The Newtown bee., 1898-04-01
The Home Circle.
Total Abstinence.
SERMON PREACHED AT THE CONGREGA-
TIONAL CHURCH IN sOUTHBURY, BY
REV W. II. BARROWS.

Prov. q 81, &2-LOOk not thou upon the
vine when IL Is red, when IL giveth his color
the cup, when 1t m0veth itself Alright, IRE.
Used version. when it gOeth down smoothly.)
" the last 1t btteth like a serpent and
itingeth like an adder.
Romans, IA: 2l-it Is good neither to eat
lesh nor 70 drink wine Nor anything where
~ thy brother stumbleth, or Is offended, or
made weak.
These texts seem to lay down a gener-
Il principle and at the same time to apply
hat principle in certain directions. The
underlying principle seems to be, that
We are to abstain from that which shall
)e source Of injury to ourselves or to
Dthers. 1t may be innocent in itself
Nside from the results which grow out of
It, or the dangers connected with it.
But II bad results grow out OF any course
which otherwise might be right, or if it
full of danger, either to ourselves :or
others, then we are to avoid the
LANCER by avoiding that which will lead
o 1t. And it seems to imply also that
hose things which are to be abstained
rom are such as are not essential, that
g, things which can be abstained from
Without wronging ourselves or others.
The first passage applies the principle
IN its relation to ones self, and the other
passage in relation to others. The first
las respect to the use of certain kind
Of drink and 80 far as appears its use as
l. beverage; the other has reference to
certain meats and drinks perhaps in their
relation to the ceremonial law as being
clean or unclean, or in connection with
their use In idolatrOus feasts, if their use
would lead others into sin and danger
they should be abstained from. 1t is
evident that this principle would apply
10 the use Intoxicating liquors as a bever.
hge, II it was attended with the same re-
suit or dangers. We have here then the
TRUE BASIS FOR TOTAL ABSTINENCE,
the dangers connected with the use of
Intoxicating drinks as beverage.
This brings before US the subject of
temperance in les relation to the individu.
al experience. 1t Ia not the claims of
temperance In its relation to the sale of
Intoxicating liquors, or in its relation
to general Christian and philanthropic
labOrs, although it is closely related to
these subjects: but it is the claims of
temperance In respect to our Individual
relations to the use of Intoxicating
liquors. Nor again is it the claims of
temperance as cOntrasted with drunken
less or the excessive use OF strong drinks,
Int rather It's claims in relation to entire
abstinence from all Intoxicating liquors
60 u beverage.
In presenting these claims 1t is not
necessary to prove that an occasional
s lass Of wine or beer would produce any
special harm IL 1t ended there, that is, If
there was no danger connected with it
that any one would ever 60 beyond such
temperate use. A glass of wine a doz-
en- times In E year might in itself do no
Injury IL that was always the end of 1t.
Eut IL Is not. And It Is because of the
dangers connected with these beginnings
tlat total abstinence vests its claims.
(D In the first place total abstinence
right. II it involved anything opposed
to the principles of truth and righteous
ness, then we would have no right to
practise It, even to escape the dangers
connected with the use of intoxicating
drinks. There are many things which
are attended with more or less danger
and temptation which we have no right
IT, refrain from because those things lie
plainly In the path OF duty. We must
niIngIe with the world in the daily
business Of life, although there
may be dangers and temptations con-
nected with It because duty requires it.
Eut this cannot be the case here. IL does
not come In conflict with any duty or any
moral obligation to abstain entirely from
al Intoxicating liquors as beverage. It |
does not come In conflict with any drty |
we owe ourselves TO practice total absti-