The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-03-13
Total Abstinence

Total Abstinence
Asserts it to be morally wrong to use,
in moderation, wine, cider, beer, ale &c
This theory is oppos, a to the usage Of
Christian nations for 1900 years, op-
posed to the Chri~tain Bible, opposed to
The usage of Christian Churches, and
opposed to the enlightened opions of
physicians comprising nine tenths ofth
most distinguished members of the pro-
fession. There are no nations now on
the earth totally abstainant save the
Chinese, the Mahomedan nations, ard
the barbarous tribes inhabiting the is
lands Of the sea.
The Koran, which is the Bible of the
Mahomedans, is total abstinence and the
usage of the people is according to its
prohibitions. On the contrary our BIZ
Bile is not total abstinence, and hence the
usage of Christian nations, Is in accor-
dance with the moderate use Of wine
and other kindred drinks.
While the Mahomedans are of one
mind regarding the injunctions of their
Koran, the text being too definite for di-
versitv Of opinion; Christians are divi-
ded in opinion regarding the will of
God as expressed in our Bible, the text
rather preponderating in favor of the
moderate use.
Our Bible says they who have woe
and sorrow and redness of ewes are they
who continue long at the ,eiac, not they
who use It moderately. Paul thought
it was good for Timothy to take wine
moderately and hence Paul himself
could not have been Tetotaller. No
doubt Paul took a little himself occa-
sionally. He 10 whom the crusaders
now direct their prayers presided at a
marriage feast and there manufactured
a good article of wine, treated the whole
company, and would it not be strange if
he himself had not drank ii in modera-
ton.
Would it not be as well for the crusa-
ders to invoke Mahomet to turn us away
| from the moderate and Christian use of
wine, as to pray to Him who manufac-
tured it and treated his friends on fes-
tive occasion?
Mahomet was himself tetoteler and
made just such Bible as suits the Cru
saders, why not therefore pray to
him and adopt his inspired Koran as
the Book of Books?
But are we ready to exchange our land
where WINE and honey abound for such
as Persia, where no spirits are CONSUMED,
but where tens of thousands starve to
| death, not because the corn is made into
whiskey but because it is taken for taxes
| by the total abstinence Lords who in
dulge in the pleasures Of the harem and
yet baser appetites.
Drunkenness is condemned by all
good Christians. All that is said of it
they can say of gluttony, righteousness,
averice, extravaganza, untrutnfulness
and the gaudy butterflies of fashion, all
liable to transmit these vices to their of
spring.
The crusaders pretend to adhere to
| the commendable theory of persuasion,
but behind them stand fanatical army
of coercionists in whose work the women
are but the forerunners.
1t is as much an obortion to attempt
total abstinence from mild stimu-
lants as for the Shaking Quakers to per-
suade people of both sexes to abstain
from the production Of their species.
These Quakers, like our total abstinence
friends, carry the virtue of self denial
too far.
The 1000 frail sisters belonging to
houses of i'll fame in Cincinnati are the
victims of propensity bestowed upon
them for nobler purposes, but like the
propensity of the drunkard, it has been
abused and perverted. VIII the crusa-
ders attempt the useless work of blotting
out these propensities? Should they
not rather cease fighting against the use
of them and help US guard against their
abuses? The Quaker remedy of total
abstinance will no more cure the So
cial evil than the crusaders remedy of
total abstainance will cure the evil OF
drunkenness.
Slavery was put down and so can in
toxicating fluids. Before we put down
slavery all christendom had condemned
it, but all christendom permits their
moderate use, while all heathendom
stands opposed to any use whatever.
NJ K