The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-02-24
THE BIBLE VIEW.
The Scriptural Argument Concerning tn
Use of Wine and Kindred Reyerapes

the art OF making wine, which certain
ly dates back as far as the time OF
Noah-and it is probable that the ante
diluvians possessed it. There are many
references to wine-drinking and to
drunkenness in the Bible-the former
without censure, and the latter ALWAYS
with reproach and condemnation.
Down through the circling centuries
it has always been so as regards the
latter. Yet at the present day there
are men who attempt to "steal the
livery of Heaven to serve I" the Rum
Devil in, who are foolish enough to
argue that as the Scriptures do not
1 prohibit the use of wine, and as our
Saviour's first miracle was the turn
ing of water into wine at the marriage
feast held in Cana of Galilee, that the
use of it and similar beverages should
not be prohibited to-day.
We pity the weakness of any one
who could be convinced by so poor an
argument. These drinking Chris
tians" seek to make the religion they
profess a bulwark for the giant vice of
the nineteenth century, which is the
cause of more poverty, suffering, crime
and death than any other. They for
get, in SO doing, this one great fact:
Distilled liquors (whisky, brandy,
gin, rum, etc. were not known at the
time the Scriptures were written.
The great ally of the devil, the still,
was not known. Wine was the only
intoxicant Suppose that the modern
doctored and drugged whisky had
been the drink upon the table at the
Cana wedding instead of weak wine;
do these foolish ones who think
Christ's first miracle an argument for
the use of alcoholic drinks think fol-
an instant that He would have turned
a jug or two of water into "forty-rod'
whisky? Do they suppose that He
would have sanctified what would nee
essarily have been a drunken orgy by
being present and thus, tacitly at
least, giving countenance to its use?
Had whisky and the whole list of in
fernal compounds of which the worm
of the still is the fruitful parent been
known when the two tables of stone,
craven by the finger of God, were de-
livered to Israel's lawgiyer amid the
thunderings and lightnings of Sinai,
can any one doubt that among the list
of "Thou shalt nots'' their use would
have been included?
1t is a tact-and none is more clear
in the pages of history-that drunken
ness was one of the minor vices up to
the time that the art of distilling was
invented. There was nothing which
could intOXicate save wine alone.
Whisky and its congeners were I'M
known; and the art of brewing-o
connecting nauseous liquids containing
alcohol through a process which in
wolves the partial rotting of grain
was practiced, if practiced at all, only
among barbaric people. None of the
civilized nations of antiquity used beer
and similar compounds.
Wine was the only intoxicant There
are some good people who are really
troubled by the so-called biblical
argument" for the use of wine, who
have gone to an infinite deal of trouble
to prove that the wine made by Jesus
at Cana was the freshly-expressed
juice of the grape. before it had under
gone the alcoholic fermentation, and
therefore it was incapable of producing
intoxication as the fresh juice of app
pies" sweet" cider. We do not think
it profitable to waste time on such a
trivial discussion. In point of fact, the
case is incapable of actual proof, one
way or the other. That Intoxicating
wine was known, is absolutely certain,
both from Bible passages and from
profane history; that notwithstanding
Observation-Disclosures was also used as
a beverage, is equally clear. Who can
tell which it WASP
And, after all, what does it really
matter which it was? There are many
passages of Scripture which condemn
intoxication. Bear in mind these facts:
|
known;
2 That it was the pure juice of the
grape, generally diluted with water;
it was not fortified" with cologne
spirits, nor drugged and doctored with
chemicals and coloring materials;
3. That drunkenness was by no
means as prevalent among the Jews as
it is among all peoples to-day;
a. That wine. made in the simple
manner then followed, contains very
small per cent. of alcohol, and that it
would require the drinking of very
large quantity to pro duce inebriation.
Then read the following Scriptural
references to the evils of its misuse:
Proverbs XXI As: 1t is not for kings to drink
| wine, lest they drink and forget the
law.
Judges xiii, 4: And therefore, beware, pray
thee, and drink not any wine.
Ephesians v. IS: And be not drunk with
| wine.
Proverbs xiii 20-21; Be not among wine-bib-
| bers, for the drunkard and the g1utton
| shall come to poverty.
First Corinthians v, II: But now have writ
i q
drunkard.
Isaiah xviii 1: Woe to the crown of pride, to
| the drunkards of Ephraim.
Joel i, 5: Awake, We drunkards, and weep;
and howl, all We drinkers of wine.
First Corinthians vi, 10: Nor thieves, =
| nor drunkards, shall inherit the kingdom
of God.
/ Luke xxi, "a: And take heed to yourselves,
lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting and drunkenness.
Romans xiii, 10: Let us walk honestly, as in
the day; not in riotng and drunkenness. i
/ Galatians V, 1921: Now the works of the flesh
i are manifest. which are these: drunk
| enness, revilngs, and such like.
Proverbs Xxx. i: Wine is mocker; strong
drink is raging; and whosoeVer is deceived
thereby is not wise.
Proverbs xxi, II: He that loveth wine and oil
! shall not be rich.
Proverbs xiii, 1890: 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.
Proverbs xiii, 81: Look not then upon the
i wine when it is red