Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-11

Inc Moderate and InamOderafe Tao oT
Liquors Discussed from a sert,tur.
7 Al and Moral sfand-POHnt-Tbe Dutx
OF Men and Women I'm the Premises
Protest Of Reing "Put TO shame
Before the CiviIised world as a
redistribution and Woman-Ridden
, People,
large number Of people listened to an ESSAY
on the temperance question, as now agitated by
American women, by Rabbi Isaac NJ. Wise. in
cincinnati on the evening of the 5th inst. DR..
Wise said:
Is II morally wrong to take a glass Of beer.
wine or champagne at dinner, or at any other
time? or IS it hypocrisy for hypocrisy's sake that
persons using such beverage do it secretly as
long as they can hide the faet2 Let US see first
what might be called morally wrong.
Morally wrong is that which the intelligence
oy common consent calls 50; or, as our religious
friends maintain, which the Bible characterizes
as such.
All nations Of antiquity used wine or strong
drink, as they called it in Hebrew, as a beyer-
age, and as ingredients Of the sacrifices. Among
modern nations, the 5Iohammedans only make
an exception They drink no wine and eat no
pork We have no statistics to prove that this
mas made them any better, purer or wiser than
Christians or Jews. They use other stimulants
and in another form, some Of which are Of an
unchaste and destructive nature, such a. opium
and pOlygamy. There is no difference in taking
the stimulants in this or that FORM the effect be-
ing precisely the same.
| Outside OF the Islamites, however, the use o.
wine or strong drink as beverage is common
among al classes of society, excepting, of course
honest and upright temperance people in our
country and in England who are rather scarce.
| as were the Nazarites and Raehabites among the
ancient Hebrews.
] Wei then, intelligence by common consent |
does GOt declare the use Of such beverages as
being immoral; hence it is as moral as eating
choice food, sleeping on costly cOuches, prom
| enading, or seeking amusement and pleasure in
any legitimate form.
What does the Bible sayOn the subject? Moses
certainly had no idea of prohibiting the use of
wine or strong drink; for he says to the priest
(Levit. \, 81 Swine and strong drink thou shalt
not drink, thou and thy sons with thee, when We
come into the tabernacle of the congregation. ,,
etc, or wherever and whenever acting in An eff !
fetal capacity; but outside thereof no such pro-
hibitiOn exists in the laws OF Moses, for either
priest or people; and Moses was very strict in
dietary laws Whatever was sacrificed upon the
altar, Ike salt, four oil, pigeons, doves, turtle
doves, sheep, goats and eattle-was also intend
ed as most desirable articles for common con-
sumption. With the exception of the feast of
booths, wine was one of the Ingredients of the
sacrifices, and included also in the tithes given
to the priest So it was considered one of the
neeessaries Of life. The law concerning the
Nazarite is an exception for the sake of gloomy
aseeties, in which the Orient abounded.
Whatever Moses did not prohibit, the Prophets
did not Isaiah, upbraiding the weakness Of his
people, says, THY wine is adulterated with |
WATER and the Psalmist sings, ''And wine glad
dens the heart of man." Rachabites are praised 4
by Jeremiah for their obedience to their fathers
teachings, without any Recommendation what
ever of their custom. The ancient Hebrews
called the public banquet miskteA ga drinking
They opened and closed every meal
on Sabbath or holiday with wine, closed the
Sabbath with wine, as is the case this dav !
among the orthodox Jews, who must have wine
to perform their religious duties well. Moses and
the Talmud are not opposed TO the use of wine
or strong drink. The jew might consider it SUI
perduous to be more orthodox than Moses, the
prophets or the rabbis of old.
1 did not succeed in finding in the New Tesla
mems that anything ''going into the mouth" is
sinful. Jesus and his disciples did drink wine,
that is certain, also at the Last Supper; so did
the primitive Christians, as Paul says, and so
iOes the Church TO date. There is not passage
n the New Testament which prohibits the use Z
If wine or strong drink as a beverage, and it is
iifcult for Christians of the nineteenth century =
% be more orthodox than Jesus and his apostles. ,
Therefore it must be admitted that intelligence |
by common consent and the Bible of both Jews
md Christians do not consider il a moral wrong: |
hence it is not, to wine or strong drink as a :
beverage. This admitted, it follows that YOU
AVE no right to tell this or that man, Il NAV, :
'ut you shall not take glass OF wine; it is moral
or me, but immoral for you, unless you argue :,
rom the principle OF economy, which makes no =
moral wrong OF the thing itself.
Let US examine for a moment into the argu-
lent Of economy. IL is maintained that the =,
rOducts Of nature and industry are for the sus- =
snance and comfort OF all. Ii one uses and
tastes 80 much more than his just share as a y"
erson. another must be deprived OF his. e.,
rOvided there is no more than exactly enough
rall. Therefore, to waste Gods gifts, they say,
indirect theft. The materials changed into
,rmented beverages are wasted, turned TO use =
IS purposes.
II is not established in my mind that this
opposition viii be Endorsed by modern practi-
ans of medicine, who STIMULATE patients to -
licken the functions Of the organism. 1t is not =
ecided in physiology and dietetics thatthc alco- =
bic ingredients in mans food are superfuous. ~,
or is it satisfactorily established that men, -
no must perform a certain amount of labor in ,
given time under exhaustive circumstances,
IN do without stimulants and in justice to their
ealth and vigOr But these being strictly sci =
ltihc questions, can not discuss them here.
e know that many a gem OF poetry and song
YES its existence to a smile of beauty Cr an AZ -
ctionate glance from bright eyes. We also -.
now that many others and no less charming
sauties Of poetry or music owe their existence
cup of old wine We know, furthermore,
at talent and genius sleep on the calm mirror -
Imagination; they rise and flash forth their in
tie fire by the undulatiOns OF the phantasy, as -
e ocean shows its silvery hue by high towering -,
ayes Genius and happiness delight in unda- =,
ted imagination. But this is a psychological .-'
lestion TO which ! cannot do justice here. We -,
low that nine-tenths Of all human beings use -,
mulants ia this or that form, hence, if com =
on usage proves anything, it cannot be called !,
periiuOus or a waste of material Still we will
t insist upon this disputed point. Fer argu- ~
ent's sake, let Us admit it is one Of the many -
rms Of waste common to civilized society, and -.
consider the point. =
Now viii say nothing about our good ladies' 81,
nnets, flowers, feathers, braids, curls, and | -,
tterfiies; not word about laces. ribbons, vel a..
Is silks scarfs sashes, tassels fringes, chate c.
mes, fans and parasOls; not mention of neck ii
;es, bracelets, earrings, fnger-rings, breast Ier
rs, hair-pms, card-cases and portmOnnaies, r.
aims, watches. lOckets and charms; not whis- -,
r about cuffs, wells, paniers or fiOunces; -
,mOnds, garnets, carbuneles, emeralds, sap a,d
Tres smethysts, ambers, rubics, Opals, pearls, lbs
glass beads; for really think, IL it was not 81,
the beautiful variety Of wOman's dress, in con
lpes, eolOrs and textures, these streets and mn,
uses would look as prOssic and mOnOtOnous as deC
GAL mine. Speaking of waste, am going tba,
rely to make on the gentlemen's buttons. o-
eTy one wears at least one dozen of buttons on ism
eo4t, when actually, in summer, he needs lsnC
ne and in winter four viii DO him. This waste W o
buttons costs the country no less than five that
lion dollars year, which is clearly wasted. mis-
{ is true the land producing wine, or corn, 10
ley and hops, used in making fImented taIft
lors, might serve better purposes; so might N