The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-02-02
IeIlllpe15 81 E
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TOTAL ABSTINENCE is BEST
quets Where Champagne Flows
With Freedom.

The following article is taken from
the Living Church." Although in.
tended for the twentieth Sunday after
Trinity, it is appropriate for all sea.
sons:
1t Is perhaps, more difficult for some
people to obey the command in to,
days Epistle, BE not drunk with
wine, wherein is excess" than to OBJ
serve an absolute rule of total absti-
hence.
Those who favor a free use of wine
and other stimulants when not re-
quired physically, are wont to quote
st. Pauls advice to St Timothy to
drink wine for his oft infirmities; but
they forget to quote many other pas
sages from the Scriptures. 1t was for
his "infirmities" that he was advised
to take it, not for self Indulgence, or
convivial and social reasons.
In Galatians st. Paul mentions
among the sins of the flesh, drunken
ness, adding, They who do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom
Of God"
1t is a fact that many, and among
them church people, think too highly
of exceeding the bounds of temper
ance; and, alas that it should be so.
intemperance is not unknown even
among women who are social leaders
in our large cities. Solomon was a
very wise man, and he says, Be not
among wine bibbers, for the drunkard
and SluttOn shall come to poverty"
After describing the appearance of an
incorporate man he says that such
are those that tarry long at the wine:
they that go to seek mixed wine"
Look not upon the wine when it Is
red, when it gtveth his color in the
cup. At the last it blteth like
a serpent and stingeth like an adder"
The fact that our blessed Lords
first miracle was the turning of water
into wine, shows US that wine is one
of his gifts to mankind; yet like so
many other blessings, if abused it be-
comes our ruin What a wonderful
help to gaining self-control it would be
if men always stopped short of what
they can safely take; but for some,
total abstinence is the only wise
course
In the collect for today we pray
that being ready both in body and soul
We cheerfuIly accomplish the things
which God commands. If our bodies
belong to his service, why should we
render them unfit to do his bidding?
At the altar 1--WE present ourselves, our
souls and bodies, to be a reasonable,
holy and living sacrifice. Is not that
often forgotten?
Frequently there are banquets which
church people attend at which wines
and champagne flow freely These are
occasions upon which the greatest
danger Of excess is likely to arise.
Does drinking to excess, even though
one stops short Of actual drunkenness,
fit the body to appear before the altar
on Sunday morning, in the still. early
hour, to see and hear the priest cOnse-
crate the fruit Of the vine. making Il
the blood of Christ, that it may be,
come our precious drink? Who would
dare present himself to drink of that
cup, who had himself been a partaker
of wine the night before until he had
become excited and laxative beyond
bounds? Soon the desire to come and
drink the heavenly wine will leave
him, and drinking the cup of fools, he
will go down to the gates of eternal
death. unless he turn and repent.
There are outwardly respectable
church men who do not exercise self
control in the matter of wine drinking
and who by their example injure 9th.
ers, and are themselves daily deterior.
ating Wilful intemperance and de-
vout aspirations do not go together.
Who should be the leaders in bring
ing about a reform? Surely they OF
the priesthood who are appointed by
God to set so holy and pure an ex
ample that the laity will be won to
high and holy living and learning tc
curb the desires of the flesh, will at
tain to free communion with the sa
cred heart Of the blessed Jesus