Prohibition and the Bible and Prohibition and Politics.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1614, 29 November 1905, Page 2

Prohibition and the Bible and Prohibition and Politics.

[(To the Editor Gisborne Times, Sir,—Two letters under the above head, ings have appeared im your repent issues signed W. L. Rest. On perusiog the first it appeared to me it could only have emanated from’one accustomed to hairsplitting arguments onlegal technicalities. Although the word ‘‘ prohibit ” may not appear in the'ten commandments given from Mount Sinai, there are nine " shah nots” as in the first prohibition order in the garden of Eden. W.L.R. appears not to have perused the books on Soripture wines written by the eminent Greek scholars’ Ft R. Lees, L L.D., and Dawson Burns, D.D. They inform us there were distinctly two kinds of wine spoken of in the' Bible, named, Tirosh and yayin, the one-always spoken of as a blessing and the other a curse, and wine iu the cluster is spoken of, and suoh was referred to in the case of Pharaoh in- Joseph’s history. In Proverbs 20 and 23 the effects of intoxicating wine are described as being similar to what is experienced at the present day. Alcoholic liquor iu its deplorable effects on humanity is the same in all ages, and always must be so. It is simply marvellous how any can he“ so blinded as not to be willing to admit its. terrible effects amongst young[and old ; few families escape its blighting influences, Ab to the lessening the influence of ministers joining*, in the no-license crusade, John Wesley stated in his day that those engaged in supplying spirituous liquors were poisoners generally of His Majesty’s subjects, driving them to hell, like‘sheep, and that the ouree of God was ~ oh all their wea'tb. Habakuk, 216, states: ■

<• Woa unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that putteth the bottle to his mouth and maketh him drunken also.” As to tbo miracle at Capernaum, I think it blasphemy to assume,that that wide jvaa capable of produoing drunkenness and vile language such as proceeds from drunken people. And in reference to the passover supper, a Rabbi in England in« formed me the liquor obtained from boiled raisins he administered, as noth--ing leavened or fermented was allowed To prevent the liability to injure weaker brethren, many Christian Churches [use only unfefmented wines. As to the 11th Commandment, that is recorded iu John’s Gospel, 18, 34, “ A new Commandant I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you,” (self-denial is insisted on in this command). Iu tbp‘latter on politics the reasoning is very illogioal. He entirely ignores the fact that there must be a majority of three-fifths of the voters ere the present licensing system oan be altered, and the two-fifths minority waai to compel submission to th'cir views. Tba| interruptions to Mr Lyenar’s meetings did j not emanate from the No-Lioense League. Evidently many feel disgusted with the exhibition of bo much egotism arid tautology, and act independently iu showing it, —I am, etc., J. PECKOVER. Gisborne, 28th November, 1905.