The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-09-02
lone 80, total abstinence is wrong it

minority OF temperate men anu Women
Might IL not with as much reason and
argument be said that because Ged per-
mits evil aud sin in the wors5 when he
has the power to prohibit It that It Is
not right to resist sin or preach against
wickedness because the power Of God
is sufficient TO destroy it in moment
If he would use il. The Woman;s
Christian Temperance Union propose
to agitate and keep this matter before
the public until msjority Of the peo-
pie through their representatives, shall
pass law for the benefit Of themselves
as well as the minority prohibiting the
aale or use ofintoxicating liquors as a
beverage. To pass such law Me
Stevens says is to make "sIayes@ Of the
temperate that th Law would be an
evil, and be rejoices that @at present
we have liberty" because such law
has not been passed. Who rejoices
with him : Every rum seller, every
saloon keeper, every lover Of wine and
strong drink, those that tarry long at
the wine, those that have babbIinfs
and contentious and wounds without
cause, "tbose that rise up early in the
morning that they may follow strong
drink, that continue until night tlII
wine infames them = those that make
merchandise Of the souls of men by
dealing out unto them poison in the
form Of wine and strong drink each
and all Of them rejoice In this sspresfnt
liberty" aid freedom, and doubt Lot
that the prince Of evil himself joins n
this chorus of rejoieings and laughs in
6endish gIee over the victims Of the
wine cup, and whispers in their ears
that they must not deprive themselves
Of liberty. Again Mr.. Stevens says,
sThe Pharisees called Him a gIutton-
GUS man and wine bibber, friend tf
publicans and sinners Hence to ad-
vocase total abstinence as a christian
principal, is to deny the Savior the
honor Of being the most perfect man
that lived, and condemn His example
as did the Pharisees." This argument
assumes that the Pharisees spoke the
truth that the Savior was q glut-
tan, wine bibber, and a fisnd Of
Publicans and sinners a friend to
them, not in spirsra. sense, but in
worldly and temporal one. Does Mr..
Stevens say that the Savior was
gluten The Pharisees said 50 and
condemned him for it they ALTO said
he was q wine bibber AMI condemned
him for il As bad as they were they
knew that drinking wine was wrong,
but Mr.. Stevens says in effect by his
argument" it Is true the Savior was q
glutton he was a wine bibber he
was the friend and associate and CON-
panion of publicans and sinners. but
we must not condemn these things
like the Pharisees, not because those
things are right, but because. We would
thereby .'deny the Savior the honor Of
being the most perfect man that lived
The Pharisees knew that those things
of which they accused the Savior were
wicked, sinfai and wrong, and they
doubtless know those charges were
false, and they made them for the sole
purpose of casting reprOach upon His
pure life and holy teachings.
Again. Mr.. Stevens says, "adultely,
self-abuse and gluttony are just as
crying evils as intempeance," but the
Pharisees said the Savior was a glut-
tonous man, and condemn him for it,
and if you condemn gluttony IS an
evil, do you not deny the teachings sf
scripture Do you not deny tie
Savior the honor of being the most
perfect man that lived
Il is taught in the Bible that "tLe
tree is known by his fruit" ga good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit. Wherefore by these fruits
We shall know them."
What arc the fruits OF total abstin-
ence as compared with moderate or
temperate drinkingi Total abstinence
gives health: vigor, peace, JOY, industry,
the clear brain, the powerful intellect.
happiness and comfort to thousands Of
families and homes made wrctched and
miserable by the use of wine
What are the fruits Of temperate
drinking : drunkenness, wretchedness,
squallor, filth, disease, licentiousness,
pauperism. ignorance, insanity and
death. There never was a arunkard
but what was tempted to becsme such
by moderate or temperate drinking,
hence I say all the evils Of intemper-
ance are justly attributed to the use Of
wine. When next you look upon the
wine remember the scripsnraI injunc-
ton, slook not upon the VINE when
it is red" and repeSt that portion Of
the Lords prayer which reads .'lead rs
not into temptation. bnt deliver US
from evil"