AN INTERESTING CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 93, 28 July 1910, Page 7

AN INTERESTING CASE.

To the Editor. Sir, —An anonymous 1 total abstainer asta nie a question as to the above; did the doctor prescribe whisky or food 'for tiiu old lady under consideration'.' 1 understand lie said that sue might have wliat she liked, as it would make no difference. I am .further told that she had whisky occasionally. I did not claim this as the cause of her wonderful recovery, hut pointed out that although in the habit of using these two beverages l'or a long course of years, this nauit had not, undermined her constitution, as it undoubtedly would have done had they been poisonous, as teetotallers untruthfully state them to be. But I kept a relative alive for weeks ou nothing but brandy and wine, under the doctor's oldies, administered every half hour—if your correspondent wishes for int'or,'nation of that sort. His argument as to new discoveries is quite beside tiie mark. Alcoholic drinks are at leasi as old as the Fiood, and were not only permitted, but their use was enjoined by the Divine Law given by' Moses. Tliey also received the sanction of our Lord Hiimself, who not only made a few barrels of wine in His first miracle, to set f»rtih His glory; but by customary drinkiing earned the name of wine-bibber as He tells us; and' also in one of His parables describes His Father as engaging in the business of wine growing as| a landlord. Hence it follows that if this new Ifanglcd theory is correct,—as to alcohol being a poison—the Almighty is .placed in the position of a public poisoner. This is the logical outcome of this false teaching, and no special pleading as | to modern inventions and discoveries will chajige the position. Either pironibitionists are wrong or the Scriptures are I false, for most of them will agree with me hi repudiating the idea Unit the Creator has made a . mistake. Science, with all its wonderful discoveries, lias not touched the field of ethics. What was right and wrong at the dawn of history still retain their character. A breach of the eighth commandment was then stealing, and so it is today, even if perpetrated by a majority vote of any size. Hence if we steal the business or property of our neighbours through the ballot box it is still a theft, and as national sins beget national punj islunents, so surely will this local option movcmonl bring God's curse in its train jif canned into effect. Doing evil that good may come will bring is condemnation on a country as well as on individuals. Teetotalism has already brought hitter results in the decadence of the spiritual life of the community, and if carried to the natural extent of its devotees' wishes, will as certainly bring national punishment. "A fruitful land maketh He barren for the wickedness of them that dwell therein;" and it is as easy 'for Providence to punish us A? we fall into this sin of prohibition as it has been for those of Finland who passed a similar law. or those of the I United States, whose condition from a j moral and religious point of view is ■now so lamentable. It is because T would urge well-menning people to nause ,uiu *tudv (tod's Word on this subject, and retrace their wav to the old paths of Christianity that T write ou this matter with so much feeling.—l am. etc., B. ENROTH.