The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-10-26

Haddock's reason for asserting that such must
I have been the method of the miracle, for other
wise the wine would have had time to fcrment,"
is 1t not seen that this is a giving up of the whole
question? What kind of wine was that which
had been provided for the feast and the supply
oil whlch was exhausted How could II have
IL in order TO secure for the guests the perfect
unfermented juice of the grape 1t was necessary
that under the creating hand of Jesus the water
should be changed only as when about 10 be
drunken?
To claim that the beverage furnished by Jesus
at the marriage in Cana was that deadly thing"
fermented wine was regarded by Mr.. Haddock
much of "a pirate as of one who could take such
position. Honest as he was and Jealous in what
he thought to be Gods cause he was not more
so, and he was far less learned than, some for
whom he has expressed such scorn. Among
those as bad as a pirate IS the Rev. Hugh Mac
Milan, LII. d., F. X. 5. E., Scotch Presbyterian
divine, learned not only in Scripture. but also in
natural science. In his charming volume " The
marriage in Cana of Galilee," Macmillan writes:
AT Cana he lJesusl did not introduce some
heavenly beverage unknown to men, some drink
OF the angels-but simply produced the COM
wine which the guests had previously been drink
ing al the marriage feast, only of better quality.
what Kind of wine was itI The miracle took
place few days before the Passover, as st. John
tells US and this festival usually fell on the 3Oh
of March. The wine that was drunk at the feast
must, therefore, have been kept for six or seven
months from the previous vintage 1t must, in
consequence. have undergone the process of fer
nentation, for, without this, no organic juice
time. Fermentation is a natural process which
takes place in all watery solutions of vegetable
substances containing saccharine matters; and
bends entirely upon the growth Of a microscopic
fungus called the yeast-piant, which develops
win extreme rapidity into myriads OF minute
Cells or veslccs, and while doing resolves the
sugar in solution into alcohol and carbCnic acid
gas The spores or seeds, of this fungus exist in
! enormous quantities everywhere /; and no vege-
| table Juice can be exposed to the air for however
| snort time without receiving some of them
and II the temperature and other conditions
/ at
and multiply, thereby producing fermentation
and berating alcohol. Even in ripe grapes,
while they are hanging on the vine, this yeast
! fungus is often developed. causing vinous fer
mentation. 1t is impossible, therefore, TO pro-
dpce an infusion of grapes from which these
UBIQUITOUS germs are absent-unless the juice is
boiled and the vessel Theoretically sealed and,
even so tenacious are they of life. we can not be
sure That we have got rid of them, as Pasteurs re
cent researches aoundantly testify. And where
ever these germs are present, the process OF fer
mentatIon begins. and is carried on with greater
| or less rapidly, according to the TEN perature-
! In warm climate 1t goes on with extraordinary
vlgor. There Is no such thing, therefore, as un-
| Immediately squeezed out may be so called but
! II 1t is kept for few days under ordinary condi-
tions II inevitably undergoes the vinous fermen-
thton. The common Hebrew terms employed to
| designate different kinds Of wine indicates that
they possess Intoxicating qualities 7iyosh.
the word for new wine, is derived from a
| root That signifies to take possession Of
to go to the head-a meaning which obviously
| the wine in the Holy Land have frequently been
analysed by experts, but not one has been found
which did not contain from ten to nearly tweEty
per cent. OF alcohol, and these wines are identi-
cal with those used in ancient times, ahd are
made, according to the old methods. from the
pure Juice of the grape. All these considerations
prove beyond doubt that the wine of the feast
was termented wine, which would intoxcate If
drunk TO excess: And the wine which our Lord
producCd was OF the same kind, only of a supe-
ror quality. 1t was good wine as the governor
OF the feast testified when he tasted it; not a
| mere vegetable Infusion but possessing ali the
| q made ed
wine have no special theory to support being
aetuated only by sincere desire to ascertain the
truth IN the matter; and therefore a candid and
unbiased consideration of all the facts Involved
shuts me to this conclusion.
Ana see no reason why It should be unwel-
come 20 any one. cannot imagine why any one
should make the production by our Saviour of a
beverage which, II abused, would lead to intoxi-
cation, stumbling block which must be re-
moved out Of the way at all hazards, and by
means the most unwarranted. Is IL not in strict
harmony with what we see throughout creation ?
God might have made world free from ali
dangers and temptation, without poison, mar
coilcs and intoxicants-where nothing would be
injurious TO man. But in such a case the whole
! significance OF our earthly life would be changed
Ihere would be no exercise of human freedom
no opportunity of choice between good and evil
~ exercising caution, prudence, self restraint
| Ihere would be no testing of mans moral nature
ana therefore no cultivation of his highest char
acteristlc. He would be treated simply as a child
ana his actions would have no moral virtue But
| lie VINO planted the tree of knowledge Of good
and evil amid the unsullied beauties of Eden
has surrounded US in nature and in our daily life
win Things, which, u unwisey used will serious
| ~ lnJure us physically and morally in order to
| test our chatacter; to educate seIf-determining
| power; until ultimately our choice of what is
good. IN spite of solicitations To what Is harmful
! VIII become easy and even unconscious. Those
VINO object to our Saviour's production of n subj
stance which If improperly used, would lead to
| serious physical and moral consequences must
20 further, and object to the presence of all
other things in the world which may be abused
aud thus produce evil. Nay, the same objection
would need to be applied to the gospe litself-ior
| us doctrines, too, may be perverted to
righteousness, and the Grace of God NAV
be made the minister of sin. Such persons
forget mat 1t is not the existence of fermented
wine in the world that ia the objection but the
anuse OF II by men, There is no passage in the
Blole mat condemns such wine itself or the
manufacture OF it its condemnation is directed
rather AGAINST the excess and intoxication than
aEalnst the substance which is the occasion Of
the excess. Were the substance itself disapproy-
ed OF, 1T would not, under the Mosaic law have
formed the usual drink Offering that accompa-
MED The daily sacrifice and the presentation of The
first fruits. rithes would not have been enioin-
ed to be paid of 1t and consumed before
! the Lord in the temple; and promise
OF plenty would not have been attached to the
faithful payment of the pricsty dues in this as
| IN other articles. We should not certainly in
such case, have been invited to buy the bless
lhgs OF grace under the cmblems OF wine and
milk without mouey and without price.
! The last bill introduced in Congress was
one providing for Constitutional amendment,
requiring United States Senators to be elected
Iii