The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-03-08
FROM THE BIBLE STANDPOINT.
The scriptural Argument Concerning tn
Use of Wine and Kindred Beveragra

The ScripturaI Argument Concerning the
b Use of Wine and Kindred beverages
The evil of drunkenness is as old as
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 winc-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 80 as regards the
latter Yet ct the present day there
are men who attempt to "steal the
livery of Heaven to serve" the Rum
Devil in, who are foolish enough to
argue that as the Scriptures do not
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 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 ID 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 druggcd 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 for
an instant that He would have turned
a jug or two of water into "forty-rod"
whisky? Do they suppose that He
would have sanctitied what would nee
essarily have been a drunken orgy bv
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-
liyered to Israel's lawgiver amid the
thunderings and lightnings of Sinai,
can any enc 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-tbat drunken
ness was one Of the minor vices up to
the time that the art of distillino was
invented. There was nothing which
could intoXicate save wine alone
Whisky and Its congcners were I'M
known; and the art of brewing-of
connecting nauseous LIQUIDS containing
alcohol through . 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-cxprcssed !
juice Of the grape. before it had under |
gone the alcoholic fermentation, and |
therefore it was incapable of producing |
lntOXlpuflnn Il i,,,, s.
pies" sweet cider. We do not think |
1t 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
-freshly-made-wine was also used as
beverage, is equally clear. Who can |
tell which ii was?
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:
l. That wine was the only intoxicant
knOwn;
2. That it was the pure juice of the
grape, generally diluted with water;
1t was not fortified" with cologne
spirits, nor drugged and doctored with
chemicals and coloring materials;
8. That drunkenness was by no
means as prevalent among the Jews as
it is among all peoples to-day;
4. That wine. m"de in the simple
manner then followed, contains a very
small per cent. of alcohol, and that it
would require the drinking of a very
large quantity to produce 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 A. And, therefore, beware, pray
thee, and drink not any wine.
Ephesians V, 10: And be not drunk with
wine.
Proverbs xiii, 1921: Be not among wine-bib-
bers, for the drunkard and the glutton
shall come to poverty.
Firs2 CORN thians v, II: But now have writ
ten unto you not TO keep company or a
drunkard-
Isaiah xviii, /: Woe 10 tha crown Of pride, to
the drunkards OF Ephraim.
JOel 4 ). Awake druOkardS and IVaen,