The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-16
IA WARM
 ARGUMENT
From the President of the National Model License
 League


 tional Model License League last week began the mailing of 45.0O0 letters to ministers throughout the United States in which attention is called to an edi- toriai in the "Biblical World. of Chi cago University. in which is raised the question -Is the Bible a Compendium of EthicS?r
 The letter Is written by T. NJ. Gil- more. president of the National Model License League an organization of Ii- quor interests and allied trades advo- eating a form of law designed to take the liquor question out of politics and to put the law breakers out of the H. quor business The letter is as fol- flows.
 At intervals I have addressed you aud other ministers on the relation of the liquor problem to the" Bible from which you derive your authority as a spiritual and moral guide. On each occasion some Of the ministers have denounced me as blasphemer. This denunciation does not hurt me except in one way. and I regret 1t for only one reason-it Is merely a cheap and discredited substitute for the applica- tion of the reasoning faculties and re- tards progress in the solution of the
 How can we teach total abstinence from Bible which represents Jesus as partaking of wine at feasts. and which even tells how He miraculously produced wine from water on one oc- casion, when the supply fell short?
 This question is not of my framing 1t comes from an editorial in the Oc- tober issue of the Biblical World the official religious organ of the Univer- sity Of Chicago. It is announced that this question represents the views of all of the editors of the journal fin which ft is asked. These men have at their command all of the evidence | .M.u Bible In asking this question they ignore the unfermented wine theory as unworthy of the consideration of schol- ars
 Tn accordance with their custom some of the ministers will now proceed to denounce the editors of the Biblical World In % doing they may hurt the feelings of MT. John D. Rockefeller who has given millions to support the University of Chicago as a Baptist edu- cational institution. and who has do- mated hundreds of thousands Of dollars to the Anti-Saioon League but after all. the question will remain until truthfully answered.
 "The Issue must be met fairly sQusrely. honestly. intslligently. Sure ly this is not too much to ask of min fsters. If the example of Christ can- not be accepted as a guide for the moral and enlightened element of so- ciety. what example will be substitut- ed? 'Ir Chrst imperatively made the use of wine a part of the most sacred rite of Christianity. what authority Is there for offering subatitute2
 "If you teach that Christians cannot trust themselves to overcome worldly tastes and temptations fin partaking of wine at Eoly communion. how can you hope to build up a robust. sin-defying faith in the word of God2
 DO you believe that Christ was ig- norant of the intoxicating power of wine and that the wine-miracle was a blunder2
 DO you believe that Christ made unfermented grape juice. but forgot or neglected to call attention to the dif- ference between unfermented grape juice and wine?
 Don't you think it is impertinent for men who cannot explain why the forbidden fruit was put in the Gar den of Eden to try to improve on the teachings of the Son of the Omnis- cfent?
 II read not long ago fin the National Prohibitionist' that Christ was ignor- ant of the germ theory and the laws Of hygiene. and that He could not have been aware of the effects of aleo- hol on the anatomy of man. Can you accept that as a reason for changing the character of the sacrament7 Isn't 1t better to believe that Christ knew the evils of intemperance (they had teetotal societies in his days) and that He. in His wisdom. made wine a part of the sacrament in order to show that the Christian can overcome any temptation?
 ..I am fully aware that I will be charged with an attempt to make Christ responsible for the lawless sa- loon. but I am as fully aware that those who make the charge know that the charge Is false.
 s'I am earnestly asking assistance of all good men in putting the lawbreak- CTS out of the liquor business. I have even gone SO far as to offer my sup port to a movement to put a penalty on the use of liquor fin dry territory. If the people want to abolish the use Cf liquor. they have the power to put themselves on record to that effect. ..But the prohibitionists say that such a law would break down the pro- hibition movement. They say that