The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-03-03
THE BIBLE VIEW.
The Scriptural Argument Concerning the
Use of Wine and Kindred Beverages.

IIO dl u VI AldhluS Wlhc, WHICH, CoIJdlH-
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" 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. 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 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 sanctifed what would nee
essarily have been 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
Va lllO oblll 10 tlC IL ulblui JSll civ DCCh
known when the two tables of stone,
craven by the finger of God, were de-
livered to Israel's lawgiver amid the
thunderings and lightnings of Sinai,
can any one doubt that among the list
of Thou shalt nots'' their use would
have been includedP
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 It's congeners were UNI
known; and the art of brewing-oi
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-expresseG
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 ;
trivial discussion. In point of fact, the
case is incapable of actual proof, onC
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 al
a beverage, is equally clear. Who cal
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
l. That wine was the only intoxican
known;
9. That it was the pure juice of tn
grape, generally diluted with water
it was not fortified" with cologn,
spirits. nor drugged and doctored will
chemicals and coloriug materials;
3. That drunkenness was by NJ
means as prevalent among the Jews a
it is among all peoples to-day;
4. That wine, made in the simple
manner then followed, contains yer.
small per cent of alcohol, and that i
would require the drinking of a yer,
large quantity to produce inebriation
Then read the following Scripture
references to the evils of its misuse:
Proverbs XXI. As: II is not for kings to drin
wine, lest they drink and forget tn
law. =
Judges xiii, 4: And therefore, beware, pra
thee, and drink not any wine.
Ephesians v, IS; And be not drunk wit
vine .