Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-05
Q he family Circle.
Wine BibbprS.

There must have been wine-bibbers in
Solomon's days. for in his book of Prov
erbs he expressly guards the reader against
their influence. and advises him not to
associate with them. There were such
persons when our Saviour was on earth,
for one Of the unjust charges against I'm
was that he Was wine blbber. No one
viii dispute that there are wine-bibbers in
abundance now. There are many in our
land who. from fashion, or appetite, or
both, drink wine constantly and to excess.
But if you want to see 1t taken univer-
sally a, by wholesale, you must 60 to the
East Ia France and Italy, in Egypt and
Palestine, the people almost without ex-
ception drink wine.
But is it not necessity in these coun.
tries? Is not the water impure and un-
wholesome Is there not something In the
atmosphere which requires tonic or slim
uant? Aud especially IN the case of trav-
eIers, would it be safe to drink the water,
without, at least, rectlfying it with wine?
To these common inquiries let me reply by
giving PLAIN fact.
A year ago last March company of
among them, started on a journey to the
East, and were gone four months. travel
ng in thar period about IA 900 miles
We were all total abstainers, aud resolved
We would Dot drink any wine or strong
drink unless we found it absolutely neces-
sary. Ga shipboard we abstalned, and al
though the voyage was very rough one, we
Stood it as well as our fellow passengers
who were constantly imbiblng, and reached
Liverpool in as good condition as they.
In England ireland and Scotland we did
not touch drop, and had no occasion to.
The water was usually good and when We
chose it we could always get cup Of tea
or coffee. AS We journeyed through France
and Italy we had no reason to think Paul's
injunction to Timothy was applicable to
either of us. The truth is, although none
of US are very strong, physically, a e found
the longer we abstained, and the farther
we travelled, the more hearty and vigorous
we became Even in Rome, Italy, where
traveiers complain most Of the water. we.
thought Gods drink had been slandered-
and We drank it free y without any penal :
| ty. On the Mediterranean, and IN a lex All
dria and Cairo, we had a similar expert
euce. If we wanted change We found
everywhere the sparkling settler water, in
glass jars, sold at reasonable prices, and
could get our cup Of tea whenever we
called for it.
At Jerusalem, as we sat each day taking
dinner, we could see we were wonder to
our English and German cousins, who sat
in front or beside US, guiding their wine
We drank not ing but water, except the
little cup of coffee which was brought on
last for dessert. A distinguished theolo :
zeal professor, and worthy Congregation
al deacon fron New England, exposrulated
with us, and SAID we were perilIng our
lives. We replied, We would be cautious,
for we were impressed that our country
and the world could not afford yet to lose
FIVE such valuable men as we.
When We were making preparations for
our horseback travel through Palestine,
our dragoman said, What wines and 9th
er spurious liquors shall provide 70 7
you > Our reply was. None at all.
| He looked at us in amazement. BuC.
gentlemen are you aware that all travel
ers consider 1t necessary to drink wine in
this country" We said, We have
heard all about this, but we will take the
risk. We have gaod medicines, if we
6ud we need them, but we don't expect to
be sick. Take with you a good stock of
tea, SO that you can give US cup when
ever We want it"
Away we started one Monday morning.
We went down to the Dead Sea, and along
the Jordan and past Jericho, and up
through the country to NabIous and the
Sea OF Gal,lee, and Nazareth, and then on
the bank of the Mediterranean through
Tyre and Sidon Oil to Beirut. drinkIn
water from every spring and fountain, bur
not drop OF wine, or whskey, or brandy
or any other intoxicant And what was
the testimony of our good dragoman p For
five years | have been engaged in conduct
ing parties through Palestine. This is the
first party | have seen who carried out
their total abstinence principles. And
must confess to my astonishment you are
the first party who have had no headache
stomach-ache, or some other ache. The
others have all complained of sickness
and it has been no uncommon thing for us
to stop over day or two in different stages
of our journey for these invallds to recruit
But you have all been well. and we have
not lost an hour in this trip. am strong
~ inclined to say your total abstinence
principles have made the difference" "DC
you think SO, Floyd? Then give us
certificate to that effect"
"I'll do it cheerfully," said he, and the
paper is now IN the hands of one of gu,
number, with the signature of Rolla Floyc
appended to it.
Back we al came, to our own country
without tasting a drop of wine or any
other kind of strong drink. The flask o.
brandy which one of our number carried
with him as medicine was not uncorked
And our united testimony is: For b, v
erage give US the cool, sparkling water
which God drops from the clouds, or causes
to spring from the earth for the comfort
aid refreshment of his creatures.-Dr
Stryker in S. S. Times.