Smyrna times., 1854-08-23


of texts, single glance will divide the whole
group into two grand divisions-the innocent
and the noxious, the nutritious and the poison
Gus, the invigorating and the deleterious, the
blessing and the mocker,'--the pander of
moral impurty, and the tit emblem of spiritual
good; in a word, the inebriating and the unin-
ebriating. Can we for moment doubt whether
the Lord calls things as they really are! In
the present case we kno,O what they really are,
therefore we know what God calls a mocker,'
really is So" But where is the line that divides
the two classes of beverages that 60 under the
name of wine! Do we not know where it
is Who does not know that previous to fer
mentation, no juices of wholesome fruits or
grains in the least degree intoxica-
ting! Who does not know that after that
process of fermentation, all of them are
intoxicating Who does not know that
all the alcohol on earth, whether existing in
wine, beer, cider, rum, brandy or gin, or any
thing else, is produced solely and exclusively
by the same process of fermentation.n There
fore there are two classes of wine spoken in
the Bible--the one containing alcohol, the other
not, the one poison, a mocker,' the other the
simple unfermented juice Of the grape, which
is nutritious and wholesome drink, used at
their meals, the same as milk among shepherds.
1t is very evident that the uniermented juice of
grapes and other fruits were used at their meals
as a beverage and constituted pa IT of their
subsistence. This appears to have been the
design of Providence in causing the grape to
grow on land which is toe poor to raise any
thing else, and connecting it with grain, the
oil of the olive tree-all of which " ere staple
productions OF Palestine. Hence, the Rev. Dr.
Duff, when speaking of this subject, says:-
Look at the peasant at his meals in Wine-bear-
ing districts. Instead Of milk, he has basin of
pure, unadulterated blood of the grape. In
this, it's native original state, it is plain, SIM
pie and wholesome liquid, which, at every re-
past, becomes to the husbandman what milk is
to the shepherd-not a luxury, but a necessary
not an intoxicating, but nutritious bever-
age" This is the reason why the Scriptures
so constantly magnify we'll repleni shed wine
press in rocky, mountainous country like Pal
estine, as one of the richest bounties of gene
rous Providence 7" Thus the Psa lmist, Ps.
, I04, Is, praises the divine bounty: He
causes to grow, wine that maketh glad the
, heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine
and bread which strengtheneth mans heart"
Thus we close the first argument in proof o
our proposition, which, of itself is sufficient t
substantiate the truth of total abstinence
: From the very nature and production oil wine
y and other drinks containing alcohol, it is im
possible, in its use as beverage, that it shoulC
have the appreciation of Jehovah. 1t is not only
y absurd, but blasphemous to think so. So dead
. ly poison, engendered by sin, cdnscque
=. Of Gods fearful Indignation and wrath an
O the hellsh instrument of the Arch h-enemy q
= God and man, in the destruction of all good
q 1t is true, God permits its use, as He permit
4 other evils to exist, but from generation t
- generation, He, in vlslting the woful conse
- !uences upon the guilty parties, which is plain
:, y indicative OF his righteous displ Pasure, an
/. He will continue to visit those constituencies
a mors fearful ratio forever and fore ser. Loo
at the effects of alcoholic drinks in every lsn,
in every Cline whore they are used, and Sc
40 the agency of hell in their use. and the curse
= heaven upon them. The whole hi story of a
n cohol proves ts origin.
= Even the word itself has been perverted
he designate this iniquitous beverage. The VOL
he primitiyely was used TO designate the simp
nd Ejuce Of the grape, because no othe wine e.
-a- listed but when it became corrupted and CO
he verted into a poison, the word was perverted
mt designate this also, which, though entirely d.
M tinct in it's nature and production yet, exte
we nally retaining its resemblance to The origin
,lv wine, and being called by the same name. mo
,nt effectually deludes frail man, and more easi
err draws him into the maelstrom of ntemperanc
tly 1t is no strange thing for Satan, not only
md transform himself into an Angel of Light;
nc to call vices by words which proper y designs
me virtues, and thus deceive the simple to dro,
bu, them in destruction. He iscalled the Deceiv
- which properly designates his character. A
the every one who INDUCES in alcoholic wine
nits other intoxicating drinks, under the impress
inO that it is the "fruit of the vine,p-"a gc
red creature of God "-designed for the benefit
en- man, and right and proper to be usei as bey
ome age, has already been drawn into the whirlpool
all his influence, and day by day is co ming nea
ther and nearer the gulf of ruin. soon tp plunge
ned, the fiery food, forever to drink Of that h
en- which burneth with fire and brimstone.--l {
ting @, 10. All reader, be not deceiHed--GoC
ap- not Knocked. for whatsoever man soweth /,
3D. shall he also reap.-Gal. 6, z. If we SOW
ker.' wind we shall be sure to reap the whrlwint
here Hosea 8, 7. . 8smass tsYG rksaz iEp
tual Douer, August 8, 1854.
nish- ~~~~--