Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-06-12
VINE.

As the time is fast approaching when
some of our sisters may engage in pre-
pairing this beverage, as some call it, |
wish them to stop and think; read what
the Bible says of it. The Bible should
be the acknowledged guide in all things.
The use Of wine is Of very ancient origin
we admit. Some of the ancients say
wine was in use before the food, but we
have no account of fAbel's making an Of
fering of it to the Lord. In Genesis 8:
q we have ''And he Noah drank wine
and was drunken; in Lev, 1919 it was
forbidden the Priests during all the
time they were in the tabernacle and
employed in the service of the Altar.
In numbers 6:3 this liquor was forbidden
to the Nazarenes. Prov. 2329-30 says:
Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow?
Who hath contentious? Who hath
babblings? Who hath wounds without
cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they
that go to seek mixed wine; 81 says
look not upon the wine when it is red,
when it giveth his color in the cup; 81,
At last it biteth like a serpent and
stingeth like an adder Wine is a mock
er; strong drink is raging; Joel says
weep and howl all We drunken of wine
Mach, 2:11; | will prophecy of wine
Heb, %; Yea, because he transgresseth
by wine-Dan, 81; Belshazzar feast,
drinking wine and the handwriting ap-
peared on the wall. Wine was not un-
common (like many other sins commit
ted), in the old Testament days, but you
see from these passages what harm comes
of it. In the new Testament the word
wine appears 16 times In Matthew 8:
II it is used three times, Mark 1923
once, Luke 7:33 once, John 2:3 twice,
9th once, 10th twice; Eph., 5:18, Tim,
3:3, Titus 1:7-2:35, Peter 4:3, Rev., 16:
19-17:2-18:3. Is there anything in all
this to recommend its use?
My friends, does not wine come under
the list of intoxicating drinks? And in
this day of Prohibition is it possible that
the ladies are engaged in making it and
giving receipts for making it to others
for family use? Oh my sisters, beware
of home influences, there many troubles
begin. How many topers are there to
day who first learned to love it in their
social circle A glass of wine, cordial
or champaign from the hand of fair
ones in an unguarded moment The
writer of this knew of an instance where
the Temperance pledge was being taken
by most young people of both sexes in
neighborhood a sister objects to her
brother joining because he then could
not take wine in his sauce at desert.
That sister is now gone but her works
follows her, her brother is to-day a
drunkard, one of whom there is little
hope of reforming. Who can say but
the use of wine in this unsuspecting
way gave the first desire, craving for
what he now cannot resist Oh sisters
Touch not, taste not handle not the ac-
cursed thing, should be our watch word.
| will not try to give any argument not
used almost every day by Prohibition
lists against intoxicating drinks, but
here is where | wish to admonish my
dear sisters of their danger, who think
wine does not come under this head
that is harmless. See what the scrip
lures say of wine in early days, and is
it less harmless now? / fear not. What
encourage the love of wine? 1t makes
me shudder to think how unsuspecting
my sisters are acting | would not
think of making or keeping wine in my
house for family use than would keep
a known viper there. Why do you
drink it? For It's its tastes or effects, and
will not this upon usage take more or
something stronger to satisfy? My sis
ters, friends, think of all this and save
lifetime regret
Yours in bonds of love,
9 NJ WrrYn.r-rr