Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-25

Nos. T. II, III, ", to regard only the unfer-
nented grape juice. This is so:
2 Because of its representative a5d moral
character impressed upon it. And is
Q.1 It's Moral character.
In this, it is viewed in the Bible az .iIle
great symbol of the blood of Christ aS&Eed
for the salvation of the world his is clear
from Gen. xlix-1l and Isas1fziii-- 22-14in
which the blood-of Christ as ne - shed, is
symbolized by the grape juice; his
garments as the treader of the fat. ~
Christ in hissAssumption of human nature,
did not take shim that nature in its in17
pure and corrasa charae kbut IN its in
nocency and purity. Il had assumed
corrupt human nature, fermented wine would
have been an appropriate symbol, as being
Litse.s 1ss s - assd y shs s9.lss., Rross.sIt
without s % the pertinshsy Of its lsscri-
fee could only be symbolized by substance
which had not undergone any process OF pu-
tridity; and SO we find Moses and Isaiah
both were inspired to view the symbol of the
blood shed by Christ.
The moral principle here involved forms
the basis of an argument of great power
That which is the means of mans purifca-
ton from sin and his preparation for the So
ciety of the good, the holy and the blessed,
cannot surely be symbolized by substance
which at once is the symbol and the means
of the final damnation of man in the lake of
fire! All our ideas of symbols, both in their
natural as we'll as moral character, repudiate
such view. Fermented wine the Bible re-
presents as the symbol as well as the means
of mans final ruin it is nowhere used in the
Bible as the symbol of the means Of mans
salvation. This, of itself, is sufficient to de-
monstrate its unftness to be the type of our
Saviour's blood. There is not therefore,
| this unftness in the "blood of the grape" in
its unfefmented state, to represent the blood
OF the atonement; but there is moral ap
propriateness in the 'pure blood of the
grape" to symbolic the cleansing virtues
of the blood of the Lamb. The view here
contemplated is also fully sustained.
2. In the representative character of wine
as presented to US in the Bible.
In this regard it is not only the symbol of
the shedding of Christi blood, but it is the
representative type of the atonement itself,
which was accomplished by the sheddidg of
that blood. 1t is in this respect that Christ
used the ''fruit of the vine" in that ''CUP" he
used at the institution of the Supper. In that
institution he has assigned to the coup" this
very important position, that he represents
III DIS buG UlOOO Sueu lOE GuG r6ullSSlOll VI
SINS" His words are-"For this is my blood
of the new Testament, which is shed for ma
ny for the remission of SINS" Mat XVI
%. Mark xiv-24 Luke xiv-2O. l Cor.
xi-25. In all these passages the ''fruit Of
the vine" as contained in the Soup is used
as the representatives. the atonement itself
as made by the blood of Christ as shed "fol
the remission of sina" "-
We have already noticed the moral bear
ing of this as it regards the symbol of Christ:
blood. Here it carries the view farther anc
brings to our view the atonement itself
which alone saves from sin and death. Now
this being so, can we suppose any appropri
ateness in wine, in its .termente2 state, to re
present that atonement? Would not thi
be to represent the means of life by tha
which the Bible speaks of as the representa-
tive of Gods WRATH? This whole subiec
will derive additional confirmation by the con
sideration of another aspect in which tn
Bible views it, viz:
IL. Glasses V, VI, comprehending 40 pas
sages, we shall find that wine is representa-
by the Bible as utterly at variance with th
interests and happiness of mankind, becaus
of its Intoxicating effects when used and
therefore, ats use IS prohibited. In this viey
the "fruit of the vine" is regarded in its fer
6ati0n is clearly demonstrated. That this
true, will, l think, fully appear from consiG
erations such as follows:
l. Prohibited wine is repres snted in tn
Bible as being in a .fermented condition.
This is clearly affirmed in the followin
terms:
Look not thou upon the wine when it
RED, when it giveth its color in the cul
when it moveth itself Alright. At last it B
teth like serpent and Stingeth like an al
der" Prov. xxiii-31, 80. Nothing ca
be more descriptive of the chemical actio
of fermentation than this passage. Now, b
cause it is in this state, and its alcohol wi
poison, (iike serpentare poison, Wherefore is
eremptoriiY prohibited.
2 Prohibited wine is regarded as the agel
which causes almost all the personal evi
experienced by man; especially such
grow out Of his own conduct. This appea
thus :-"Who hath wo?-who hath sorrow
who hath contentious ?-who hath bal
} bling?-who hath wounds without cause?-
who hath redness of eyes? They that ia
/ ry long at the wine, they that go to see
mixed wine" Prov. xxiii-29, 30.
2. Prohibited wine is the symbol of tt
l wrath of God. This is clearly so in rega
: to termented wine, and all such range theI
SELVES III lHlS position dccOFulng TO GLASS
} Nos. V, VI. These jointly, rs we'll as ser
rately, the Bible recognizes as the symbol
: Gods wrath. For in the hand of the Lo
: there is a cup and the wine is red it is f
!. Of mixture, and he poureth out of the sam
Q but the dregs thereof all the wicked of t
: earth shall wiring them out and drink then
/ Psalms lxxv-8. This may be considered
KEY-TExT, to a considerable portion e.
e raced in Nos. v, vi.
e Prohibited wine is made the represen
It tive, in the Bible, of the miseries of I
g damned. This is clearly the view of
e John us is proved thus:-"The same sh
o drink Of the wine of the wrath of God, VIII
e is roured out without mixture into tho cur
e his Indignation and he shall be tormen
/ with fire and birthstone in the presence
g the holy angels and the presence of
5, Lamb" &c. Rev. xiv-10. But see
" whole chapter.
le 3. No other wine is prohibited but ST
as is represented in the above particula
g and no other is represented as inebriat
y IN It's effects; and all that are so,
'r are clearly comprehended in this Bible VII
OF 1t Is, therefore demonstrably evident, that
.e kinds of fermented wines are prohibited
Is the Bible; and consequently, it is hig
o. criminal thing to use such beverage.
:: Montgomery Co., N. c., March Is, 1860