The Newtown bee., 1889-08-30
srwrown CONN. FRIDAY. AUGUST So, 1889.
The Bible Law Concerning Intoxicat-
 ing Drinks as Beverage.

PROV. XXIII, Fl, 82, IIABAK, II, Ia, l6 Published by request ot o.G Beard and others We have many exhortatlons in Script ure to be sober, temperate in our use of the things of this world. That is, using as not abusing. The real thought being to always keep the things spiritual first and as most prominent in our minds and hearts.
 The Christians duty Is, 'sSet your af- factions on things above, not on things on the earth, z (Col. III,2.) Thatis, you are to abstain from all those things which might even be lawful, if in any way they shall hinder or retard your spiritual growth or Christian influence in the world. According to the word of God, the tests of our conduct or rule of indulgence should be, Will this act or word aid or hinder the cause of Christ? But you say to me, we do not find many professing Christians living according to that rule. lt is true, sadly true, and, therefore, they fail to enjoy the blessing of true, supreme happiness that they might and ought in the assurance of Gods love and favor. For no one can honestly read this Bible and not sec that it Is the imperative duty of Christians to deny themselves every indulgence that shall obstruct their growth in grace or hinder others. We need to fear lest, by taking any lower standard of duty, we shall at last find ourselves without, the door shut and we begin the vain cry of the foolish virgins for admittance. But in regard to intoxicating drinks as a bev- Q craze, the law is clear, most strong, def mite and positive, as in our text.
 l. Let us note first, the moral effect on drinkers and their immediate relations as the ground of this law.
 The very first reference to wine in the worlds history is shameful scene, which was followed by Noah pronounc- ing terrible curse on one of his grand children and his posterity even to this day.
 Our text Is a command not to look upon the wine. This is prohibition in the strongest terms. The thought is, You shall not look, shall not even stop to par. ley with this temptation, lest you fall By tarrying to look and admire it's beau ty, you, like Aehan, will soon covet and desire and then take to your own de struction. For while little wine or ci der may seem so harmless, and go down so very smoothly, and be very agreeable to your taste, yet at the last, "It bitetl like an serpent and stingeth like an ad der" "Wine is mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived there by is not wise,' (Prov. XX, l.) To con, sider wine harmless is to be deceived thereby.
 The wise man, by the spirit of God ir the context, portrays most forcibly the terrible results and the woeful eonse quences of looking upon the wine wher it Is red and giveth it's color in the cup It embroils men in quarrels. Many have sorrows, woes, afilictions and miseries and cannot help it, but wine drinkers ere ate and multiply these to themselves ant others. The wine develops all the vul gar, base, vile, contentious and evil na ture of the man and so produces drunkeI disputes, broils, and every form of crim, and wickedness. It engenders disease il the body, brings bruises, wounds anC murders without cause. Worse still, disorders and debases the mind and damn the soul. The use of wine as beverag makes men deceitful, untruthful, inso lent, vile, impure and base. When tn mind is inflamed with drink, men knoN not where they are, nor what they d and say in the true sense. Their eye grow lustful; their tongue becomes ur ruly and they will scofi, ridicule, ye mock at religion and common civility.
 Now 1t Is not necessary that man b, come beastly drunk and roll in the gutte to produce all these evil results on h moral character, on his mind and hear He may be Gas he thinks) q very mode ate thinker. Doubtless one of the mai reasons or causes for the iniidelity an general indifference to religion in tines days comes from the moderate use ( stimulants, which destroy the voice { God in the conscience. It is writer sBut they have erred through wine an through strong drink are out of the way the priest and the prophet have erre through strong drink, they are swallow ed up of wine, are out of the way throug strong drink, they err in vision and stun ble in judgment" Isaiah XXVIII, r. My people are destroyed for the lack knowledge. Whorcdom and wine an new wine take away the heart," (Hosea ", 6 and ID Speaking of the conduC of his people, God saith, And the har and the viol, the tabret and pipe, an wine are in their feasts, but they regar not the work of the Lord, neither consis CT the operation of His hands," Qsaia V, l2.)
 How truly God might say the san things of many gatherings which His pr fessed people frequent in these day Thus 1t must be evident that the effect stimulants is todestroy all the inclinatic to know God, or to consider His ways, to care for the higher and nobler natur the souls eternal happiness.
 We all know that the use of intoxican as d beverage demoralizes the man, blum the finer and diviner aspirations of u soul and SO makes him gross and carns But the worst of all is, his eternal struction Is made very certain. 'sAt u last 1t biteth Ikea serpent and stinge like an adder.r
 The cup of inebriation shall be turn into cup of trembling, the cup of t Lords wrath, the dregs of which mt