Thou Shalt Not.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 480, 14 June 1890, Page 3

Thou Shalt Not.

The last half century has wrought transformations in social conduct which the parson (though he may not personally be able to apprehend its fulness except by observations taken within its later half) sees to have affected his own business more perhaps than that of any surviving profession or calling The changes I refer bo are chiefly to be seen in that sub - dividing of obedience which accompanies a multitude of sumptuary rules. These and the societies which display them (a post seldom passes without depositing the prospectus of some new association in my letter box) aro intended in all good faith to promote righteousness, bub in some instances inevitably provide fresh occasion for offence. Like the ‘mixed multitude’ which (according to the sacred records) accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt, an insistent crowd of irregular regulations follow tho leading decrees of the Divine Legislator. The moral law is hustled by a mob of importunate ceremonies. It would seem that wo are relapsing into the minuteness of Mosaic economy. The Social Ordinances of These Later Days put the Ten Commandments in tho shade. The negative character alone of these last seems to be retained. It is now (as of old) not * Thou shalt,’ bub ‘ Thou shalb not. ’ The ancient law departs, not to make room fora message of Christian freedom and individual responsibility, but because it is smothered under a heap of modern prohibitions. They say that the soldier’s ‘drill ’is beir.g simplified, and if so, I could wish that privates in the Church Militant were as fortunate as Tommy Atkins iii tins respect. The spectacle of eagerness tb’lay fresh sumptuary injunctions upon us (accentuated occasionally by the lamentations of a brat at seeing his father drink half a pint of ale) is, however, sometimes relieved by an incident such as the following, which I can relate from experience : —I was staying with A ‘Temperate’ Friend in the West of England, who one day was summoned from his luncheon to seo an unexpected ‘deputation.’ On his return to the dining-room with a smile on his face, I asked him what had caused it. He explained. The leader of the party (which was a teetotal one) had urged upon him that however occasionally it might be permitted there was no Scriptural ‘ recommendation ’ of alcohol. My friend demurred, remarking that St. Paul is recorded to have written to his young friend Timothy, * Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities.’ ‘Oh ! sir,’ replied the chief speaker, ‘ excuse me, bub the word is “used,” and means external application only.’ Picture a party sending the wine round in a basin, and a host saying, ‘ Fdl your sponges, gentlemen, let's have another dab.’ My friend forgot to ask whether this bidden use of wine barred the ‘outward’ employment of water. From ‘ Afterthoughts,’ in the ‘ Cornhill Magazine.’