Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-11-04
MINISTER'S IN OPPOSITION TO
PROHIBITION.

The Baltimore City Conference of
the Missouri Synod in meeting on
November 2, agreed on the following
stand to the prohibition question:
AS a political movement, the pres
ent campaign for or against Prohibi-
tion is a thing in which we, as minis
ters and members Of the Church,
cannot allow ourselves to participate,
believing, as we do, in the essential
difference Of Church and State and
their respective functions.
Since, however, various Church de-
nominations have dragged religion
into what should be purely political
question, and since, in consequence
Of misinterpretation of Scripture by
Prohibition agitators, great deal OF
confusion has been engendered, We
desire to state briefly the Bibles po-
sition as to whether or not the use Of
alcoholic beverages is incompatible
with the tenets of Christianity.
The Bible forbids and condemns in
the strongest terms the ABUSE Of
liquor. We call attention to Prov
23, 80 80 Prov 20, J. Eph. 5, 18.
Rom. 13, 13. We quote:-Gal. s,
21: Drunkenness, revelings, and such
like, of the which | tell you before,
as have told you in time past, that
they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God" ] Cor
s, Q. 10; Neither drunkards nor
revilers, nor eXtortioners, shall in
herit the kingdom Of God"
Strong however, as is this and
similar language of the Bible. it is
meant to strike at the abuse, not at
the judicious and temperate use OF
liquor, which the Bible expressly
permits and sanctions II tells us
that Jesus attended wedding feast
whore wine was used, and that He
changed water into real wine. (John,
2, 1-11.) In a parable taken from
custom of His day which He in no
way criticises He says, NO man also
having drunk old wine straightway
desireth new; for he saith, The old
is better" duke, 8, 39.l II was
His own use OF wine of this character
that His enemies made the basis of
malicious attack upon his Holy Per-
son, as His words clearly show; The
Son OF man came eating and drink
ing, and they say, Behold a man
glutonous and a wine bibber, a friend
OF publicans and sinners" Matt.
il, 19.) The temperate use OF wine
He persisted against all caumnies in
sanctioning to the end Partaking
Of the passover with his disciples, he
gave wine to them. (Luke %, I'D
Thereupon He made use Of this wine
IN the administering of the Holy
Supper According to Psalm 104,
God provided wine to make glad
the heart of man. / Tim. A, A. 5.
we read. Every creature Of God is
good and nothing to be refused, ii it
be received with thanksgiving; for it
is sanctlfed by the word Of God and
prayer"
1t is therefore. clearly q matter Of
Christian liberty to use wine and
other alcoholic beverages, and no
one dare say you sin IL you use it.
II anyone would deprive US of this
Christian liberty and condemn as
sin the use Of spirituous liquors, we
retort with St. Paul; Let no man
therefore Judge you in meat or in
drink (Col. 2, 16.)
Hence. while there can be no JUS
titcation for the abuse OF the liquor
traffic, which. to great extent, Is
responsible for drunkenness and con
comitant evils, and certainly is to be
emphatically denounced, it is equally
true that there can be no justification
in dragging religion into political
movement and by q religion not of
Christ and the Bible, but of mis-
guided and fanatical men, to make
sin what God has sanctioned and to
bind mems conscience, where God
would have il free