The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-09-27
THE WINE oUEsTIoNINB IBLELANDs.

Attention was briefly called last week to the IN
terestng article on this subject from the pen of the
Rev, j. II. Shedd, missionary from the United
States in Persia. The questions concerning wine
which were deliberately discussed in this country
many years ago, have been revived of late. During
last winter the Rev. DR.. Duryea, Presbyterian
minister Of New York, preached sermon on the
subject Of temperance, in which he took the old
ground maintained By the most judicious men of
the land. He denied that temperance and total
abstinence from all that can intoxicate were one
and the same thing. He did not deny that intern
peranee was vast evil, or that there was Just
ground on the score Of expediency for total absti-
nence but maintained that as a moderate use of
drinks containing alcohol was not in itself and of
necessity sinful, it was question of personal and
Christian liberty that could not properly be the
subject Of church legislation IF men could be
persuaded it was their duty to abstain entirely as
a question Of expedisney, very we'll If not, to
their own Master they must stand or fall
Such We understand to be the ground on which
his able discourse was constructed. 1t was imme-
diaely attacked by nearly all the religious newspa-
pers Of the North, and w such writer's as DR.. It.
Il Cuyler, of New York, and Dr. Herrick John
son, successor of Albert Barnes, of Philadelphia,
and many others Of lesser note. This brought out
the venerable DR.. John Maclean, Ex- President Of
New Jersey College, who ably sustained the posi-
tons taken by him on the wine question many
years since. During the meeting of the Northern
General Assembly last spring it adopted a paper
which is in the teeth Of the action taken by former
Assemblies. The Princeton Reuie,o for July in
cOndemning this action intimates purpose to give
the subject thorough discussion, in its rela.
tons to the teachings Of the word of God; the
standard Of Christian morality; obligation as re.
lated to the use Of things Indifferent expedieney;
Christian liberty; total abstinence; the sacrament
tai use Of wine-Which we apprehend from various
signs is about to be forced upon u.s." This viii
probably be found in the number for October.
In the meantime the Rerteu1 lays down few
propositions that express the views which we be.
ieye are according to truth. They are as follows:
I. The Word of God is the sole, infallible stan
dard of Christian duty.
2. The esprit of Gods Word" is to be learned
solely from the declarations of that word fairly IN
terpreted, and duly compared with each other
3. No enterprise of moral reform can succeed in
the end, or fail to do more harm than good, that
impeaehes the morality Of the Scriptures, or of any
act Of Him who was holy, harmless, indebted, and
separate from sinners.
4 According to the belief of ninety-nine hun.
dredths of the Christian Church. the latest verdict
Of evangelical scholarship, and the clear internal
sense Of Scripture itself, the wine of Scripture
whose temperate and sparing use is not, and whose
excessive use is, condemned, and which was made
by our Saviour at Cana, was fermented, and capa.
bic Of inebriating, if taken in excess.
A 10 .,,k,. r
or any strong drink, is condemned alike by Scripture
and a good conscience as sin, which in its own
nature involves pollution and guilt.
6. Although, according to Scripture the sparing use
Of beverages that taken IN excess may ntoxieate is
Of itself Indifferent, like the eating Of certain meats
so that if we thus partake Of them we are not the
worse, and IL we partake of them not, we are not
the better yet It may often be expedient to abstain
from the of lawful things when not so to abstain
may wound the conscience of weak brethren, or
may constitute snare to tempt ourselves or others
% SIN, or to form sinful habits. Whether we eat,
or drink, or whatever do, we are bound to do all
70 the glory of God, and to the perfectng of holiness
IN ourselves and others. In short we are to use our
liberty IN things Indifferent in a Christian spirit,
with Christian love, and for Christian ends. "For,
brethren, you are called unto liberty, only use not
your liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love
serve one another. 'l-Gal. v. TO-
Z. But innsmueh as 1t is a real liberty to which we
called in these things, its is to be determined
by each ones own conscience for himself, not by
the conscience of others. For "why should my |
own Liberty be judged by another man eonscenee?''
Cor. X: %. Here each one is at liberty to act &C
cordng to his own views Of duty and no man has |
right to Judge him. Whether he eat meat or herbs |
or drink vine, or abstain from them, "to his own |
Master he stands falls - we must all herein give
accOant to Him, not to man.
8. In the LIGHT Of these views and in the ercum-
stances in which we are now placed, we think it a
right and Christian Of our liberty in the premises
TO abstain from the of Intoxicating drinks a
beverage. We do what we can to persuade others
10 take the same view and the same course. We
hope and pray that all may their duty in this
light till the drunkenness which desoates the land
rs done awav.
g. But if others judge it right to use their liberty
otherwise, and within the limits of temperance, not
10 abstain from all that can intoxieate it is not our
province to judge or condemn them for that purely
and simply. We may not make it a term of com |
munion, or bar to the Lords table. To do so would
be to usurp the prerogative Of Christ, nay, to ex
communicate our Lord himself
10. We believe that nine-tenths of all who habit |
ualy abstain from the of intoxicating drinks do
in conformity to the principles above Indicated
and that, should the leaders of Temperance Societies
succeed in what some are attempting, and under |
mine the faith Of men In the seriptura foundations
of temperance principles above indicated they could
only do it by undermining faith in God and his
Word, which would end in the destruction of tenn |
perance and every other virtue. "WHosoEyER |
SHALL FALL on THIS STONE SHALL BE BROKEN; BUT ON
wHOsOEvER IT SHALL FALL, IT SHALL GRIND HIM TO
POWDER. Matt. xxi. "A.
For this temperate statement of views which |
have been held BY the soundest and best men of
their day, the RepTtOry and DR.. Maclean have
been assaied by most Of the papers Of their own
Church, and by some in terms of even coarse abuse
The old slang of giving JOY to drunkards and cast
Rbo,v ho, boa, olr,l
resorted to. And it is a remarkable fact that, so
far as we can reeOlect, hardly any Of these papers
has had the honesty to publish the entire letter of
Mr.. Shedd The first part of it expresses the |
opinion that ntemperanee viii not be eradicated in
a country BY the general culture of the grape. No
doubt Of that; human d0pravity will always find |
ways and means for indulgence. 1t does not fol-
low, however, that the general culture of the grape
would not diminish intemperance by banishing
wines, and to great degree the use of
strong alcoholic liquors We are persuaded it |
would, and on that account, among others, rejoice
in the rapid increase of grape-growing over the
United States. But the point to which attention |
is here called is that hardly any Of the papers re-
ferred to publish the second part Of Mr.. Sheds
letter, or give any intimation Of its existence The
reason is that it upsets their views, and their anat.
ical doctrine on the wine question. This mischiev-
Gus heresy which has infested large portion of
their Church, and which lands people by no cir
cuitOus path in the boys of sheer in6delity, has
been in these late discussions plainly and ardenty
ayowed by men in high standing in the Northern
Presbyterian Church. In this, as in the question
Of AbohtiOnism, either their Fundamental prince.
PIE, as it is called, or the Bible must give way
Many very MONS peOple as soon as thew find ont