Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-07-07
THE CUP OF BLESSING.


and Greek tell US that two words are
translated into the English word wine.
One OF them means the fresh juice Of
the grape, the other means that juice
after fermentation has developed in.
~toxicating properties. Equally eminent
scholars pronounce the two wine
theory" absurd. So it happens that the
churches of Christendom ars about
evenly divided, and from half the
tables of the Lord the fumes of alcohol
arise.
While doctors of divinity disagree,
plain, u%nlearned folk by careful study
of the English Scriptures may come to
a definite opinion, defensible by the
word of God and the strong arguments
OF common sense-the most effective
weapons in unskilled hands. 1t seems
to me unnecessary and unwise for US
to quote from those who base their ar
gument upon the Hebrew and Greek
original, even when we plead with
learned pastors for a clean sacrament.
The i%ntricacies of dead la~nguages-of
which probably not ten out of our one
hundred and fifty thousand members
have more than a smattering-are their
ground. Ours is expediency, latter
day symbolism, in which alcohol
stands for riot, cursing and every form
OF moral and physical death, and both
spirit and letter of Biblical statement.
Let US not be afraid of that word ex.
pedlency. Paul was not, But Pauline
expediency is different from political
e~xpediency, A gifted temperance lee.
turer told me the story of three visits
to the little village of A. At the
first she organized a w. C. T. U. As
she left the pulpit after her second an.
pointment a radiant seized her
hands and blessed her for ever coming
to them. my husband had drank till
we we're destitute, but in one of the
gospel meetings of the union you form.
ed here two years ago he signed the
pledge. To help him along the church
employs him as a sexton, and everything
is 80 different. He doesn't earn very
much, but money goes q good ways
when none is spent for drink, and we
are just as happy as can be-" Again
my friend stood in the pulpit Of the
village church, and at the close of the
meeting the same woman greeted her,
but with tears, imploring her to go and
talk with her fallen husband. Com.
munion day was always hard for him
but that day it seemed like he hadn't
got hold of himself-there was some
left-and he drank it-and then he did
not stop till he vas d%rpnk-and of
course he couldn't keep his place-and
he's gone clear back" 1t may have
been lawful for that church to take its
sacrament from the saloon, but it was
not expedient.
A man of my acquaintance who was
twenty years a drunkard, but for the
last twenty years an aggressive tenn.
perance man, left the church when the
wine was paised for sixteen years after
he had protested Christ. Every church
in the town where he lived commemor.
ated its communion in fermented wine,
and he did not want to risk the effect
of it. 1T might not do me any mis-.
chief, but I know I'm safe not to try
it." he used to say. What was the
symbolism of that desecrated cup to
him? Did it show forth his Lords
deathp Did it not rather show forth
his own death? If there was strength
and comfort in that cup, presumably
the reclaimed drunkard had as great
need as any of the congregation, yet
he of all the congregation was debarred
from its benefits.
Knowing as He in whom were hid
all treasures of knowledge must have
known, the virulent disease produced
by the presence of any ferment in the
blood, would He have selected as the
symbol Of His own "shed blood" pro
duct of fermentation, from which the
rich, nutritious elements of the fruit
have been eliminatedI But if we can
not prove to the satisfaction of all what
were the contents of that cup the Sa.
vior babe His disciples drink in mem.
ory of Him, let us consider what its
contents would be were He filling it in
this day. Alcoholic or fermented wine
reminds those who have drank it most
freely, of o%bscenity and all impurity in
thought, word and deed; to many it is
a reminder of crime and imprisonment,
of bitter remorse and wretchedness.
To many more, the hapless friends OF
the drunkard-and how few are not
among these-it reminds of anxious
nights and weary mornings, of distress
and disgrace, of all that makes this
world Golgotha. Would it be like the
Heaven sent herald of. good will to
choose this for the emblem of His life
given to and for mep Could this have
filled the cup of blessing, 1.-THE com
munion of the blood of ChristpD
Considering that in these days OF
multiplied words to suit all shades OF