The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-11
Minister Writes on Bible
 Wine And the Duty Of Today

cifo, mention Dr. Daniel Dorchester. whose wridngg have brought the church under obligation to him. makes statements like the following to prove the duty of total abstinence: ta) Gleukos: sweet wine. propAbly unfer- mented wine; (b) Divine command to abstain was given to Aaron and his Baptist, and to the Reohabites; tc) Daniel and Timothy were teetotA1ers.
 While personally believing with Dr. Dorchester that In this day Christian can best giorify God by abstaining from drinking wine as beverage in the interest of truth must add to his unfair and misleading statements. the following staternents: ta) 0leukos. new wine." was thought by some Jews to be able to produce drunkenness by 9 o'clock in the morning. Acts fl: 1915; (b) Priests were commanded to abstain from wine only while minis terihg in the tabernacle. Lev. x:. 2. Samson and John the Baptist belonged to the order of Nazarftes--an order in the old dispensation of types and sil adows which passed away when the old ceased. The Reehabltes were conn manded, not by God. but oy their fa- ther Jonadab. not to drink wfnc, build houses, SOW seed, plant vineyards. God commands them for obedience to their father in contract with disobedient Israel In their disioyalty to him, ter. XIV: l-1s; Co Daniel Rbstained from the meat tfiesh and bread) and wine of Nebuchadnezzer. which probably had been def1led by use in the wor- ship of idols. When he grew older and could get wine not thus defiled he drank it. Dan. K: B..
 Paul commands tectotaler Timothy. to "use a little wine for his stomach's sake" Timothy V. .23.
 A distinction now needs to be stated. No grape juice passing into wine can ever form more than about 13 per cent alcohol. Much of the wine of the Bible probably contained only small per cent of alcohol. sufficient to preserve it from putrifaction and slightly to stim- ulate. and drank in moderation, espe- cially when mixed with water, was heaithful. EdersherDl tells us that the Passover wine was mingled with Q double portion of water. @
 Later than Scriptural times a process became known by which pure alcohol and strong alcoholic liquors could be produced not by mattress process of fermentation, but by mans art Of dis- tillation. an3 now the whiskey. brandy. etc.,, of the day are thus made. and much of the wines of today have alco- hol or deletertous substances added to them. It Is wronginE Scripture to class such substances with the good wine of the Bible.
 Tn concluding. my own view regard ing the best attitude of Christian to- wards alcoholic liquor in the United States is:
 First--Total abstinence from it as a beverage. While not able to ind dl- rect Scripturai command in the New Testament to do this. principles are there enumerated that justify it. (a) Duty as regards self. The body be- longs to Jesus Christ. Is the temple of the Holy Spirit and drinking should be to the glory of God. l Cor. vi. 1s. 20; X. 3l. Observation and the experience of others show that with the liquor of today a man is in no danger of becom- ing a drunkard, does better work and has a longer life in which to work, If he is a teetotaler. than If he is even moderate drinker. Strong drink short ems human life on an average more than twenty years (b) Duty to others. The New Testament as tho book of grace magnifies giving rather than re- ceiving, surrendering rights to others rather than claiming them from others, self-sacrifice rather than selhshness The genuine Christian seeks the wei fare of others above that Of self. Cor \. 24:, Phil. il. 2. II. Under the law of love the welfare of a. brother Is So
 
 the brother what he Is not allowed to do even for i1irnself--die for him. 1 Inc. If, IS. If with a strong will and an -unperverted palate he can drink wine daily in moderation. but a weak brother with an inherited thirst or a slavish habit that can be conquered only by the example of total absti- hence on the part of the strong broth CT, love will rejoice in the privilege of total abstinence. This principle or self-sacrifice for the good of others acted on continually is liberal educa- ton in New Testament Christianity and is a reflection or imitation of the great sacrifice on Calvary.
 Second-Prohibition of the liquor traffic by the State.
 This is exclusively a state matter the most rigid and extreme answer which the State can give to the ques- ton, What shall the State do regard ing the liquor trafic? On this matter the church has no message from Goa Tn the Bible. When the State. however, ordains that no liquor containing ale cohol shall be made. medicine, science. mechanical arts and religion cry out against such an ordination. God In nature and in the Bible repudiates such a law, as the second clause Of the pro posed constitutional amendment testi- fies.
 In rural districts and small toWus, so far as my observation has extended, or information has come to me from known trustworthy sources, 6 well de- yised and we'll executed prohibition law has greatly improved the wealth and the morals of the community. Whether 1t will be a success in large cities Is as yet an unsolved problem, whose solution we are waiting for in statutory tate-wide prohibition. A thorough and impartial trial should now be given the statutes.
 In a constitutional matter like that now before the people of Alabama no man and no church have a right to dic- tate to an elector how he shall vote his responsibility is to Jesus Christ, who Is Sovereign in the State as well as in the Church.