Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-06-04

sLiIPli. FslD,l E'ENI,G, I'M I. ING
- Iteeder unto Cesar.


" Reeder unto Cesar.
Rev asorge ]. Low. rector 81 a. y"
t.r's nfork,ill. ontario. ina recent SOL
nn.n. wftSr saving that not ouly our
LORD Jesus Christ. hut the ~bule Word 81
sod. frss,n lesiuning to- "pd. u,unieHsuc"-
end mhhrs provision for the driuking ~
intox icatina liquor that th"f"i"t"
either the consumption IT such l''turi -
I.~ful sod right ~ the WoTi of 'od -
~tuns, aud amer di-po-ing ~ the risin
soinctimes made that iNo Kinds 80
~iis are mentioned Ia tho Bible. ~" rev
sr.nd gentleman continued thus " The
third answer l., this dilemma - that of
the inn.i.l pFuhibltioni.ts AID their -
I,iv b. IL 10 true that the Inhl. allows ia"
use of iotas icsni- aud 80 much the worse
Toe the bihl. Well, this suzwsT has the
merit. 81 all events 81 heinR siraishti-r
wssd AMI loxie.l Hut YOU see Ia what u
hear ~ insidel rrob.bitionis's. yet there
~. serv many IL them ~ III. nitsd
States. They nav" very extensive liter
stnre ~ their o~n new sllaIrIs, novels.
etc all inruioating total sh-tinsnce aud
stheis,n. isisf.
The above 10 quoted IN no un
friendly spirit TO the rsformA,ory
lsbors Of some very good people who
bsloug 10 church organizations. but
10 corrsel the impression. conveyed
BY those who doubtless inpoceDtly
err. that total abstinence IN essen.
TALLY . Christian virtue. To assume
that sueh 10 the case would be 10
condemn the teachings. by negation
nj least - we'll ~ 10y individual ex-
ample, Of nine .tebihs the clergy and
laymen u twenty years ago. The
Bible did not condemn the use OF
wine. and the discovery seems TO he
Of very modern date that the inter
distion Of drunkenness. as OF glut
tony and other excesses. 10 Of divine
origin. In fact. 10 go back two de-
cadss further. We find that the use
Of corn juice. 40 we'll ~ the blood
Of the grape" was almost universal,
and nobody had any difficulty in re-
conciling the advice Of ~. Paul to
"tahs . little wine for thine sion.
ach's sake. with the many other ex.
csllsnt psecsp,s apparently sane
toned by the Inspired Word. II
seems. unfair. therefore, that re-
form which has become popular de
spite the indifference Of those who
worship the Great Author by creed.
should now DO adopted ~ Q tene,
bsssd upon precisely the grounds
which formerly meant something
else totally different or we're mean
inglsss. whom considered as n guide
Of Christian duty.
We ssithsr condemn nor excuse
the in6dsl. He 10 no more respon-
sihls for his belief than nins.tsnths
~ Christians are for their rsligion.
The humsn mind In formed and
swaysd by impressions. A child
reared In . Christian family. with ne
countsrsoting influences. will dsvel.
op into Q church. member Of the pre-
ciss cxped Of the parents. while one
born IN China will worship Joss. and
another in tho South SEA Islands
will ,sy homage 20 other forms OF
idolatry. Religion IN u matter Of
condition aud circumstance, and a
sense Of justice would seem to hold
the iodividusl responsible only 10
far 40 u develops into matter Of
conscience. Frir-minded Christians
will surely not dispute tho PROPOSE.
ton that IL would " q co,aneudable
choice Of evils 10 avow tho rsnkest
iandslisy with an approving con.
science. than 10 profess Christianity
without The slightest answering i'm.
pulse Of the heart. Hypocrisy IL no,
only dishonest. II makes u mocksry
os sacrsd things. aud brings a creed
o. cause into unmerited disrepute.
That the churches arc now on
listed In the great temperance no.
form 10 matter Of copgratulaiion 10
thoss whose unaided prayers have
bssu ascending for centuries for the
salvation Of those who had become
snslsvsd by the foil destroyer. No.
body will object 10 their working in
their own way for results within
their own organization; but when
their efforts occupy wider field.
snd msttsss are presented ~ polisi.
col problems In . public hall. care
must 10 taken 10 discuss the subject
wish fairness and caudor, or the 70.
suit win be 10 hinder rather than to
advance ths cause OF sobristy and
good morals.
A.ls - -
Tne Waahinatou correspondent OF