The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-21
For the Democratic Press.
Alcohol and the Churches.

Now while the temperance move
ment is so agitating the State and Ma
tion, would it not be well for our
Christian Churches, which are the
principle movers in the temperance
Crusade. to make careful inspection
and see whether this moral cancer,
intemperance, whose roots seem al
ready to have twined themselves
about the vitals of the public. has not
pushed some Of the fibers toward the
heart of the Church. In entering up
on this work of purifying others,
should not the churches be sure that
they themselves are pure, and there-
fore fitted to perform so arduous a
duty?
There should be an " eternal fitness
of things" may be mistaken, but
it seems to me that the fumes of alco-
hoI are much more appropriate upon
the breath of a drunkard and in the
bar-room, than coming from the lips
of Christian in the house of God.
raise the question, then:
Is the use of fermentea wine by the
Churches for sacramental purposes,
consistent with strict temperance
principles and christian purity7
Ny humble opinion is, that it is not.
am aware that am attacking an old
time-honored practice, but old things
must pass away, and many, Gf not alp
things become new, and, thank God,
some of the churches, at least some of
the Congregational churches, have
abolished this practice as one incon-
sistent with christianity, and a great
stumbling block to the cause of tenn
perance. And is it not iaconsistant2 ?
What similitude is there between the
blood of Christ and an alcoholic
stimulant? Between that which re-
generates and makes morally pure
and the cup of poison that kills soul
and body? Between that which
cleanses from all sin and that which
causes three-fourths of our crimes?
If we wish to celebrate the murder
of Christ by his enemies, fermented
wine is appropriate, for it has caused
many murders; but, if we wish to
commemorate the death of Christ and
share in his great redeeming love, is
it consistent to use that which "biteth
like serpent and atingeth Ike an
adder" that which better symbolizes
beastliness and hate?
But some good christian says,
Christ teok up the cup and blessed it.
Granted, my dear brother in the
church. What do you suppose was
in that cup? A vile compound of
strychnine and whisky, &c, which we
moderns have been taught to call
wine? I think not. But further,
what evidence have you that the wine
spoken OF was fermented at all? In
short, is not the evidence all against
you? Is it in common sense or rea-
son to suppose that Christ would have
commanded his deciples to drink in
remembrance of him, of that cup
which instead of bringing them into
spiritual communion with him and
making them wiser and better men
would have associated Them with
devils and made them brutes or fiends.
This is inference, but we have a little
evidence afforded us by history. We
find that it was a custom among the
Romans and throughout the East, in
the days of Christ, to prepare most of
their wines by evaporating the unfer-
mented grape juice, until fermenta-
tion became impossible. The women
were forbidden the use of any other
wine. There is one thing more to
which I would like to call attention.
1t is a well known fact that inebri-
ates who have reformed ard overcome
the appetite for alcoholic stimulants
and have been temperance men for
even twenty or thirty years, will have
the appetite aroused and in its full
vigor by a single taste of anything
that contains alcohol. Suppose such
q man should become converted, join
the church, sit at your communion
table, there receive fresh fuel to the
fires of appetite and go
from the church Ito the saloon-to
drunkard's graVe-to He'll? Whose
would be the responsibility? Nor is
this supposition imaginary. More
than one such case has occurred, has
fallen under my notice, otherwise
might trifie with this subject as others
do. 1 have only this to add shall we
longer substitute for the Lords Sup
per feast of Bachus? Shall we lon
ger substitute for the cup of the Lord
the cup of devils?
OLD SoBRIETY.
The work of the Constitutional Con-
- IL