The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-13

The standard of morals tested uni
We sally : .4par.tye Ia n,I thau
positive, changing with the fashions,
customs, creeds and religions of G!ffer.
ent peoples and countries as well as
of "times and seasons" In cider,
therefore, to fix basis of argument
we will use Biblical teaching. and the
practice of those who have been under
the influence of revealed religion, as
the pattern or standard for our con-
tention, and declare: That in these
there is nothing favorable to an af-
firmatiye answer to our Introductory
question.
The only Intoxicating beverage re-
ferred to in the Bible Is wine, the nor.
NAL use OF which, is not condemned.
but both inferentially and positively
commended.
The vineyard is always mentioned
as enc of the chief blessings of hus.
bandry, and wine to make glad the
heart Of man." ass "oil to make his
face shine are numbered among the
good gifts of God.
The destruction OF the vineyards is
considered one of the most portentious
calamities of drouth or war.
When the spies went out to explore
the Promised Land" on the border of
which the people of God waited, they
returned with great clusters of grapes
MS trophies of the lands fertility.
Excess is condemned, not of wine
alone. but the people are warned
against excess OF any kind. "The
drunKard and the glutton shall come
to poverty"
1t is true that we have the religious
order of the Nazarites, and also of the
of Rechab, or the Rechab-
ties, who used no wine and were sub
iected to special rules, and separated
to perform peculiar and distinct serv-
ice in the religious economy of the
times.
But the fact of their distinction ar
CUES that the masses even of the
Chosen People" did not accept these
rules as of general application. If the
regulation as to wine is, however. in.
sisted to be OF Divine institution, and
of present force and obligation, the
other regulation as to solid food must
likewise be accepted. and in this case
we commend to the prohibitionist the
ration Of Daniel and his friends at the
court of Babylon, water to drink and
pulse to eat. The folly of imposing
special and now obsolete rules upon
modern society is too obvious to need
argument.
In the New Testament, John the
Baptist. the messenger or forerunner
Of Jesus Christ, was Nazarite under
VOWS from birth; and he came mel.
Their eating nor drinking" that is, OBJ
serving the most rigid rulse of absti-
nence.
But his Master, by his own state
ment, came eating and drinking"
that is, living in this respect as other
men. AS a consequence. those who
were acquainted with the absteminous
life of John or the formal frugality of
the Pharisees, called Jesus "glutton'
Gus man and a wine biber."
Let 1t stand in the language OF the
Man himself.
The Pattern Man." the Ideal OF
the Ages" came as other men into the
common life OF, the people, and was
accustomed to use the good things OF
life with perfect control Of His facul'
ties and appetite.
And this ability then, and ever, will
make the strongest and broadcast type
of manhood.
1t isnotnecessaiytobe cruelg a
1t is not necessary to be cruel
eater or mere water drlnker In order
to preserve the highest standard of
manhood
Use without abuse, appetite subject
to reason, is the highest rule of life'
If to produce or make wine was i'm
He would not have worked the
miracle at the wedding feast in Cana
Of Galilee. where He turned water into
wine.
In the epistles of the New Tesla
ment the rule of liberty Is adhered to.
Paul tells Timothy to Take little
wine for his stomach's sake and his