The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-15

but of fundamental principle.
 But assume for the sake of argu-
 ment that what was right in the time
 of Christ is not necessarily right to-
 day, and assume that the reason
 Christ did not advocate abstinence
 from wine was that in his day drunk
 enness was unknown, even these as
 sunnptions do not remove the difficult
 ty. They only involve the prohibi-
 ton preachers in deep difficulty. For
 Jesus was establishing a kingdom of
 righteousness for all ages and all na-
 tions, and with his omniscience and
 foresight, he must have known that
 there would come time when this evil of intemperance would exist among
 men. And it is inconceivable that he
 would have failed to take the great future into account in laying down
 moral standard for the world. Fore seeing, then that intemperance would,
 in the course of time, become so- cial curse, why did he not command
 his disciples to proclaim the gospel least put a check on this future peril? At least, why did he not teach and practice the rule of voluntary abst1n- ence from wine? The simple answer is that Jesus did not believe in that method of saving men from intem-
 perance. Now, if our prohibitionist friends think they can improve on the method of Christ, if they. think that their policy of compulsory total ab- Stinence is superior to the biblical doc urine of self-control and temperance, let them say so honestly. have no quarrel with the prohibitionists be- cause they have adopted a different principle and method from those taught by the Master. If they can show me that prohibition is a good thing for society anyway, Bible or no Bible, am wiling to listen to their reasons, opd orc conclusive, I am willing to join their movement. But what I do object to and most emphatically protest against is their fraudulent claim that the Bi- ble and Christianity are on their side. The only sacred book that the prohi- bitionists can rightfully claim as an authority for their principle and policy is the Koran. Islam and not Chris tianity is the proper religion for those that hold that alcoholic liquor is poison and a curse.
 This article will probably be read by at least a few prohibitionists. l will, therefore, sum up the case by respect fully challenging any prohibitionist to deny the truth of the following as- sertions:
 1.-Jesus taught publicly for three years and yet never once did he utter a word against the use of wine.
 2-Jesus drank wine .(real w1ne) as ~ regularly.
 3.-Jesus made a real wine for a company of guests at a wedding feast.
 4.-Jesus drank wine at the Last Supper and used wine in instituting the sacrement of Holy Communion.
 5.-There was a total abstinence so- ciety in his time but Jesus never ad- vised anyone to join this society nor to practice it's rule.
 6.-Drunkenness existed in his time and in his own land, yet Jesus did not l on this account either give up the use of wine himself nor advocate the gen. eral rule of total abstinence as a good | example to others.
 7.-Jesus is the supreme authority ! for Christians in all matters of faith ! and morals. We cannot improve on his principles or methods.
 Finally, MT. Prohibitionist, l ask | you to answer the following questions like an honest man:
 1.-Youz declare, and teach in your text books in the public schools, that | alcoholic liquors of all kinds are poi | sonous, that the drinking of such li- necessary to human health and hap piness, but is in all cases injurious to 1 both mind and body. I ask you how you account for the fact that Jesus drank this poison? Do you think it injured his body and mind? He did not use wine TOT meQlclf1dl purposes, | did he; since he was neither an old | man nor an invalid? s.T
 2-If it is wrong,i and you would make it a legal crime today, to man. ufacture alcoholic liquors, what do you think of the miracle at Cana?
 3-If you cannot point out one sim gle word or syllable in the teachings of Jesus that can be construed as an endorsement of your view in regard to the use of liquor; if on the con- f trary you have to admit that Jesus both by precept and example taught the rule of temperance in the use of wine and not abstinence, on what ground do you base your claim that your theory and policy are in, agree ment, with the teachings of the Bible? If the teachings of Jesus are diame- Il trically opposed to your teachings, Il why do you persist in perpetrating this fraud on the public? If you don't agree with Jesus, why aren't you honest and manly enough to say SO?
 Those of us who advocate the rule of Christian temperance and not the rule of compulsory ab- stinence will await your answer to the above questions with intense interest. Wine and Spirit Circu- lar.