Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-05-16

writer OF the xxi. chapter, speak OF wine
and strong drink discritninately, and the cha
racteristic effects which they assign 10 each.
aud the sacred purpose, To- which " me wa. ap-
Piled, irrcontcstibly p rove that they were not
the samc. From what ~ alread advanced il
may be seen tina; both wirc aud strong drink
we're fruitful causes OF drunkenness; and the
writers, m both these cases alIudo TO that in
dulscnee in them which results in this They
hold them forth a, rcprehensiblc, and show.
their true eheet-, and uniitness for the pur-
poses intended. - IL IS not for Kings, o. emu
ell" says the une, ." to drink WINE, nor for
princes strong driak, lest they drink and for
gel the law Give strong drink unto him that
~ ready 10 perish, aud wine unto them that be
of heavy hcart;' and with striking brc,i,y
the King OF Israel e xclaims, - Wine i, a mock
er, aud strong drink In raging and whosoeyer
!, deceived thereby Is not wise" Thus
showing the folly OF that universal practice
OF using them 10 cheer the spirits, help the
understanding, or regulate the passions
More might be added, but here VIC have pre-
'cnted To IL in clear light the sentiment, oil
she Scriptures on indulgence III them to eA-
cess. Tho Temperance society, in la,crtimes.
has had little more 10 do than repeat and
coniirm the same declarations. As drunken
ness, the natural consequence, Is universally
owned u be unlawful, VIC viii conclude this
pact oil the argument ~,ih simple citation
nj the Scriptures: For we know that no
drunkard shall inher.t the kingdom of God 4"
But We contend that the moderate use of
either IL an evil, both leading To excess and
setting dangerous example To others Those
passages just quoted plainly imply that in
I temperance originates from this source and
st. Paul points out the danger of example in
Rom. Aiy.2 " 4 is neither good to drink wine
D M 81.
or Is offended. or Is made weak" But does
not the apostle contradict himself in Tim. y.
%, where he says, "drink no longer water,
but Use little wine for thy lmach's sake
aud Tor thy frequent infrmitics:" The solu-
ton OF this objection Is easy, and il contains
the required answer TO Americana S question
Both suggestions are Of equal force. That
winch leads others to SIN sho.ld not be in
dulgod-that which contains healing virtue
may be used. From the passage cited we
learn that Timothy practised total abstinence,
/ That his health Was enfeebled 10y his studious
habits, and that though youthful he was sub
Ject to frequent infrmity some nourishing
medicine was necessary, aad " inc possessed
/ those qualities-stron5 drink did not Under
these circumstances wine, and wine only ,was
recommended. iiencc we may conclude, that
'rhsn 10. Pau! used the terra ss did not ineIu,ie
ardent spirits. And as 10y preceding argu-
ment" strong drink may be given to him " ho
IS ready ~ PERISH We arc left at the conclu-
sion long since attained, that they can only
safely be used medicines.
Touching the sanction which our saviour
gave TO drinking OF wine, We observed il WAS
IN accordance with the established custom.
The first miracle OF his, recorded, is that of
turning water into wine. This was at a mar
riage feast, and done because the customary
provision OF wine was wanting, Before the
celebration Of the last solemn rite he be-
queathed his church, he gave his apostles a
cup oil wine to divide among themselyes.-
This" says Mr.. Wesley, was tho cup al
ways brought IN at tho Paschal Supper" and
probably beng part OF the sacrifice, il fell
To them Is the representatives Of the priest
hood. There Is no evidence that our Saviour
ever drank wine, and lis words ard conduct
on the occasions referred 10 go far to prove
his entire abstinence. Ia Luke Wi. 81 il is
written that :" the Son of Man came eating
and drinking" But this would with more
\ Propriety be understood ia "A liSuratiyc sense.
John the Baptist drank neither wine nor
strong drink, afording with Elijah aaother
example oil this practice, aud showing il a vir-
tue worthy of imitation.
Thus far, We trust, our course has been
clear, aud II only remains now IL confirm the
already shown that ia his recommendation 10
Timothy, TO which probably Americana's
question referred, that 81 Paul meant on
! " wine. Now II - evident, from the na-
l turc OF the case and the express words OF
Scripture, that wine only WAS used a. an
Offering. .'ln The holy yiuee shalt thou cause
the strong VINE To be poured unto the Lord
% drinis Offering "Your heaye tIcriiis
shall be rcckoncI unto YOU q, though i,wcrr
the corn OF the ihreshiug floor og tie i.lne,,
Oi the VINE press" W hen the beverage of
( the country II referred TO, the discrimination
- made by tie same law. Toteaci, i,TaeIiblnk-
iuinosi aud reverence toward their God they
were directed ~ cat a ii;hc OF the best OF al
their Increase AZ Jerusalem, and when tie
distance was too great - crry i, there, they
should sell 30, and With tho n0uey IN hand
proceed % thc place "and there bc,tuw IL gl,-
on whatever their souls lu-tod after, Tor o.
en-, or for Sheep, or Tor Winc, or for stron,
drink" The distinction made between The
two IN the book OF Proverbs has before been
pointed OFT. Aid tie Prophet Isaiah speaks
81 them alter thc same way, az the same time
putting them ~ connection 90 show that t4e
immodcr1ie use Of either was alike cul-
pabie asd DISASTROUS. g They shall not drink
" zoe with song strong drink shall be- BIZ
ter unto them that drink it, "Wo unto them
strength o. mnglc strong drink" To close
tlie arsuHnont una0swerIbiy, Nc assert, that
30 far AZ We have exaini1rJ, wherever the
term vine D. employed alone. ci.her u.s cas-.
would not admit strong drink 10 De- used. or
else % implies 80 lsuHcd use o. tie former
~ ehccaI1lly O. exclude O and, ~ We have
proved that sine oaig Has used under iho ud
and NcF Iesjanent ordinances, and that u
alone was recommended o. Timothy. The
conclusiOn ~ clear, tiiat ~. Paul rho, ~ en-
piPysf ne tern tCiHf. dii Mt Wf q - q gsnsrat
fnse, r'td fhersbg iaciis arifHf spiriJ itat tlie
Jewish Institutions recognized the moderate
use Of both, but taught that ihey verr not
salutsry AID that the Christian Dispcus atom
dscountcnances tie csc 81 ardent spiuts, pro-
uouuct. curse upon intsmperauce. and re-
c0nn.s.ds tbe entire absiIHeucc from 80.
should To-, solution roach - READER Of
.he Bi5le," one o5Iect will boz olf4nr.i but
shouid d not be sItisisctory. Ne VII rest Don