Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-10
BIBLE AND PROHIBITION.

The liquor interests are flooding Ia,
country with literature in defense OF
the saloon trafhc We have before Us
the galley proofs Of an editorial that is
to appear in the November number OF
our Country" a magazine published
at Louisville. Ky.
In this article the Biblical World
Is quoted as follows.
How can we teach total abstinence
from a Bible which represents Jesus as
partakine Of wine at foasts. and which
even tells how he miraculously pro-
duced wine from water on one occasion
when the supply fell short?"
And "our Country" comments. in
part.
The question puts the matter square
| ~ before the Christian. He must choose
between the savior and the Anti Saloon
league. He cannot uphold an organiza-
ton that is anti-Christ. unless he is
willing 10 sacrifice his Christianity"
The Biblical World" is published by
the Chicago University endowed with
millions Of dollars BY John ID. Rookie
Teller, and the liquor men evidently
consider the question quoted from that
publication. a regular "corker;" for
they are mailing ii to 5000 ministers.
as utterly unanswerable. And yet,
there is not q question more easily
answered than that
In the first place. IL must be admitted
that our Lord. according to the gospel
narrative produced wine at the mar
rage at Cana, and only by most VIC
lent exegesis can II be made to appear
that the good wine" OF the Master
was unfermented. The very expression
Of the ruler Of the feast seems to
contradict that idea The Master was
not an ascetic. He did not belong 20
the Essenic order as alleged On the
contrary, His enemies referred TO Him
as a glutton and a wine bibber. a friend
Of publicans. and sinners" But, not
outstanding this We can consistently
teach total abstinence from all intoxi-
cants from the Bible.
II will be admitted, We hope. that
the Apostle Paul understood the teach
ings of the Bible. and the doctrines OF
Christianity. II win be admitted. we
hope, that he is an authority on such
subjects Hear him then. He says.
1T Is good neither To eat flesh, nor to
drink wine. nor anything whereby thy
brother stumbleth. or is offended. or
made weak" Rom. IA; 81 According
70 this doctrine total abstinence should
even be extended to the eating of flesh,
II such eating proves an offense TO a
weak brother. That is Bible doctrine,
we'll established. Paul repeats II in his
FIRST letter TO the Corinthians He
points out that eating. in itself, makes
no man neither better nor worse. and
yet he cautions his readers against us
ing their liberty TO eat az a stumbling
block TO them that are weak" This ne
applies particularly 10 the sacrifices Of
fered 10 idols. n, he argues. those who
are weak take offense because OF the
exercise Of your liberty through your
knowledge shall the weak brother per-
ish?' And then he adds: But when ye
sin 10 against the brethren. and wound
their weak conscience. We sin against
Christ" And this consideration prompts
him 10 the conclusion. Wherefore II
meat make my brother 10 offend. ] VIII
eat no flesh while the world standeth q"
q Cor ): STD
II this doctrine is carried out In prac-
tice total abstinence from intoNicants
Will be the consequence for there r.
no greater stumbling block in our age
on the road TO eternity than the liquor
traffic.
II must he remembered that at the
time OF our Lord. there was. IN Pale
slime. no liquor traffic, properly speak
ing There were no saloons opening
their doors wide TO perdition Bread
and wine, real grape juice. were arti-
cles OF food To-Day different cond.-
lions confront NJ. There is saloon
problelu that does not seem capable OF
any solution but that of the sword Of
prohibition The saloon has become o.
menace 10 the home BY absorbing the
VI Ah'N rot IIi' ANhNlHi Gnu hfifiIANiH h'A'
boy hy its aHurements The saloon,
the ally OF tsc gambling den and the
brothrl has become menace 90 th.
community in which IL is fostered. And
by lts corrupt methods the saloon Zoo
politics has become the curse % the
state There rs uo Institution that
causes more poverty. more crime. more
misery. tears and sunerings than The
"a DON And there is NO greater fraud
perpetrated upon the people than the
liquors sold by the saloons n money
ever was obtained by false pretenses,
the hluor sellers are guilty, when they
sell am kinds OF fraudulent compost
tious under the name ~ beer or
swine" The modern liquor trafic
finds mo- parallel among the jews of
antiQuity But the law that vas given
from the Mount amidst manifestations
OF the Divine Presence. Numbered forth
its edictr against stealing and murder,
and by 80 doing branded a. unlawful
any business that has Tor its aim the
/ robbing % fellow -crcatures and the de-
| struotion Of their bodies and souls. The
modern saloon trafc Is thereby pro
hibited
] T
Arc tine Maritans az big fools AZ
]