Year: 1867

Give strong drink unto him that is
ready to perish, and wine to those
that be of heavy hearts. Let him
drink, and forget this poverty, and
remember his misery no more.


These words are usually quoted to
prove from the Scriptures, that alco-
hol is beneficial as a medicinal agent.
From one retreat after another we
chase the demon, until at last, in des-
peration, he runs to the altar of God,
and there shows his credentials, hav-
ing the seal of Divine authority. We
will pursue him there, and ascertain
whether the signature be the hand
writing of God, or whether it be a
false Interpretation pressed into his
service p n.1s--1aif I


The first question for US to settle
is, what does the bible teach? Not
what it is assumed to teach. Satan
quoted (or rather misquoted) Scrip
ture, tempting our Lord to transgress
the law OF Jehovah, of which those
Scriptures were the exponent. How
tenderly, yet how solemnly, is the
affirmation made, that, at is not for
kings, Oh Lemuel; it is not for kings
to drink wine; nor for princes strong
drink; lest they drink, and forget the
law, and pervert the judgment of the
afflicted" No reservation is made
for any emergency. The king is not
supposed to be in danger of being
brought where he shall be "ready to
perish" Some other one may, but the
king, never.


"Ready to perish, is the equivalent
for awaiting execution. The term
poverty is descriptive of a mental
condition, incident to mind in hour
ly expectation of violent death, and
is better rendered by the word mis-
cry.


The sentence is merely deelaratory
of a well known fact. The Jews were
accustomed to administer stupefy-
ing portion to a felon about to be
executed, that under the illusions of
intoxication he might forget his ap-
preaching doom, and sink insensibly
into death. Accordingly when the
Savior was crucified "they gave him
to drink, wine mingled with myrrh;
but he received it not" In the hour
of his great agony. the Son of God
would not pollute his lips with that
which the Scriptures had branded as
an accursed thing.


Let it be observed here, that the
stupefying draught is given, not as
Icurative, for the design is not to re-
store the health; but to obliterate
from the mind of the 'perishing" man
the tormenting thoughts of his antici-
pated fate.


The "strong drink" was therefore
administered as physicians now pre-
lscribe morphine for patients suffering
excruciating pains.


| The bible is from God, and is not
iyea and nay. 1t clearly and explicit
ly declares, "Wo unto him that giveth
his neighbor drink p Wine is a
mocker."
! If wine, or opiates of any kind,
are administer ed to a dying man, up
on him who administers the lethean
draught be the responsibility How
any man, himself not insensible to
moral considerations, can "mock" a
dying man, by rendering him oblivi-
Gus to his real condition, and conjur-
ling up through the agency of alcohol
or morphine the hallucinations of the
drunkard or opium-eater; surpasses
our comprehension. What right has
a physician to rob a man of sanity in
the last moments of life, and send
him intoxicated into eternity? What
ever may be the physical pains of our
departing hour, we, fervently pray,
| Oh Father, spare US the greater an
guish of dying in a medical lie Wine
is a mocker. 1t Is WRITTEN.