Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1869-09-25

IIle NTsl sage oil NuAl we Call IulOAlCdIOu.
Their continuance for ANY length Of lime pro-
duces Il new appetite artificial unnecessary aod
rsry dangerous. Is il right 10 create such an
appetite
And when see this use" issuing ia this
appetite and this appetite issuing IN IiimksH-
nsss ia cases numbered by the hundred thousand
and then when read The awful sentence, .N0
drImknd shall Ehuil fhs kingdom Il God, can
| believe that such temptation 10 drunkenness
can be sanctioned 10y that Book which IS our
only guide TO tha, insdom' Or .u other word,
that the Spirit of Gods word - not against the
use Al All of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
believe it is icroag 10 creais such thirst, and
If YOU villa sin against God.
Look again at the Bible doctrine Of Christian
erpt9icacy as bearing upon the moral side Of tie
argument for total abstinence. case IN point
is cited by S. Paul, where some Of the chTIs-
lIan Society, were offended because others eat
those meats which the heather offered IN sacri
fee TO idols. They could not rid themselves of
the notion that those meats were a part Of tho
idolatrous worship. Consequently -. Paul de-
cides that while that was the case, though tho
thin" IN itself was perfectly harmless and of to
. evil tendency, he would eat 40 meat while the
/ world stood. and he made hIs example 4 rule
I for others, as we shall see.
Here was 4 Of simple crpelacy that
/ IS 10 say Of 4 thing which, though not nately
best not To; and what II Is btI not 10 DO IT b,
comes dIliy not 10 do.
Was there sin then, YOU ask, in dong It
Ictus enquire. have proved that Il Is mar
, psdisni As matters now stand, 10 use IntoNIca-
ting liquors a. beverage, that IL that It IS best
all things considered not 10 do A. and IT so then
a dgil not tu DO II. "But" YOU ask, will Nou
! say II IS q S,a TO use them in moderation You
. dare not for fear uf the Bible" llnSNcr, 1t
| is not my custom 10 call 1t 4 sin, because II M
! wolves distinctions which ohicctuTs are mol COM
monty prepared either 10 understand or appre.
clatc But II pushed 10 the wall say yes 1t ~
sinful and for fear OF the Bible dare not
! SweT otherwise. Sh Is Of different sorts. Some
| things are sinful m their nature necessarily
and utrinSIcally, such IS transgrcssIous ol tho
/ ten commandments.
That law Is inatch moral and obligatory, an
! gel, and arohancch, chcrubm and ,craphim, a,
! well a men ON earth beng uhIccS To- the law
| of loving God supremoly and their fellows a.
/ themselves. The practice now under ceDSuro
! is not 4 sin on that ground. But sumo things
become sinful by Circumstances and on account
I of evil involved Ia others, though II could bS
proved A. IN tins case II never can be that lhcTo
! is no danger incurred Of drinking too much.
! Hear ST. Paul Oh tins question "Mcat com
mendeth US not to God for neither if wo eat are
We the Better, neither Il We cat not are We tho
worse: but take heed lest by any means lhis lb-
| erty Of yours become stumbling block To them
that are weak sFor If any man thco which
hast knowledge SIT at meat IN the idols temples,
shall not the conscience Of him that is weak
be cmboldened 10 cat those things which are
! offered 10 idols, aad through thy knowledge
shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ
died; But when ye so san against the brethren
and wound thor weak conscience ye san against
! Christ" Mark the word SIN aud mark tho
idea for sin there is.
And shall we put that which is spreading rulr
and death on every side by temptation insep-
arabic from it IN comparison with that which
in itself considered Is perfectly innocent and
never does any harm
Take an example, aud take a clerical fricnC
Of mine, not Of Virginia and whom probably
none present ever sa or heard of. lie was a
man ofhigh character, perfectly temperate aS
the word is commonly understood, but, having
number Of pecuiIarties. lie would take
glass Of whiskey any whore when be felt like Il.
Ho was questioned about the 6rdnpts in these
times, the encouragement which il wo1ld provo
TO others not Of his own strength OF will. ! do
not remember his answer, but Il could not have
been a better one than this "let them follow
my example who never drink too much and they
| will be in no danger"
But there is a weak broihcr"-j'Ist such an
one as has just been cited from the Epsllc 10
the Corinthians who stands by and says "wha,
| man Of his character does cannot be wrong"
and he drinks, but ho cannot stop where Rev.
Mr.. - stops but drinks again and falls, wh,n
perhaps he has been long trying 10 stand, and
! but for Mr.. ---'s example might have stood.
The like has happened hundred times.
Now ] say Mr.. - sEEED against that rtak
brother aud sinned against cnEIsr on the express
decision oi the word Of God, II the cases arc
parallel, and whether they arc or arc not para-
lei and more than parallel, Judge ye.
And there - another parallel with which I
| shall conclude upon tho hrst principle aud
hasten more rapidly over the other two-lho
parallel Of Opium, which, j. used by thousands
for tho same purpose as intoxicating liquors
by all at FIRsT mOdeTuSiy 50 that IT, effects arc
pot visible, but as in the case of spirits gfoaI
numbers go on 20 the destruction Of soul and
body. ! ask JOu ., II wrong (sInful ( YOU
| choose, for though not using that word myself
in iust th1t connection / am growing les, par.
tlcullr about IT. Is II wrong to bsgin that prac-
tice Of taking opium moderately Answer inc
/ yes or no. Would YOU think as well Of your
ncghbor whom you know to indulge that hab.
II But China whcre opium sustains about
the same relation To the people as whiskey does
. here, and - about as destructive, the man who
uses Itm0dTdtiy is not di,esi,cu,d. md probably
this very man would be as much concerned
about has ueIghbor who every day must take
] dose Oi whiskCy ~ you are about your neighbOT
who every day must take dose Of opium, and
with as good reason. The cases are parall.l
and defy any man 10 show wherein they arc
not.
"Do understand you then 10 say tha,ths u,e
OF intoxicating liquors as a beverage % a dE p
/ Yes, If YOU undCrstand inc correctly Ru, n
you would TIpoTt me correctly, YOU must take
along with II the qualification. la man has
made himself acquainted with the argument tho
the mighty facts which condition The actual
question, and psTs,rreJ against them all II -
sin. To him that knmceih 10 do good and dseh
Il mol 10 hinI Il :; sin. But thore are sins of ir.
noranee spoken Of 10 scripture, but they we're
sins still, and an atOntmtnt had 10 be provided
for them, as you vail read at length ~ Moses,
4 wrong !, not made right because particular
man does not hROo that II - wrong and al
though his ignorance (iG Il be not W.llfgI) may
mitigate his guilt, that IS bis obligation 10 pun
jshment at The bar Of eterBSl justice, II will not
insenSe him against the Ill consequences Of his
sin lie may become druDksrd froni not
knowing the san Of running INTO temptation.
conclude therefore az practical question
that the use as a beverage of any Hqrofs what
sOSycr % stimulating as 10 be liable 10 produce
thirst for sfimul1nts, or the Use II any drug,
. or other substance whatsoever for Ike puT
pose IS ieTong, add that the binding Law re-.
speeting them all the law Of comDon sen,e ard
ofchTistian duty IS TOTAL AEITIyExcs.
CONCLUDED Or THIEDFGeE)
A bachelor editor says I'VE ne,s,