The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-08-26

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him to do IT, and make him submit TO
u jury tri,I and judges decision. Are
such divorce Lsws therefore contrary
ITO the example and teachings of
ohiist y Jesus said 20 the person gull.
~ Of adultery, 'Go and sin no more.
We send such Il pcfsont to States prison.
Arc our laws furnishing adultery there
fore contrary to Christianity Jesus
admitted no woman to the last supper.
Wn admit them. Does this "deny
him the right OF being the most perfect
manl'
TO mike such claims would certainly
be absurd, but no more 40 than to
plead the example Of Christ in favor Of
wine as n beverage. In the article re-
ferrol TO, appeal is also made TO the
Scriptures IN favor OF wine tippling
"God nowhere commanded inea To ab-
stain from wine, but Ilc does command
the temperate use oft" God command.
ed circumcision. He nowhere forbids IL.
Does Mr.. Stevens insist on that on the
same principle Polygamy was formerly
common. God nowhere positively for
bids it,. Many think that the Scrip
lures teach il. ls the Christian free
man" to have liberty TO indulge him
selfin thisl Why cuit tail his liberty and
make him slave, because others
'abus5" this privileged Again: "rotal
abstinence is nowhere taught or com
manded IN tho Scriptures. What
then does Christ mean when he says,
eff Thy hand or thy foot offend thee,
cut them OIL and east them from thee"
''lf thine eye offend thee pluck il out
and cast il from thee" What is this
but thc most rigid total abstinence
the deayiaJ Ourselves and tie putting
airay OF everything dangerous 70 our
selves or otheni "But ii Thy brother
be grcivcd With thy meat (wine), now
walkcd not thou eharitaLIy; Destroy
not him with thy meat (wine) for
whom Christ died. q Cor. 80 } What
* nll this but total abstinence 10y Chris-
tians from what may be dangerous 70
others. for he sake of others, even
waen they themselves are not ia dan
getl
We're il not for the sad consequences,
il would b. amusing TO sec how readily
men turn 10 the Bible Tor authority
aud license in everything that adds TO
tier gains aud satisfies their lus'.
Tynnny, slavery, polysamy, drunken.
ness and many other sins, have all
been advocated from Bible stand point.
10 much has been said and written
10y the beat Of scholars in regard 20
y hat the Bible teaches on this question
Of wine, that il would be folly for uS 10
attempt to dc,ide IL. Suffice il here TO
say that many OF the first scholars Of
the land teach us that wherever the Bi.
bio commends wine, il is unfrrmentcd
wine. However this may be, the Bible
Is certainly terribly severe in it's COT.
domination OF every article and prac.
tice that leads men 10 drunkenness.
"Winc il a mocker, strong drink is rag
ing" "Who hath woel who hath sor-
rcwl They that tArry long at the wine.
Look not thou upon the wins when IL
is red At the last IL bitch like seI-
pcnt and stingetl like an adder" PROV.
90.I, 23:29 81 Woe unto him that
igivo:b i,.s neighbor drink" Hab. 2:l5.
This Is certainly very far from on
courAgins wine tipping.
Lat wc ars told that Drunkenness i.
moral defect, and when the means
for gratifying tho thirst for liquor are
Withdrawn, the moral defect is not cur.
ed but will break out in some other
way" From the connection, suppose
this is meant to be- understood, that all
means TO restrain or prevent men from
drunkenness by enforcing total absti.
nence, or by prohibition, are vain, be-
cause, il prevented from exercise in
this direction, the moral defect will
break out in something else. Why not
then apply this rule to al moral defects.
suppose that the inclination TO steal
Is MS really moral defect land more
sol, as the thirst for liquor. Now If
man is disposed to steal, why let him
steal. 1t you RESTRAIN or prevent him,
the moral defect will break out in some
other way, and you will have as much
crime, as though he was permitted to
steal freely. The disposition 20 take
the life Of another is as really moral
defect, as drunkenness. Ii a man is
disposed to kill another, why prohibit,
or remove the means ofdoing il out of
bis way I Ifyou prevent it, the moral
defect will break out in some other
way, and there will &c nothing gained.
This is certainly new and novel logic.
For it's consequences ! must leave its
author to be responsible
That drunkenness Is immortality,
Is true. But IL Is more than that.
II is also terrible physical derange-
ment And In this lies the great
danger OF the system of "Christian
temperance" that Mr.. Stevens advo-
Gates. There are thousands of men
who could tel him OF an appetite crc-
ated, strengthened, and fed-by the
temperate use" of liquor, until IL
has unnamed AMI e,,SLtvel them.
He never saw o poor drunkard in
his life, who had not gone down to
his degradation through this very
system OF Christian temperance for
which ne pleads. There are to-day
100000 drunkards In the U. s.
Not one Of ihem came from the ranks
OF those who pratico total abstinence.
Ercry man OF them went down to his
dishonor and ruin by going through
this stage OF "Chrlstian temperance. /"
Not one of them intended when In
the "1emperance use" of liquor ever
to become a drunkard: These Jcscts
uloae arc sufficient ans,oer 10 Hr.
.Steccn'a entire article.