, 1843-07-08
MI. H. said be would now proceed to

notlce the arguments py MT. ~.
in support of his first proposition, viz:
A tee-total abstinence society, made up
of church and world, governed by laws
made by the same, reflects contempt on
the bible" To prove this he read a
portion of the lst chapter of Genesis,
where God says, behold have given you
every herb bearing seed, &C.; TO you it
shall be meat, SC. Now said Mr.. d.
the vine was among the trees, herbs and
plants that God has given TO man for his
good, and if he refuses to use the fruit
thereof. he is treating God with con-
t~empt-he is saying let him take away
his blessings, | don't want them. This
argument said Mr.. H., lift may be called
one, is so palpably absurd, that l can
hardly believe the gentleman sincere in
Offering it. However, it amounts TO this,
that we are bound TO use ercry thing
that God has created or we are treating
him with contempt. All know that this
is moi true. There are many plants that
we do not so much as know the nature
Of, much less use them all. There are
many that are destroyed as pests. and
others that are poisonous in the highest
degree. If there was no other way Of
using grapes but in making wine, there
might be some force in this; but VIC all
know that they may be used in many
ways TO our advantage, without making
wine of them. These ladies', address
ing himself 10 them,) all know that
grapes make excellent tarts, preserves,
%jeliies, Sc, and they are good food, and
will sustain more lives in their natural
state than when pressed into wine. But
further, the Westinghouse do not pro-
hibit the use Of wine On all occasions;
they only prohibit the use of it as a bev-
erage, when Of an intoxicating character.
The pure grape juice, previous to fer
mentation, will not intoxicate any more
than sweet cider, and consequently,
might be used harmlessly. So we dis
cover tina. this arguments is false in three
different points ofriew,--lst, we are not
bound to use every thing,-2d, grapes
may be used in many other ways,-3d,
, Westinghouse use wine incidentally,
and on sentimental occasions. But the
use Of wine in any stale will not justify
the use Of distilled liquor, as there is
some nourishment in wine in any state;
but there is none in distilled liquor ofany
i kind, more than thore is in vapur, as it
leaves the still in that state--is condens-
{ en- in the fakestaEd and comes from the
0 still-wOrm 4 fluid as perfectly devoid Of
u nourishing properties as galvanism or
u the electric fluid. And yet Mr.. d. JUS
} titles the common use Of this drug, OH the
, ground that the ancients used wine. He
might as we'll attempt TO justify its use
on the ground that the apple contains ci-
der, and We may use it when sweet with
out injury. There is neither food nor
d drink in whiskey. A man win die just
d as soon with hunger or thirst, with it as
without it. This being the case a man
e shows his Ignorance or dishonesty by at
: tempting TO justify the use of the latter
from the fact that the ancicnts used the
former.
But again, Mr.. D. says the lO4 ps. and
18th verse authorizes the use of wine a.
, a beverage; this he cannot prove. But
i said Mr.. H. l would suppose thai it is te
=, BIO used as directed in Prov. 81, 6-givt
strong drink TO him that is ready to per,
:, ish, and wine 10 those that lie of heavy
,r heart" To take this in any other sens
would be no proof in its favor. Thu
heart being made glad is no proof of it
being made better. Solomon says, "b,
the sadness of the ~countenance the hear
.e is made better-not by the gladness oft
N But if the gentleman wishes TO use win
d in honor Of this passage of scripture, {
" be consistent, he ought TO grease his fac
TO make it shine; but as the palate woul
not be gratifed by this operation, he ha
nothing to say in IFS favor.
Ia But wherein does Il total abstin
I'd ance society reflect contempt on tn
in bible! Does the simple fact Of form
Ii ing societies do so? II so, i, is wron
s. to form societies for the purpose {
d. religious worship. The formation {