Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-11-08
WINE OF BIBLE TIMES.

there are thirteen words in the original
language which are translated by the
word wine in the King James version.
This suggests that the word wine may
have, and undoubtedly has, in the YER
sion with which we are the most famil-
lar, very broad Specification. Careful ref
erence to the original words, gathering
their meaning by comparison and from
the utterance in which they stand con
nected, shows that they signify every
thing from the vine crop, including
grapes, grape juice just expressed, grape
syrup, thick, sticky, to the fermented
product in its most advanced stage, by
which mean that which follows both al
coholic and acetous or sour fermenta-
ton. OF course do not mean to say
that alcohol as chemists know it today
was known in Bible times, or that the
cause of fermentation in micro-organ-
isms was understood, but that there GER
tainly were decomposing and decompos-
ed grape juices, containing what we call
alcohol in all cases where natures proc
ess by boiling, or in some other way,
was not suspended or arrested. The
probability is that there were many peo-
pie among the ancients, as among those
living today, who did not care to have
the change known to us as fermentation
and decomposition suspended. There
were those in Bible times who certainly
got drunk upon wine. We know OF moth
ing i'm real wine that would make them
drunk except what results from fermen-
tation. Every careful student must also
allow that wine, in the Bible, is approved
and also condemned. The passages are
directly or by implication. What was
the condition of wine when approved,
what when condemned? Every true
student must arrive at his own conclu-
sions. | think the true line of inference
is this:
God condemns that which Injuries man.
All things in just quantity and of proper
quality, having the nature of food, man
may use. Excess in anything should be
avoided. Not to avoid excess would be
intemperance. If the quality of any
thing having the nature of food SO
changes, either by natural or artificial
process, that it no longer has the charac-
ter of food, it should be avoided. Not to
avoid that which has lost its character as
food is intemperance. | conclude that
the wine in the Bible which was con-
demned had lost its character as food il
some way, was not fit to use, really die
iniure those who drank it. 1t was appar
ent in the experience of men, and Coo
knew, the writers whom he directed
knew, that it injured men.
What, in wine that has net been adul
terated, is it that especially Injuries man
Does not experience in our day show
that it is alcohol? Who ever saw maj
drunk, or heard of such a thing, as thu
result of drinking wine which did no
contain alcohol? If it is alcohol in win'
which makes men drunk today, whicl
upsets and Injuries them, is it not proba
bic that it was alcohol in Bible times. eX
cept when they resorted to mixed or adul
terated wines? The fermented wines
then, were the dangerous wines, not tn
unfermented, and they must have beef
in some state or stage the wines con
demned.
The ancients knew how to boil or cool
things as well as ourselves. Cooking l
undoubtedly very old art. They di
boil grape juice and make grape syrup
the people of Syria do today. They coul
easily eXpel the alcohol from fermente
Juice by boiling without eyer knowing
!, that it was alcohol, since the boiling
point of alcohol is lower than that of wat
er. People of our own time and in GU
land do that very thing, when their pre-
serves or fruit juices incline to spoil. w
expel alcohol from our bread by baking
Wine was carried in bottles and some
, tunes preserved in them. But it was ais
preserved in the two-handled jar, or an
phora, when the intention was not t
carry it about. These vessels were foun
in the ruins of Pompeii, and think on
art of canning fruit was suggested b
bottled specimens of fruit well preserved
also found there. The ancients were nc
/ as stupid in many things as some moe
ems would have us imagine. They kne'
what was really good and valuable fo
, food, and how to keep such things, a
well as the things that were perverte
and spoiled, and which, like many moo
, erns, they tried to persuade themselves
/ especially after their appetites were d'
3 prayed, were not injurious. Too niue
must not be claimed for the goodness {
people of Bible times. | would not sa
t that they were not in the habit of usin
a as a very common beverage, especial
at certain times and on particular occa'