Indulgence in this drink, especially by the church, is inconsistent with any reasonable hope that the flood of intemperance would not return upon the land, even should it for a season be dried up. The same causes which have produced it would produce it again, unless there be some permanent counteracting influence. Temperance associations are unspeakably important as means of reformation. But they are not permanent bodies; their organization may cease when intemperance is once done away; and unless the principle of total abstinence be generally acknowledged and regarded as a Christian duty, by some great association that is to be perpetual, it may in time be forgotten or despised; and then drunkenness will again abound. Such an association is found only in “the church of the living God.” This will continue while the world stands. Let the principle of entire abstinence, then, be recognized by all members of the church, and such others as they can influence; and you have a great multitude to sustain the temperance cause, “till time shall be no longer.” And can the real Christian, or patriot, think it hard thus to enlist for the safety of all future generations? If parents love their offspring, if Christians love the millions coming upon the stage, will they not gladly secure them all from the destroyer? Has he a shadow of consistency who will rather do that, which, if done by the church generally, would lead millions to hopeless ruin?
The use of intoxicating drink, as an article of luxury or living, is inconsistent with the plain spirit and precepts of God’s word. The proper use to be made of it, is so distinctly pointed out in Scripture, that men need not mistake. It is to be used as a medicine in extreme cases. “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish.” Its common use is condemned as foolish and pernicious. “Strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby, is not wise.” “They are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision; they stumble in judgment.” Such passages show clearly the mind of God with respect to the nature and use of this article.
Moreover, it is said, “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink.” But does not every man who sells or uses this liquor, as a beverage, encourage his neighbor to drink, and thus contemn God’s authority? Does he not aggravate his guilt by sinning against great light? And would he not aggravate it still further, should he charge the blame on the sacred word? O, what a blot on the Bible, should one sentence be added, encouraging the common use of intoxicating liquor! “If any man thus add, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.”
To encourage the manufacture of such liquors is to abuse the bounties of Providence. When God had formed man, he kindly said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” God, then, it seems, intended men should use the fruits of the earth for food. But “they have sought out many inventions.” And one of these is, to convert these “gifts of God” into a poison, most insidious in its nature, and destructive both to soul and body. The distiller, the vender, and the consumer, encourage one another in this perversion of God’s gifts. And is this “receiving his gifts with thanksgiving?” Better, infinitely better, to cast them at once into the fire, and say unto the Almighty, “We have no need of these.” But the ingratitude does not stop here. When men, in abuse of the divine bounty, have made this poison, to give it currency, they call it one of the “creatures of God.” With as much propriety might they call gambling establishments and murderous weapons his “creatures.” But how awful the impiety of thus ascribing the worst of man’s inventions to the benevolent God!
For a man to persevere in making, selling, or using intoxicating liquor, as an article of luxury or living, while fully knowing its effects, and possessing the light providence has poured on this subject, is utterly inconsistent with any satisfactory evidence of piety. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” And what are his fruits. Why, as we have seen, he wilfully cuts short his own life, or the life of his neighbor; he wilfully impairs memory, judgment, imagination, all the immortal faculties, merely for sensual indulgence or paltry gain; he stupefies conscience, and cherishes all the evil passions; he prefers sordid appetite to pure spiritual enjoyment; he is the occasion of stumbling to those for whom Christ died, and of dark reproach on the church; he neglects the only means Providence has pointed out for saving millions from drunkenness and perdition; he wilfully encourages their downward course; he refuses the aid he might give to a great national reform; he lends his whole weight against this reformation; he is the occasion of offence, grief, and discord among brethren; he grieves the Holy Spirit; he robs the Lord’s treasury; he makes Christianity infamous in the eyes of the heathen; he disregards the plain spirit of the Bible; and, in fine, he perverts even the common bounties of Providence. Such are his fruits. And the man, surely, who can do all this in meridian light, while God is looking on, and widows and orphans are remonstrating, does not give satisfactory evidence of piety. He shows neither respect for God nor love to man.
Let conscience now solemnly review this whole argument by the infinitely holy law. Is it indeed right and scriptural to impair body and mind, to defile the flesh, cloud the soul, stupefy conscience, and cherish the worst passions? Is it right to bring occasions of stumbling into the church? Is it right to encourage drunkards; right to treat with contempt a great national reform? Is it right to offend such as Christ calls “brethren;” right to grieve the Holy Spirit, and hinder his blessed influence? Is it right to “consume on lust” what would fill the Lord’s treasury; and right to make religion odious to the heathen? Is it right to leave the land exposed to new floods of intemperance; to disregard the manifest lessons of God’s word and providence; and to convert food to poison? Is it indeed scriptural and right to sanction habits fraught only with wounds, death, and perdition? Can real Christians, by example, propagate such heresy?
Let it not be suggested that our argument bears chiefly against the excessive use of these liquors; for common observation and candor will testify that the moderate use of the poison is the real occasion of all its woes and abominations. Who was ever induced to taste, by the disgusting sight of a drunkard? Or wise ever became a drunkard, except by moderate indulgence in the beginning? Indeed, this habit of moderate drinking is, perhaps, tenfold worse in its general influence on society than occasional instances of drunkenness; for these excite abhorrence and alarm, while moderate indulgence sanctions the general use, and betrays millions to destruction. O never, since the first temptation, did Satan gain such a victory, as when he induced Christians to sanction everywhere the use of intoxicating liquor. And never, since the triumph of Calvary, has he experienced such a defeat as they are now summoned to accomplish. Let them unitedly pledge themselves against strong drink, and by diffusing light on this subject, do as much to expose as they have done to encourage this grand device of Satan, and mighty rivers of death will soon be dried up.
In this work of light and love, then, be generous, “be sober, be self-denying, be vigilant, be of one mind;” for the great adversary, “as a roaring lion, walketh about.” And possibly through apathy, or discord, or treason among professed friends of temperance, “Satan may yet get an advantage,” and turn our fair morning into a heavier night of darkness, and tempest, and war. But woe to that man who, in this day of light, shall wilfully encourage the exciting cause of such evils. And heaviest woe to him who shall avail himself of a standing in the church for this purpose. I hear for such a loud remonstrance from countless millions yet unborn, and a louder still from the throne of eternal Justice.
But “though we thus speak,” we hope better things, especially from the decided followers of the Lamb, of every name; “things which make for peace, things wherewith one may edify another, and things which accompany salvation” to a dying world.