The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-08-26
ooRREspoN DHNoE.
4Ise TsmprnAScE arssrlas
4 Esel,ls % I.e.. y. ). stevens.
E.iitoys res.ocrni

E,fifors f'cmocrn
In your ISSUE Of Ang. 10Th, lad
an article from the Rev Mr. steAns,
Of this city, condemnatory q total ab.
stinence, and opposed 10 tAe work Of
"1'be Womeh's Christian Temperance
Union. IT | understand hia Language
ho asserts. in substance, that total alb
siinenca IL anti.Christian that tAose
who are laboring TO Danish Intoxicating
liquors from society; and 40 TO save
mon from tho temptation aud danger
OF drunkenness, ara really opposing
Christian principles lie says," When
total ehstincnce is tuaght ~ Christian
temperance. Our Christian doctrine IL
misrepreaentel." In speaking of The
teechings aud example Of Christ, he
says, "The teaching OF total abstinence
ia expressly forbidden" by them
We're these views statements pre-.
sented by my friend merely as his per.
sonat opinion, they might pass unno.
noticed. But they are thrust forward
in tho name of Christianity, and those
differing from them are charged with
"ignoring the teachings Of Scripture
and trying 10 reform the world by llu-
man means
The article carries tho appearance ef
an honest and candid statement of opinv
ion, and * therefore entitled to respect
ful notice. Vet, it ia doubtless true
that ninety, If not hineiy.ni in ev-
cry hundred Christian men, would Ut
,e- an earnest protest agaiost IL.
In the views presented IL seems to
mo that Mr. Stephens las entirely
missed the spirit aud purpose of Chris
tiauity. He argues against total ab.
stiutnce and prolilitorv laws, hecausc
il interfeles with The u rty of Chris
tian s'f, cemcn." 10 he compelled to
abstain frs IN wine by lnw 10 TO make
those men tho have always uHed this
gift ar;gh', savcs. nn c o. II. e those
who have abused 4 . Tint is 70 ray
tha. Christian men ARE ~ lii,erty 90
nae wine l.S n beverage. oi cpnrse, fpr
It's ,ise religiously. OF as medicine Is
not in question: so long AS they can do
SO in safety to themselves, regardless
OF others. ~ their example Others
may be- teinl,l4'd and lei on % drunk.
enness and iuin. The wives Of others
may weep and their children siarve.
Others homes may be dcsolated, but
all this Is nothing to the Christian
freeman" 20 long as Il. caa indulge
himself with his wine, and s'iil save
kimselt' from drunkenness
IL this, then. The best that out boast
ed Chris.iau;ly can do to guard the
tenn ,,ied. strengthen the weak and
help the fallen j. there no obligation
OF self-denial for tho sake OF others,
even though they Themselves are not in
danger "Look not every inan on has
own thirgs. bat every man a.. o n the
things of others" Phil. 24j. 1T is
good neither to eat 1esh, nor 10 drink
wine, nor anything Whereby thy broth
er .tambleth, or Il offended. os is made
wruk (Ro. liiD. ave tl.oa that are
strong Ought 70 bear tho iufrmitics Of
the weak. aud not 10 ple.--o o'iiseiyeg.
ITO. lill. Ny friend may call All
this epharisaie self righteousness bat
IL seems 10 me to be the very essence
Of the spirit of Christ. We arc taught
10 'bear ono anotheis burdens and 80
fulfill the lew OF Christ (Gal. 6:2l.
THESE are doubtless the principles
that should control Chria:'an free
men, for they are tho plain teachings
Of the gospel. In view of them what
becomes of the claims Of Christian
''freemen" to usc vino as beverage,
while others arc endangered iy their
example
To substantiate his position, Mr..
Stevens appeals 10 the teachings and
example Of Christ. ''Thc pattern of
life for every Cir'aian is Ci.rst, and
not John the Baptisf. John the Bap-
tist did not drink vino. Oar Savior
did" Where il there any evidence
tha. our Savior ever tastei winel True
hi, enemies called him n 'gInttsn and
wine hibber." Bnt man is not al.
ways what his malicious enemies rep.
resent him 10 be. Who believes that
our Savior was glutton Bnt there is
as much evidence Of that, as that he
used Eine. except for sacramental pur-
poses. And it is not ceriain that he
used it evon there. Tie record ia,
"And be took the cnpand gavethanks.
Wine Is not mentioned farther than
what may be inferred from his Ian
euage, when he s'tys, 81 will not hence
forth drink of this fruit of the vino un-
I'll hat day when | drink il new with
you in my Fathers kingdom" This
fruit Of the vine might have been
very different article from the wines Of
our day. Christ's character and mis-
sion, and tho nature Of tlas last supper
all forbid the idea that be was there
With BOTTLE Cf Intoxicating wine,
We are cited To his miracle at Cana.
But that proves nothing as to the nature
of the wine that he made, and on that
everything depends. 1t il only, then,
by inference that the Savior can be
made to use vino at all, and especially
AZ a beverage. 1t seems to me that
before the Redeemcr of men is made
the pattern and advocate of practices
and influences that are running men by
there ought to be something
moro than mere presumption on which
such claim can rest. But for the
sake Of the argument suppose that
Christ did use wine, both at the supper
and at other times. 1t still remains
true that the age and circumstances in
which he lived were vastly different
from ours. Tho wines of that day were
simple aud pure. The art
If aduterating and drugging was then
1ut little known. Drunkenness was
aok Iban ooy,on,o,, With 80 - =, -.