The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-09-02

Woman's Christian Temperance Unior
in its efforts in behalf Of total absti
nence IL condemned as beresy, and Al
contrary to teachings ofthe Bible; a. in
consis:ant with the truths Of christian
ity and in direct conflict with the ex,
ample and teachings of our blessed
Savior. lie puts the proposition sub
stantially as follows: The Bible com
mands the use Of wine, therefore, 10 do
right, wine must be used, but temper
ately; IL is n wrong and sin not to use
il, and total abstinence itself is a vice
not inferior in magnitude 10 drunken
ness. Those who advocate total absti
nence as right OF as christian princi
pie. in Mr.. Stevens opinion, attempt 70
add something To Gods Holy Book,
and he reminds them that God will add
unto them the plaques that are written
in His book.
These utterances Of Mr. Stevens, sre
worthy of careful consideration, because
they appear 70 be made ia all sincerity
by one whose moral conduct appears TO
be without blemiAh, and who Is an ac-
knowlsdged and professed teacher Of
the great christian truths Of the Bible.
We're IL otherwise they would have
but little weight or influence.
Moral philosophers aud blbIisaI
teachers agree that AlI voluntary hu-
man action IL either right or wrong;
that there Is, and can be, no middle or
neutral ground between right and
wrong; that every voluntary human
action that is not wrong must be Of
necessity be right, and every voluntary
human action that is not right mus. be
Ct necessity be wrong. This truth, &C.
knowledged by the wisdom Of ages,
commends itself TO the reason and
judgment Of every thoughtful mind.
ls total abstinence wrongl II not,
1t must Of necessity be right, and il
right, Il is christian duty. II il is
wrong, il would be natural for us to
expect 20 6nd. il prohibited somewhere
Ia the Bible, the code Of religious and
moral law. Law il defined 70 be "a
rule Of action commanding what is
right and prOhibiting Whist is wrong"
The Bible Is Gods lawand Christ's law.
Can We find in the Bible total absti-
nsnee prohibited God Is not silent
upon this suhjec.- In the 10th Chap
Ter Of Lsvitieus Is the following, f'the
Lord spoke unto Aaron, saying, Do not
drink wine or stroeg drink, thou nor
thy sons with thee, ehen 700 60 into
the tabernacle of the congregation,
lest ye die; it shall BE- statute forever
throughout your generation, and that
ye may put difference between holy
and unhbly, and between uncleAn and
clean" This appears TO Le a direct
and positive command by God to Aaron
and his sons, his chosen priests, 20, alb
stain from wine and strong drink. es-
pecially when engaged in the worship
Of God. Again in the 18th chapter Of
Judges il is said Of the wife Of Manoah
the DANTE, when she had great and
sacred duty TO perform, the angel of
the Lord appeared unto the woman
and said: "now, therefore, beware |
pray thee, drink not wine nor strong
drink, and eat not any nncleAn thing"
Then as 70 the effect Of winr-in the
2Sth chapter Of Isaiah, the prophet
says, "the priest and the prophet have
erred through strong drink, they are
swallowed up Of wine, they are out of
the way through strong drink, they
stumble in Judgment" Again, in the
Goth chapter of Proverbs it is said,
"Wine is mocker, strong drink is
raging; and whosoever is deceived
thereby is not WISE" In the 23rd
chapter Of the same book it is said
"wko hath woel Who hath sorrowf
Who hath contentions9 Who hath
habblings, who hath wounds without
cause9 Who hath redness Of eyesl
They that tarry long at the wine; they
that go to SEQ mixed wine. Look not
then upon the wine when it is red,
when it giveth its color in the cup,
when it moveth itself Alright. At the
last it biteth like serpent and sting.
eth like an adder" Wine is here rep
resented in its action like the serpent
who beguiled our first parents and
caused them to fall from their first es
tate and "brought sin into the world
with all our woes" Also in the Slst
chapter Of Proverbs it is said. 1T i.
not for kings, o Lemuel, it is not fol
kings to drink vine, nor for princes
strong drink; lest they drink aud forge'
tho law and pervert the Judgment Of
the afflicted" The foregoing passages
Indicate in part in what estimation th'
use Of wine was held by the inspire,
writers. The priests Of God were for
hidden TO use it lest they becom
drunken and peryert the law Of God
Kings and princes are prohibited from
using it lest they forget the law an'