, 1843-07-15
Continuation of Mr.. Henderson's
notes, reported by HIMSELF

In Luke 81, "a. "Be not overcharped
with surfeiting and drunkenness" How
are christians to avoid this? The gentle
man would answer: by drinking no more
than he could bear. This is a hazardous
undertaking. Some ofthe most cautious
and well meaning have been overthrown
in attempting to use Intoxicating liquors
in a manner that they thought strictly
temperate. Men drink on and imagine
themselves secure, until their letters are
made strong, and they awake to a sense
of their danger only, when all is lost for
ever; and their efforts to escape, are as
the efforts of a lamb to escape the paws
of the Lion. Then the voice of reason,
common sense, and ofthe bible, is touch
not, handle not, SC. In the Odd chap
ter Of Proverbs theirs is a glowing de-
scription of the lovers of wine, which
we will notice. Verse och: Who
hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath
contentious? who hath babbling? who
wounds without cause? who hath red
ness of eyes? 30th-They that tarry
long at the wine: they that 60 to seek
mixed wine" Now we ask, how is all
this to be avoided. Hear the 3lst verse:
.'Look not thou upon the rine when it is
red, when it giveth his colour in the
cup, when it moveth itself Alright. 32d:
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and
stingeth like an adder" The inspired
writer knew hat the simple sight of L.
quor, excited in many, the desire 10
drink, and consequently he used the
strongest cautionary language that could
be commanded: Look not on it-gO not in
the way oftemptation. In order 10 avoid
the force Of this passage, whiskey drink
ers would have to approach it with clos
ed eyes. Again, Prov. 81, 4: at is not
for kings to drink wine, nor for princes
strong drink. Who then may use these
drinks properly? 9Th verse: Give
strong drink to him that is ready to per-
ISL, and wine TO those that be of heavy
heart" This shows that these drinks
are TO be used medicinally-a portion OF
them should be given TO the afflicted and
distressed-men in ordinary health have
no need of them. If abstainance from
these things was insulting to God, John
the Baptist was a great sinner, for he
drank neither wine nor strong drink
Luke /, 10. Samson was another PROF.
ligate according to this doctrine, Judg-
es 1G, II. The Rechabites were 4 com
monwealth of rebels, if it be rebellion TO
refuse TO drink wine or strong drink, for
they drank none, Jeremiah 80; and old
Jonadab, their grandfather, ought to have
been executed for propagating treason
when he said to his offspring, I'VE shall
drink no wine, neither you nor your
sons forever" Jer. 80, g.. But the Al
mighty testified his appreciation of their
conduct when he said, Jonadab, the son
of Rechab, shall not want a man 10 stand
before me forever. But Mr.. d. says
the church is sufficient, and if that will
not make men temperate, Westinghouse
societies will not. Mr.. II. said facts
were stubborn things, and were none
the less true because strange. lntem-
perance had existed under the policy Of
the church for several centuries, and for
the last, had increased very rapidly; and
Mr.. d. is now pursuingthe same course,
and pleading for the same policy, in re-
lation 10 the use Of intoxicating drinks,
as though that would yet succeed which
had SO signally failed. The facts exist,
and Mr.. D. may reconcile then if he
can. l can explain them to the s~atisfac-
ton of any reasonable mind. But / am
under no obligation TO do it for him.
However, lest some false impression
should be made, l will here say, that the
church is one thing and the bible another,
and the temperance society is only en-
gagged to assist in carrying out the re-
quirements of the bible, and the church
has not come up to her privilege in this
matter. But Mr.. d. says the Washing
tonians call the temperance reformation
"a new Revelation" and TO prove this