The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-04-20

SERMON on TENPkRANCE-Rev. Mr.
Bryant preached last Sunday morning iron
Prov %: %, 80. WHO hath wos " no hath
sorrow: Who hath contentious? Who hath
babbliugs? Who hath wounds without causei
Who hath reduess OF e,es2 They that tArr'
long at the VINE; they that so 10 seek mixed
wine"
The speaker remarked that the bible abound
With Gods warnings. threatenings and entreai-
les on the subject OF incompetence. He quoIec
several passages from the Old Testiment aud u
the New Testament, in various places, il is ex
pressly declared that diuukards shall not enter
the kingdom of heaven, unless they repent
Whyg Because drunkenness produces crime
bunts the moral sensibties. and breaks th'
power OF the will to resist evil. No drunkard
ever becomes purer, better or hoher man
This ia reason enough.
He then referred to the Scripture declarations
respecting those who make daunkards. He quo
red The curse pronounced on him who puts the
bottle to his neighbors mouth aud the NO pro
word here s.cniiying entcements TO evil tn,
Scripture holds man responsible for the conse-
qurnces Of his acts, as in the law of Nose
where the OK was wont to push with bis horns
The owner, if he knew the character OF his OK
IN case Of the death Of person. was to sufa
death with his OK. The principle was right
and in force at this day in the statutes on mau
slaughter. IL has been testified that this OK
pushes with his horns To the desti uction Of fan
lies, a2d especially OF the youth il our commu
mites IL was this which pitched that poor
man rece ntly into the hay rack, and broke bis
neck
The Bible remedy for all these evils was total
abstinence The question bad been raised, who
first advocated the doctrine Of total abstinece a.
a remedy for incompetence, It was invented
Nun bers describes the order OF the Nazarites,
Who we're teetotaIlers, as already existing ano
this order extended al through the history OF
Jews for some two thousand years. Most of the
enlireut men We read OF 10 Scripture belonged
TO the order, as Samson, Jeremiah, Daniel. JOIN
the Baptist and Paul The mother of Samson
vas also Nazirite.
The second order Of Total Abstinence men
toned in the Bible, is that Of the Rechabites
This was voluntary association which had
isted 300 years in the time of jeremiah The
| speaker here gave al account of DR.. Wolf
travels in the East, about 80 years since and Of
biz meeting with R. cbabite vino took Ara
bic Bible aud read to the Doctor the account Of
his order in the S5th Of Jeremiah. The settle
ment of Rechabites embraced some 60OOO per
sous, and was favorably mentioned by Wolfe.
The Bible strongly recommends total abstin-
ence.
But Prohibition should always accompany
Total Abstinence Both should be carried out
together TIE speaker argued the ,ightiulnes-
Of prohibition from the general regulations OF
society ia regard to slaughter houses. gunpow
der, gambling houses, aud driving teams o.
side walks and over bridges.
Prohibition would be great benefit to our
youth Boys bad been seen Ia the streets
staggering towards their homes Had not the
fathers and mothers OF these youth right 10
d.,nand that the fountains Of drunkenness should
oe closed
Prohibition would greatly benefit those who
we're wing 10 reform. The testimony Of all
Who had once been incorporate and tried 10 re
form was unanimous in regard to the almost ir-
resistable power OF temptation when the liquor
was before them This temptation should be
removed
Prohibition would be a great benefit 90 families
be believed at this day iutemperance wss a
grenter enemy to our country than The rebels
He made statements showing that intemper-
ace is largely on the increase, in connection
with the other forms Of vice growiug out OF the
present STATE OF eIuavagsnt living.
What shaH be dor,eF The speaker sckno~l
edged his Inability to answer this question prop
erly, but he would say this: Let each one
sand right for himself, do ali be caD, and not
be discouraged because be was not able 10 do
more. We should labor for the cause OF Tenn
oerance a. We do tor she Gospel We do not
expect that the Gospel will prevail universally
in our day. aud yet se have the fullest couf-
dence in its ultimate triumph in all the earth
We must not neglect TO do What httle We car
for the cause Of Temperance, merely because ue
~ocld gladly do more One thing il was in the
power OF every one 10 do: he could refrain
from giving ary couutenAnce whatever to run
drinking or rum selling.