72. Intoxicating Wine at the Lord's Supper

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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“G. H. S.” We have looked through the lecture which you have so kindly sent us; and we have only to say that we believe the principle of it is utterly false, and some of its statements most reprehensible. We dare not transfer to this page the epithet which the lecturer ventures to bestow upon the cup in the Lord's Supper, in cases where fermented liquor is used. We can only marvel at the temerity of the man who could use such language. He would rather urge upon us to partake in one kind, or not to partake at all, than that we should use fermented liquor. Now, dear friend, we feel called upon to express our most decided condemnation of such teaching. We firmly believe that the wine spoken of throughout the Holy Scriptures was intoxicating. To adduce proofs would fill a volume. Various cases are recorded in the Old Testament, in which persons experienced and exhibited the intoxicating effect of wine. And the precepts of the New Testament distinctly imply the same thing. “Be not drunk with wine” would be pointless, if wine were not intoxicating. But we would ask you, dear friend, where is there any authority in Scripture for singling out any one creature of God, and calling upon people to make a vow against touching it? We read in Scripture, that “Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Tim. 4:4, 54For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:4‑5).) Timothy was exhorted by the inspired apostle to “use no longer water, but take a little wine, for his stomach's sake, and his frequent infirmities.” Ought he to have refused the apostle's advice, because many were in the habit of over-indulging in drink? We might as well say that it is wrong to eat a morsel of meat, because there are gluttons in the world; or to have a shilling in one's purse, because there are misers in the world. You are aware, dear friend, that we have recently ventured to give full expression to our judgment on the subject of the use of stimulants; but in doing so, we took care to guard against the idea that we were writing in defense of the principle of total abstinence. We are anxious that Christians should exercise godly care and self-control, in reference to the use of stimulants; but we utterly repudiate the principle set forth in this lecture; and, as you have sent it to us, we feel called upon to give you our judgment plainly, lest our silence should be regarded as a proof of our sympathy with its sentiments.