The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-09-30

"mehN pronounced uncsean by Llif
Levitical Law lie says, cit is goot
neither TO flesh, nor TO drink wine
nor anytling whereby thy brotheI
stumbleth, or IS offended, or mad.
weak" In Cor. s:13, be a.so says
"Wherefore. II meat make my brothei
10 offend, / will eat no flesh while III,
world standetb." The italics ar.
mine.) How differ this from conin
ing the principle to "meals pronounced
unclean by the Leyitical Law" Th,
Bishops prejudice against pledges Il
20 strong as TO prevent him from see
ing the iohoLe truth.
In commenting on Cor S:I3, the
Bishop makes about the cams pleas a
on Ro. 1921, and then upsets all h'
himself and all the rest lave said, b,
this singular admission. 40 If on
drinking wine be the cause Of sin I.
any, we ought to abstain from il
otherwise we are not Obliged to d.
So" That admission is fatal to all tb,
arguments that these authorities pre-
sent. For, AZ said before, the exam
ple of christian men using wine as
beverage vW lead others 70 drinking
and drunkenness. No one can doubt
this, who has carefully watched the
influences. at work in society. IT,
therefore, any account is 20 be made
Of the .facts and experiences Of life. these
very authorities are rather against the
position held by Mr.. Stevens, than in
its favor. He tells us In his last ar
ticle that he does mot go outside OF
the Scriptures for instruction on any
moral question" In sense, that Is
what every christian would say, but
IL may also be very misleading. 1t
may be understood to make no allow.
ance FOR charge Of conditions and cir
cumstances, and TO assume that what
ever the Bible commanded, commend.
ed, or taught in any age Of the past,
must be carried into all ages of the
future. In this sense We beg leave 70
differ with our brother. Thirty years
ago, the slave holder made the very
same plea in behalf Of American slav-
cry. To-day, the Mormon with his
bis dozen or twenty wives, makes
it in behalf Of polygamy. Does the
Bible make no allowance for aivuace
in the race, and for change Of condi-
tions and circumstances Is erery.
thing taught, commended or allowed
by the Bible 5000 years ago, to be
insisted now Why not, just as well
AS 70 insist on the use Of wine, as a
beverage : We are further told that
"the church is the only society in the
world that can effect a true reforma-
tion, and the only place where strength
IL furnished 10 resist temptation /
trust am not behind my brother in
INV regard for the Christian church.
Bat only few, comparatively, can be
brought into il. Arc Christians To do
nothing TO guard and help the multi
tuir Df tempted and weak who are
outs;.le Of the church 7 Shall We
rraae our Efforts 10 reform men in one
respect. because NC eau not reform
them in all things, and bring them in
20 the church CerLaila Il - that Jut
itfie refcrnlatioa can Be Dsa,ie n assy
direction until men are sarei (r0sa tILe
iHtfuaacc Of liquor. As We look out
uron society we are met by the APP
palling fact that Intoxicating drinks,
directly r indirectly, are the canse OF
the greater part of the crimes com
mitted, Of the poverty and pauperism
in existence, and of the insanity and
Indebtedness with which men are af-
hicted. These facts no one can rea-
sonable deny. II is idle to say that
''men need not become drunkards. ("
and that "they should have sense
enough 10 control themselves" The
fearful fact is, they arc drunkards,
and, worse yet. ten thousand others
are becoming drunkar,ls by this very
practice for which Mr.. Stevens pleads
Thousands are born with an Inherited
appetite for. liquor and tendency to
drunkenness. The smotherel flames
within them only need the taste of
liquor' TO kindle them into consum-
ing FIRE. and then they are unnamed
and wrecked. Now, while these things
are so-and We must take things as
they are--where is the need, or even
the propriety Of Christian men advo-
eating the practices and encouraging
the influences that thus drag men
down : Are they not perisking fast
enough without that : Are not our
lists of crime already sufficiently large !
Are not the inmates of our prisons
and asylums sufficiently numerous
Have We not Wretched homes, and
weeping and broken hearted wives
enough 7