The Newtown bee., 1904-12-09
SOCIAL TOPICS.
PROHIB1TION.-B o. o. WRIGHT,

To prohibit any thing and banish it out of the reach of men because they abuse it is not according to the divine method of government and education. The abuse is, and must of course be, prohibited, to protect and insure the right and proper use, always. But if we must give up everything which the world abuses then what have we left to live for: and what moral significance IS there in our conduct and character? What virtue is there in our doing right if it is made impossible tor us to do wrong? If everything is put away out of our reach, so that we cannot abuse it, what moral or spiritual force can there be in our righteousness? If there is no temptation to sin what is the use in our being good? A being who is morally incapable of abusing himself and everything in the world is simply nobody. That which makes man like God is the power of choice to do right when he is tempted to do wrong: to control himself in the hour of Seduc- tiOn; and to trust in the Lord in the darkest night of his trial.
 What then must always be the noblest aim of all our endeavors to help one another? Is it not to strengthen each other in true and living faith in God, and in ourselves, that we may overcome evil with good? It is not in annihilating the means of temptation, but in making men strong in truth and love to overcome evil. For when all evil doing, and all evil rule is put down it will be because men no longer abuse anything, but use all things temperately and gratefully, with true appreciation of the divine good ness. The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of good uses. A man is not strong and wise and good simply be- cause he cannot sin; but because hay ing the power and inclination to sin he prefers, intelligently and morally, to do right.
 The difference between use and abuse is often very slight matter-a mere trifle perhaps-but it may be the be- ginning of swift and certain destruc- tion. One may not be in the least aware of the difference until he has begun to suffer the evil consequences. As it has been well said: Spiritual evil always chooses tritle, something from which it seems that no harm car
 possibly come, to Win.itS victim to the first false step." Happy, therefore, is that soul who is not deceived and SC
 duced by his first experience of evil.
 Now it is just the same with the ust
 ana aDuSe or d1CO0OllC QrlnkS U1dU lU +
 with everything else in the world. II
 may be that alcohol is more dangerous
 to use and that it's abuse is more swift
 and certain to work evil consequence
 than almost any other dangerou thing; but still we must admit thu
 fact that it's right and proper use is
 blessing, as the world now is, while it
 abuse is terrible curse tending t' degradation and ruin. The Word o
 God clearly recognizes the proper us
 of wine and strong drink: and warn
 us in the most fearful terms of the en of the drunkard. The Holy Scripture have no plea, nor any excuse for an excess; nor any absolute prohibition
 of anything that has right and prOpe use in the economy of human life. An while doctors do not agree as to tn :; question of exact science, our common experience is practically in accord wit = the teachings of divine Revelation
 "Give strong drink unto him that
 ready to perish, and wine unto thOs t that be of heavy heart" Temperance e not prohibition, is the spiritual mor; |. law.