The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-03-05

do rot now call vine, what was thus termed
nearly twenty centuries ago, is not concu
siyo to prove there never irds such an at-
ccpiaiion of the word. Might not the use
OF the same term 10 denote liquids of differ
cnt qualities yet derived from the same sub.
stance, ms ii occasioncd ambiguity and con
fusion, have been the very origin Of the
change?
Your contributor claims that tho wine fur
nishcd by our Savior, possessed powers OF
intoXication 1t, therefore, belongs 90 him,
10 reconcile with his belief her passages Of
Scripture. which utter strong warnings a.
gainst its use. We not only hold that such a
reconciliation is impossible but, further, we
believe that the use Of any alcoholic liquor,
as beverage, is inconsistent with the traits
Of Christian character delincated in the Bible.
1t is a wise inaxm, in the honest construc.
ton OF treaties, not only that their different
parts must be made TO harmonic with each
other, but with the whole. And if clause
Is Introduced, which seems 10 be inconsistent
with the main dri6, that clause must be sac-
rGccd' We are TO find the spirit Of the
trainers intention, and TO constsuc his lam
gUage IN accordance with that spirit Now,
we arc to take Chrsls instructions both Of
word and example, as an embodied sysiom.
Ii We cannot reconcile SINGLE individual
passage with the whole system, we must with
draw orr former hypothesis as incorrect, and
search for ohc that is consistent with the sys-
tenn. as a whole.
Then, the question: before us is this Is
the assumption that Christ sanctioned Il
moderate, or special use Of wine, consistent
with the sacred prcccpis Of the Holy Bible?
| Ii we find il to bo so--wG may rest satisfied
| that Christ intended the conversion Of water
/ into an Intoxicating beverage, rs Il seal OF
/ III. approval OF its moderate use. II not, we
| are driven 10 the conclusion that he wine
| he made, was not Intoxicating; Or, that his
motive in performing .nc miracle, cannot
have been the intention 10 sanetiau wha, he
may have GHowM
How, thcr, doos The above assumption ac-
cord Van the petition in the Lords PRAY cI
- Lead us not into temptation Z" Suppose
young Christian, who is fond OF excite,
ment, is invited to wcdding-parly. lie
knows wine is to be presented, and because
our Savior sanctioned the use Of it at we'd
lnes, it is consistent with his principles tc
pariakc. lie does so, again, and again ant
is apparently uninjurcd. Finally, his fre'
quent use Of it on special "festive occasions.
creates a thirst for it, at other tines II,
keeps his private boide and drinks when in
clined. What moral difference is there he
tw cen puLiic and pyica'e festive occasions?'
he secs none. He invites small circle o
particular friends, to rejoice with him, Owe
some lucky turn in his fortune. The glas
passes freely around. lie is invited in re
turn, and is borne home intoxicated. lit
becomes a glnilemdu-fopcr aud, in nine ease
out Of ten, hi. doom is sealed. Tins is N
fiction. Need we 20 far, to find families
tliat have been wolully cursed by this SAINT
Mci0lty of scniimcnt-thai moderate u.s.
oil wine 10 harmlc>sF And how many ca,
we select where it has prevailed for thIe
generations, some Of whose number have no
gene down to the grave with the drunAard
name and woes Yet as a Christian, thi
= Young man puts up the daily petition, Lea
us rot into tomptaton.' IL, prayer is rer
moe,cry! Suppose he Should blndfo'd b.
own eyes, and take sand upon tlir brink O
a cfa41y gulf, and then 20 stumbling abou
there, jaeusiin. the prayer tln God WON'T
save ANN from bring dashed 70 atom, Co
potiorns no miracles to keep men in th'
paih TO Heaven. lie heafs no pray cr, bu
those prompted by an earnest, consst,ntsi ir
it but YOU say, til, is an GbUsc OF a goo,
man, " hat Leads to the obase The rs
aloHc. Nothing else can There is no So
cUi'y hut il tolal abstinence.
Aaiin, how does his assumption agrct
with the truly Christ Ike and urohe,ly prin
cipie ennnciaic in Ram. II: 81? at
rood neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine
NJ an, thing, whereby thy brother S'0mbiH
or is mate weak." in the earlier days OF tn
Temperance Reformation, it was Argued tina
moderate drinking WAS not injurious. Thu
main cndeavors Of rel0rmors, were dircctr,
against the abuse Of this good Gift" whc
, God had bestowed upon man. After year
OF toll they learned the astounding fact, tina
} drunkenness was upon the increase. That
year by year, more moderate drinkers be
came d-unkarls, than drunkards were re
, formed or swept away by death. For tn
first time, they discovered that moderal
2 drinking S0redHe seeds Of drunkenness. II
: agency was two.iold. No, only did molcr
ate drnkcrs become drunkards thcmselvo,
, but they stood up as eXcmplars to those wh
were unaccustomed to the habitual use of Il,
dent spirits The were waking cpi,he
} know and read Of all men," that there Wa
n possibility for n man 10 drink moderated,
and vet cscHpc the drunkard's shame. We
# you called upon one Of those same moo
I crate drinkers to abandon the practice, fc
the sake of his weaker brethren, he rctorte,
g &" can govern my appetite, lei others COVER
- theirs. Ana NY brothers keeper 2" Til
same reply would be made, at The Trcser
I lime f. it consistent with the passage Ia.
= quoted |, it not true, that such persoI
are PLAYING into the hands Of Liquor vendcr
! and Of the very Adversary himself? lgno
! .,tf,. r,,.I ,,,..,ns * ,n.f, ~ p,.,- II,
I will not the great Day of Aisle, prove no
, ,rec'uaIly? Drunkards are so degrade
and r.. nlsivc to look upon, that their eXaii
ple is hide ~ be feared. The monster is on
Of too lileous d mieG Hence, so far as e,
ample induces men to becole drunkard
} the apparently sale are the great iiruhSar'
$ matters
{ Again, how does the assumption that Chra
sanctioned a moderate Use Of wine. aceor
f. with | Cor. lO:3l? Whether, therefore
d We cat, or drink. or Whatsoever We do, do a
q 10 the glory Of God" What particular Chri
r. tan grace is displayed TO the glory of Cos
by the use Of wine at weddings? What s.
, cred tone of feeling does it create Is Il
C man who j. tdshioaajg cXhilaraicd by IT,
S q, temple for the in-dwelhng OF the ilo
>. GhcstY Is he in a suitable fran" OF min
p TO meet the summons Of the last grin. me
r sengcr? Is wine the parent Of mcekne
G and golly fear? VIII any who makes sue
e a use Of it, pretend that either directly
$ indirectly, his primary object in SO doing,
the glory Of God? And is it ever sous
t. by the Christian, who would enter his clos
g for Heavenly communion? On the contr
J. ~ is it not proyerbially, the drowner of q
awakened Conscience DO not those, wi
{ would fit themselves for "lrea,ons, strait
p, gems and spois," and all manner of crime
It first seek its aid to mask the strong NOR