National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-08-23
1T is Written"

HlVe strong drink unto him that
Is ready TO perish, and wine to those
that be of heavy hearts. Let him
uil , liih, anu forget his poverty, and
remember his misery no more.
These words are usually quoted
TO prove from the Scriptures. that
alcohol is beneficial as a medicinal
agent. From one retreat after am.
other we chase the demon, until al
last, in desperation, he runs to the
altar of God, and there shows his
credentials, having the seal of Di.
vine authority. We will pursue
him there, and ascertain whether
the signiture be the handwriting of
God, or whether it be a false utter
pretation pressed into his service.
The first question for us to settle
is, what does the bible teach Not
what it is assumed to teach. Satan
quoted Tor rather misquOtedD Scrip
ture, tempting our Lord to trans
gresS th@law of Jehovah, OF which
those Scriptures were the exponent.
How tenderly, yet how solemnly, is
the affirmation made, that, at is not
for kings, o Lcmuel; it is not for
kings to drink wine; nor for princes
strong drink; lest they drink, and
forget the law, and pervert the
Judgment of the afflicted" No res
erv ton is madeior any emergency.
The i.ing is not supposed to i'll dan
ger of being brought where he shall
be "ready to PERISH Some other
one may, but the king, never.
''Ready to perish" is equivalent
for awaiting execution. The term
poverty" is descriptive ola mental
condition, incident to q mind in
hourly cXI ectation of violent
death, and is better rendered by
the word misery.
The sentence is merely declarato,
ry of a well known fact. The Jews
were accustomed to administer u
Stupefying potion to a telon about
to be executed, that under the illu-
SionS of intoXication he might for
get his approaching doom, and sink
insenSibly into death. Accordingly
when the Saviour was crucifed,
: they gave him to drink, wine min.
glcd with myrrh but he received
it not In the hour of his great
- agony, the Son of God would not
pollute his lips with that which the
! Scriptures had branded as an ac,
cursed thing.
Let it be observed here, that the
E Supplying draught is given, not as
; curative, for the design is not to
, restore the health but to oblterate
from the mind OF the ,perishing'
man the tormenting thoughts of his
; anticipated fate.
The ''strong drink" was therefore
l administered as physicians now pre-
u scribe morphine for patients suffer
! ing cXcrutlating pains.
II If wine, or Opiates OF any kind
' are administered to dying man
$ upon him who administers the lethe
/, an draught be the responsibility
% How any man, himself not insensi
10 bic to moral considerations, Cal
1t mock a dying man, by rendering
Io him in>rnS1Dle to llS real condition.
D. and .conjuring up through the agcn
< cy of alcohol OF morphine the hallu
IL cinations of the drunkard or opium
eater, surpaSSes our comprehension
le What right has a physician to rob,
u man of sanity, in the last mOment
i" of his life, aud send him intoxicate,
II into eternity 3? Whatever miN b'
Is the physical pains of our departin,
is hour, we fervently pray, Oh Father
lS spare us the anguish of dying in
eS medical lie Wine is a mocker. l
III Is WRITTEN,-E,r.