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

common Father Of mankind has generally
united in his grant for use with wheat, corn,
oil, &C. and must be recognized therefore,
as being ii its unchanged nature and state,
as the juice of the grape, equally as good for
food as these other articles. The conclusion
TO which this view Of the subject leads us, is
clearly this that the ..wine" In this in
stauce as contemplated II mis- classification,
can mean nothing more OF less than the fresh
expressed juice of thagrape in its unfermented
state, and that cons s9uent'y, in this God has
demonstrated his ntss: ahhorence of all alco-
hoicWine as beyeslge, and shown unmis>
takeably that the ~ e of the Bible allowed
for diet is both innocSut and useful to man.
More however, Oh t6sgiu Tract III. This
subject however, dcsyss5 nal strength
from another prineipls Nj 1i4sparablygs
.as,-ee.stt s., ,TisllIT: sesffof from es.TTesa
this whole subject. This will appear from
the consideration
(2.) That the Bible actually afirms that
the wine which the Jews did use in connex-
ion with "wheat, corn, oil, &c." was the
"pure blood Of the grapep See Deut xxxii,
a. This is a key>text to all.
This is a consideration If vast Importance,
as by it, we learn the precise idea that God
wished to impress npon the minds of the
Jews as to the qsality of the wine which He
had given them the right to use, il. common
with those other articles enumerated. The
pure blood of the grape" in the mind
OF the Jews, in this relation, could not mean
any thing but the fresh juice of the grape, as
1T was used in their time. It was the usual
custom of Kings thus to use it, as is proved
by the case of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. This
case is illustrative of the custom of those
times, and is appropriate to our subject in
this connexion. See Gen. kl--9, l3 and veE
ses 90, 2l. Although wineis not here mems
toned, nor yet the "blood of the grape"
yet the vine" and C the cup, are specified,
all showing that in this narrative d" the cup"
contained the fresh expressed juice of the
grape, as is also the case in the sacramental
cup used by our Lord, in the institution of
His supper. Both these instances illustrate
each other, and at the same time, conspire to
illustrate the subject now under examination.
The coup" then, is expressive of the char
acter Of the wine then used, and proves de-
monstrably that it was pure, unfermented
grape juice.
When, therefore, Moses revealed from God
to the Jews, the character of the wine which
lie gave them authority to use in connexion
with "wheat, corn, &c." he expressed the
mind of Jehovah thus: '' He made him ride
on the high places of the earth that ne might
eat the increase of the fields, and he made
him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of
the tlinty rock, butter of kline and milk of
sheep with fat of lambs, and rams of the
breed of Bashan and goats with the fat of
kidneys Of wheat, and thou didst drink the
pure blood of grapes" Deut. xxxii-13, IA.
In this characteristic dsscriutinn of the quail
ity. of the 6 wine" the Jews had used and
were authorized still to use, we are assured
that it was no more of an injurious charac.
ter than the "oiP they were permitted to use
, with their I" milk, honey and the bread
made of the wheat and corn :" now. we
are certain that these other articles were
7 innocent, because they were used in a
} state in which no change had taken place in
) their actual, healthful qualities and substan
E ces, so we are equally assured by Moses that
the "Wine" which all along is classed with
f these other articles, was equally innocent
because it had not undergone any change in
. its qualities and substances for such as they
e used daily, was the "pure blood of the
= grape"
f Nothing is palmer to my mind than thai
: God IN this passage intended to reveal by hi
S servant Moses, the real quality of the wine
3 which he has granted them the privilege t.
j, use, and intended for use, for all time tt
e come. And this is the mere reasonable tt
r conclude, because, in this case, all the ar
. ticles as the product of the fields" which
, he at any times authorized them to use ar
|. here specified as we'll as wine, and conse
: quently we are ruled into the interpre
y tation ofthis text as a specific declaration b,
g God, as to the quality of the "wine" tn
n Jews mad all along used, and that, as thi
a kind met with his unqualified sanction, ant
Il had been always authorized, so the conclu
$ sion necessarily follows that it is the kin
= which still is permitted to be used now, an
IS constitutes In itself great outline principl
to distinguish not only the kind of wine tha
n may be used, but also that all other kinds, b
l. their very nature are recognized as bein
to prohibited by the Divine being,
r. There is another consideration which give
Sc its full force of testimony to this view of th
D. subject. viz:
&c (3.) In none of the instances of the clas
n es here reviewed, is there a solitary cas-
is where wine used as in connexion with thos
IN articles specified in class No. |, is there to /
v found any evidence or even the shadow
D. evidence. that inebriation or concomitants
is inebriation ensued.
IL This is an argument of immense power c
this point That the use of wine in many i
as stances, has produced drunkenness and
so declared in the Bible, is true; but in I
il, instance in which its use was in connexi(
p with "wheat, corn, oil, &C." but either Sc
ne erately in itself, or where it's inebriatir
n qualities are specified as in Prov. xiii Is
r. v. This shows Enthusiastically that the vii
of spoken of in connexion with these other a
o. ticles was Of quite different nature and gu;
go ity to such as produces inebriation.
ne Not an instance can be shown in this Wi
on range of Scripture authority for the use of wi
its in this connexion, of the least indication
te, caution or warning given, lest in the free u
on oft intoxication would ensue, but on t
AZ contrary encouragement is given not only
drink freely but " "abundantly." g am COZ
re- into my garden, my sister. my spouse ha
in gathered my myrrb with my spice. have
lat ten my honey-comb with my honey. ha
a drunk my wine with my milk eat, o frien,
Of drink, yea, drink abundantly. 0 my beloved
ice Song Of Solomon VI. See reference In
be margin
S Had there been any caution or warni
is given in any of the instances of this ve
ut numerous class of Scripture authority
as the use of wine, indicating the danger
re, intoxication from its too free use th,
est would be some ground to doubt but there
iod neither caution, warning nor threatened pl
ION ishment for its free and abundant vi
op- this, then, demonstrates the innocency
his this as beverage in this relation, and c.
the sequently proves it to be entirely free fr,
rti. all lnebrlatiatlng qualities, and therefore,
its conclusion is forced upon IA that this XII
i've of wine, as the " pure blood of the crap
of was the fresh and unfermented Juice of
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