THE GREAT REFORM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1046, 21 September 1911, Page 4

THE GREAT REFORM.

[Published by Arrangement.]

The Pious Liquor Traffic,

“ Prohibition is antagonistic to the teachings of the Bible which advises moderation in all things.” —Brewer’s Circular, 1911.

‘'When the devil was sick, the devil a saint would be.”—Old Proverb.

The Liquor Traffic—known and accursed by its fruits, is daring to appeal to Scripture in support of Continuance. We venture to think that it will not deceive even itself by such an appeal. It certainly will deceive no one else. It desires leave to'continue the business of making drunkards, blighting the minds and damning the souls of men. Last year it had 6000 first convictions. And now it appeals to the Bible for leave to keep on at this damnable business.

It is evidence of the desperation of its case when it tries to manufacture evidence out of the Bible for itself. What !! Appeal to Christian sentiment to bolster it up ? Christianity stands for the uplifting of human character. The Liquor Traffic everywhere stands for human degradation. We remember . our Lord’s warning addressed to those who made “ one of these little one’s to stumble.”

The liquor traffic is quite prepared to cause any number of those who have just stepped into manhood to stumble and fall so long as it gets their money. Will it be believed that the word “ moderation ” appears only once in the Authorised Version, and there it does not bear the meaning of moderation in drinking alcoholic poisons. The revisers very properly altered the word to “forbearance.” After this, we may expect anything that even looks like an argument.

The Trade holds as an article of faith that all men are gullible. Are You?