Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-25
4 Setter Written by lBcn ami a

4 Setter Written by lscn Iarnin
ting.
An old book, which has become rather
scatcs. tho "Memoirs Of Able Morrelet,"
eont.ins the following letter Of Benz Frank
lin, originally written in French it has been
translated from German version, published
in che Roxbury (Msss.) Pionisr.
We should like to have the addresses Of
oil the msmbers Of the California State Tenn
perance c Invention, who have denounced
the progressing culture Of the grape on the
Pacific coast - most dangerous thing, we
would At once send to every one copy Of
BENZ. Franklins letter. TO show them how
iar the views Of him. who.was the Champion
Of progress and liberty fos all nations and
the Pride Of our country. differ from their
own doctrines Of abstinence.
The letter is directed 10 the Able Morsl-
let, . gentleman With whom Franklin was
on intimate terms while residing in Paris.
Here il 10:
"Your exquisite drink ing songs, my dear
eat fiiend, have cheesed me up ct times
and wish in return 10 give you for your
cdiflcatiOn fsw remarks, which Christian
ity has suggested to me on the subject.
In VINO vHnlrAs,-says the wise man.
In vine there is truth. Before Noah, met
could not arrive At the truth, because they
had nothing else TO drink but water; 81 they
| lat kaA III.
aud thus we're justly extcrmina,ed by the
very water they loved to drink. This coed
man Noah, after he saw how ali his fellow.
men persisted by that cold beverage, was
filled with 10th against il, and to qucnch his
thirst, God created the vine and taught him
the art Of making wine therefrom. by vir
tue of this drink he found out many things
and many truth, and ever since that time
the word ITO divine" Idivinerl has been in
usc-signiiying originally to discover some
thing through wine. Thus Joseph the Pa
triarch asserted, that he had the gift Of de
vina'ion deviner out OF cup or glass OF
vine vim a drink being so named to show
that II was not Of human but If divine in !,
vsnt'on. This 10 too is another areumeu
in favor Of the Old age of the French Ian
guage, III spite Of what Mr.. Gibalu has said
70 the contrary. Therefore have all things
excellent, and the Gods thcmselves been
called DIVINE or p,yIxiriEs ever since. -
The tuning water into wine At the Wedding
feast Of Canaan Is spoken Of % miracle
yet such thing 10 done before our yer,
eyes through Gods kindness every day
Water gushcs down from the skies upos
our vineyards, where it soaks into the root
Of the vine beanch . 30 turned into vine
psrnansst prsef, that 0od loves Us snt
wishes to zee 10 happy. The pariicu;a
miracle mentioned WAS wrought only I,
promptly provide Of what was nsedful TO
the moment.
God has indeed taught men also the ar
} OF changing wine to water-but what sor
Of watcrs Wster Of life [l'eau de vie Il
this end, that they might be able to worl
the miracle Of Canaan themselves, by turn.
ing common water into that superior spe,
: c.es Of wine-called PuNcs. Ny brother il
Inr'st irsre chrctienl, b. benevolent and
: cnssMao'e like he MAS, and do no. spoil hi.
;. ne eas made the wine for our enjoyment
II tnen you see your neiehbcr st d,nne
pouring oss wine into his glass, do nee max,
}, hasts peurine water to il. WHY vould 70,
: hsve s~~sh d~~wr~ds 1cnr rcschNns |,