Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-04
Total Abstinence.

a series OF Lectures upon the ABOVE suDJect, Nv
the Methodist Chapel, in this village, on Sabbath
evening last, an imperfect sketch of which we
give below:
The Lecturer commenced by referring to the
great interest which the subject of Temperance
had awakened, as shown in the fact of the
crowded house before him.
The history of the Temperance reform is fa-
miliar to all. 1t is of comparatively recent or
igin, but it has been marked by striking pecui-
arities and should commend itself to every hui
man being. We are all interested. in more ways
than one. It has always received active oppo-
sition from source which ought to have most
received its support. In their estimation what
ever has been done has always been exceedingly
wrong. They have always found fault. Yet
we find that at every advance step they come up
and occupy the position we have just left. 1t
is not singular that the reform should receive OPP
position from drunkards but from those who
use and see the evils of its moderate use, it is
strange. Had we listened to this class for the
last quarter of century of its existence, we
should have had our labor for our pains. The
reform has taken no rapid strides, but it has
been steady and healthy advance. No retro
grade step marks its existence. But its advance
will be certain until its final triumph. The OPP
ponents of the reform have opposed every new
move, but finally adopted them all. In 1886,
when the reform proposed to take the advance
step of total abstinence, it was considered suici
DIAL. In l842, when it was proposed to call the
finally prevailed. When, in later years, we
asked for total prohibition of its sale, except
for medicinal and mechanical purposes, it met
another crisis. But it continually advanced
In each instance the opponents adopted the po-
sition just left.
The Lecturer proceeded to examine the au-
thority claimed by the opponents of reform to
be found in the Bible, for a moderate use of IL
quors. If there is anything in the Scriptures
which sanctions a moderate use it had escaped
his notice. 1t is not justified by the Scriptures
Their authority is based upon the assertion of a
Divine that the word wine, whenever used in
the Scriptures, meant Intoxicating liquors. He
denied that it so signifed, and proceeded to ex-
anime the subject of wines, as spoken of in the
criptures-asking where it came from, what
made it, &c. Ii could not have meant ardent
spirits, as distillaton was not discovered until
the 10th century. Alcohol is not a product of
nature, although it may exist in decay, in some
instances. The Almighty never made it, and
are we justified in its nsa because it is manufac-
tured from nature? Are we justified in the use
of prussic acid because it is manufactured from
the almond? lie was told that not a particle of
bread was eaten but containd ardent spirits in
some degree. Ibis he denied None is fit to
eat that does contain alcohol. But although
fermentation takes place in its manufacture, it
is entirely destroyed by the heat when baked.
In Palestine the mercury was seldom below
} 95 degrees, and vinous fermentation which is
necessary to produce alcohol, never takes place
at this heighth. The lecturer then spent consid-
cradle time in an examination of the nature Of
!, fermentation. The ancients had what was called
expressed Juice Of the grape; but no juice Of
= the grape contains over per cent. Of alcohol
. They also used palm wine, which contains only
E 4 per cent. of alcohol-about as much as oul
3 common porter. This is all the wine the,
0 could have had, unless it were drugged wines
One writer before the Saviors birth mentions
drugged wine-another, about sixty years after
e gives receipts for drugging wine. The lecturer
s cited examples of drinkers drinking large guam
s ties of wine as proof of its not being intox
Y icating.
+ Hercules drank six bottles He did not know
how much they held; but one bottle nova
days would have completely foored him. II
@ Rome it was considered an honor to drink TIN
most wine. He cited one instance where on
drank six gallons. They could have had moth
ing but weak wine, or they could not hav
drank so much All wines spoken of approx
lngly contained no alcoholic qualities. 1t dit
not, like those of MADEIRA, contain 80 per cent
of alcohol. Brandy contains so per cent. o
: alcohol. Grapes cannot produce ALCOHOL
t Nowadays imported liquors are considered tn
A best, and this has led to limitations.
r Scripture associates the use of wine will
s bread and oil, and as a nutritious substance
: The peasantry eat bread and wine as we ca
: bread and milk The lecturer cited numerou
instances of its use referred to in the Scriptures
d But was this any authority that that wine wa
e intoxicating, or anything more than the ex
pressed juice of the grape? The Jews wer
commanded not to use anything that was fer
c mented. They used wine and unlevened bread
9 They filtered wine and offered it as "a drinI
: Offering. The Lecturer proceeded still furthe
: to conclusively show that there was no authori
e ty for the use of intoxicating liquors of an
P kind, in the Scriptures, and that the wine use
4 by the ancients was not intoxicating. The lie
turer once asked divine if the wine used a
e the marriage, at Cana of Gallilea, was intox
i icating? YES" said the divine; "Chris
~ never made any dsh-water stuff" 1t will b
: remembered that the wine then used was prc
1t duced by the miracle of turning water int
wine. When using the term drunk, it did nc
always mean intoxicated, but had drank to sa
tiating. If we have no evidence that thos
y wines spoken of in the Scriptures were intox
- eating, then we have right to talk of tott
e abstinence.
le There were men in olden times who practice
Sc it, and thus set us the example. John took til
VOW for life. The lecturer had not time to sho
le the means used for aduteration, but it has bee
a. known for all ages. Hestated that the deliriu