The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-21
The WING Cure.

lPablishGd In the IntelllgeneRr BY rcquesel
The Interior publishes an article from
the pen Of Rev. D. G. Mison on the use 0
wine as an aid to tho temperance cause
Tho article is complete reiutation oil tht
light wine theory advocated by host o.
semi.temperance men. The writer givel
the reason why certain ministers and Law.
men insist on the use Of the light drinks
lie says tho theory that the use OF wine
aud tho other mild intoxicants will DO ia,
vorable to temperance, and tends TO cure
drunkenness, finds favor In different quar-.
ters The lager.loving Germans through
their papers argue, very decidedly, that Il
Americans would become worshippers Of
GAmbrinus, and give up Sunday to bis do.
votes, our civilization would be advanc-
ed, and "lhe good time coming" greatly
hastened. The fact that some Of our min.
listers, church officers and members insist
on their right to drink wine, have 1t upon
their tables, offer 1t TO their guests, and
partake Of II at social gathering shows that
this theory would DO in harmony with
their feeling and conduct. ITO wish Is
often father to thought" Some plausl-
bic theory Of Justification will be sought
Tor by those who love wine and wish 10
use II. II may be well TO learn what are
the lacls Of the case. II individuals or
nations have been saved from drunken
ness by the use Of wine, we have failed
10 get reliable accounts. Let US take
some testimony, beginning in the "Far
East" In the region where "Noah planted
u vineyard" "drank Of the wine aud was
drunken" The Interior, some time since,
had an article on "The Wine Question in
Bible Lands" from Rev. ]. Il. Shedd,
lately q missionary in Persia. lie writes:
Our experience gives no comfort TO
those friends OF temperance, who think
they find in On abundance Of pure md
cheap wine, remedy for in!emperance.
Where wine flows around US almost, as
cheap and abundant as water, where the
varieties arc very light, II any In the
world are harmless, they are; still the fact
remains that besstly intemperance Is the
6esetting sin OF the people. Many acquire
the passion Tor stlmulants, and pass from
wine to Grrdcs, a rum distilled from
raisins. Among the nominal Christians
OF Persia and many other parts OF the
East, the worst destroyer of The soul and
obstacle to the gospel is wine and the at
tendant intemperauce."
We have like statements from Europe,
not written by persons interested in the
wine trade, or who had taken hRsty trip
over the continent. Dr.. N. G. Burt, re-
putably known as author and teacher, Of. |
ter residing Tor years in different parts Of
Europe, thus wrote 10 the New York
Evangelist from Switzerland: II am liy.
ing here in the midst Of wine.growipp
region. Do you ask whether there Is
drunkenness among the people? l an
swer, there is, and the amount Of It has
surprised me. In times Of general quiet |
ness one meets intoxicated people on city |
streets and country roads." "When the |
people arc called together, as on elections,
there is hardly limit 10 the drinking or
drunkenness" "Wine docs not lose its |
fascination from being cheap and COM
mon." he refers 10 the claim that the in
production OF pure and native wines in |
this country would abAte the evil Of in |
temperance by its superseding the use Of
distilled and poisonous liquors." and
writes, thus much, ut least, may be al |
hrmed, that here in Switzerland, and still |
more In Germany, and most OF all in |
France, and portions oil Italy-the wine
growing regions par excellence-the use
OF distilled liquors has become fearlully
prevalent and excessive. AbSinthe Is the
iavorite beverage Of the French, as Yer
mouth is Of the Italians, and RirSchmdSser
Of many Swiss people and Germaus."a
At the "Cafes in Nice, scarcely ever
observed bottle OF wine, but only such
Distilled denominations as those we have |
just mentioned, some OF which are said to |
DO as deadly Rs our chain shot and strych.
nine whisky" No.
The experiment has been tried in our
own land with, like results. Abundant
testimony has been given from the wine.
growing regions Of the United States,
showing that abundant wine aggravates
than diminishes the evil oil intem perance.
Christian men have entered upon the cul.
ture of vineyards, hoping to aid the cause
OF temperance by supplying plenty Of
good wine, but have seen with dlsnay
their children and employees trained BY
this influence into drunkenness. A rel
cent traveller through California reports
that ministers and Christian people are
appalled, at tho Increase Of drunkenness,
aud look upon their cheap wines as
charged with degradation for that fair
land. The above statements 90 10 show
that in Asia, Europe and America, wine
drinking leads to drunkenness, and docs
not even give milder form Of the sin.
Unless there is another side to this ques-
tion, VIC must look in vain to wine and
beer" for the solution Of the temperance
problem. -