Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-31

strlfe.".-Titus, In. 9-ii s''s hhu
,luu me church not departed from
TINS policy the history OF the niadis
amu uark ages would not have been
written In blood.
Constantine espoused Tho co,.a 90 A..
church In the fourth eentsrv a. NJ we
me ninth century Chariemaene was
West" emperor Oh the
Jesus Of Nazarath said 10 his dis
N,peS' ne are not OF the world [
nave CHOSEN you out OF the world
=. lhls teaching was emphasized by
the apostles, and so long as adhered to
the church possessed spiritual force
Ihe temporal power obtained was Inv
the sacrifice of all that made the early
cnufch glorious. should ChrIstlnns Of
To-Day pursue the policy which made
spiritual paupers Of their progenltors OF
,he fourth century, which poverty has
peeh ehtailed upon the Christian world
Can Christians of today desplse the
teachlngs OF Jesus and the livinely
commissioned apostles and still hone
to receive blessing OF God?
is there any record that Jesus or the
apostles ever entered into any move
ment TO coerce people by the enactment
OF compulsory laws?
ROW many w. g. Il. U's, temperance
societies. bands Of hope. etc, do we find
any record Of In holy WRIT
Then are we not diverging from writ
ten authority when we do such thlngsY
Let us study to know whether or not,
IN taking the stand that the church
does In this matter, Il is in line, not
with the ideas OF men and their tradl-
tions, but with the precepts. examples
ana commandments of God
God, being omnlscient. foresaw all OF
the train OF evils which have and do
result from strong drink; yet he placed
mere fruits from which II might be
distilled, and not accompanied In his
law by any fiat forblddlng such use.
TO the contrary, we find him command
ing men to drink wine and ftrong drink
In his worship. And If the way be
too far, then sell thy offerings and take
the money in thy hand and buy sheep,
oxen, Wine and strong drink, and eat
1t before the Lord."-Deuteron
xiv. 4-25. And David SERVED TO every
one a good piece of flesh and flagon
OF vine. This was at the time David
was made king at Hebron. Solomon
gave to iIlranis carpenters so many
measures Of wine" The 'beginnlng OF
mlraclos' with Jesus OF Nazareth, who
came eating and drinking, and they
say, Behold one glutton and a wine
bibber," was to turn water into wine.
He drank II at the last Passover supper
Nthh me hA1NlHitTf anu Hhlu ne Mbulu
drink II with them now in his Fathers
kingdom.
Drunkenness was not uncommon
either In our Lords day nor before.
Yet, strange, while the practice Is
condemned both In the Old and New
Testaments. stlll we find nothing like
our prohibltory laws i'm the laws of
Moses or OF Jesus of Nazareth. To
the contrary, we find Moses actually
FrIVa as a
the worship Of God, and Jesus himself
making and drinking the wine when It
glveth itself "the color In the cup"
and promising to do SO again at the
OF His kingdom ON earth.
Jesus hurled the sellers OF oxen,
doves, and the money changers out OF
MY Fathers house" Uhe church IL full
of them today, and hurled terrible
at those who professed to
be teachers OF Gods law but were,
therefore, teaching the tradition Of the
elders" He rebuked sin and iniquity
In all, but never do we hear him single
out wine drinkers or sellers and lay
at their door 'nine-tenths of all the
crimes committed" MS contended for by
OF today.
II II be an act of wisdom to enact
laws for the suppression Of the traffic
today, was 1t not lack OF wisdom in
God by Moses to overlook this?
Was II not equally as much so in
Jesus OF Nazareth and his apostles TO
be guilty OF the same oversight?
II IL was wise In them to omit this.
and direct their laws and energies
against the great overshadowing sin OF
rovertousness, would It not be wise In
of the present TO do tho
same?
But say some: 40 not the apostles
1ecry the sin OF drunkenness2' Ger
tainly; so should Christians OF today,
and permit no drunkard" TO abide in
the church. They spoke as hardly
against the covetous man who Is an
saying. such cannot inherit
the KINGDOM OF God" but they I'm
hertz the churches today. and In fact
dominate It; this crime cropping out
most prominently In the clergy OF to-
day who have ceased to go without
regard TO filthy lucre," but rather fulhll
The prophecy OF the last days" where
Peter says. "Who through covetous
practices will make merchandise OF
your souls"
Does 1t not seem that 'hlstory ia re-
peatlng ITSELF and "men are teaching
'or the commandments of God the ira
iition OF the elders" and themselves |
the gravest of sins. "oovet-
)usuess."
Consciousness" prompts the whisky |
teller, and the very leaders OF the pro-
movement are In the constant |
practice OF the same sins.
The church has the right. and II IL |
heir imperative duty to cleanse the |
louses OF God ar they be such); but |
what they TO do with the AFFAIRS OF
his world?"
Is II our province, claiming TO be the
OF Jesus Christ, to en- \
er course meeting with, as II does, |
he plain inhibition of the inspired law
rivers? aye judge them that are With
n; what have we to do to Judge them |
hat are wlthout?'-l Cor, 5:26.
"If a law could be given that giveth |
life. then hath Christ died in vain
iod framed q law to govern the He
,rews. and II entered into the smallest
letalls of their life; yet his wisdom
,ould not frame a law that could give
life.
Can we. his creatures, hope TO sur
lass his wisdom? For you or TO say,
4 am wiser than God. Jesus Christ or
nc APOSTLES" would be considered,
md would be. blasphemy; and ms
ne Indirectly, yea. actually do when
NO say we will accomplish by law
What they failed TO do by adding 10
he instruction they give us. How 90
We appear. do you suppose. In Gods
light In this prohibition campaigny II
q a serious question for every Chris.
ian 10 answer, and let us answer u
yIth the word OF God before our eyes
ma fear and reverence for Him In our
carts. and without regard TO the pro-
essed teachers OF the law, They may