thou we trust, by o,ul's blaming, soon to b•nish the cause
(strong drink), and then the evil effecte will very soon
stems. lah all not trespaas further by referring to %bacillar
addremes, but will leave the above to the odious con-
sideration of your readers, and hope ere long to be able
to shout with Mr. Watts and thousands more that 'Old
England is free."—Yoars truly,
Wimborne, April 15.