The bases of the temperance reform: an exposition and appeal./ With replies to numerous objections. By Rev. Dawson Burns.

I32 Scriplure aind ilic the Yc a tp itct C csl/iiotz.
to such a creature as man." * \What we do know is that
God has been pleased in the Scriptures to supply such
intimations upon this subject, by narrative, by description, by proverb, and by general principles, as are amply
sufficient to guide men to a correct opinion and a wise
decision; and it is exceedingly doubtful, had he done
otherwise, and had still more precise directions been
afforded, whether the world would have been more convinced and more obedient. Do we not see now that the
nearest approach to a positive injunction, " Look not
upon the wine," etc., is qualified and attenuated by persons professing profound reverence for the Divine Word,
but who are unwilling to cast away the wine " when it is
red, and when it gives its bubble in the cup"? And,
further, may not the same objection be brought against
every form of Christian belief, that if God had willed men
to adopt it, he would have revealed it so plainly that none
could have <ailed to discern it?. Each church replies:
"There was good reason, doubtless, for not doing what is
thus demanded, and what is revealed is sufficient for the
purpose "-and with this reply, the objector against the
total abstinence principle must be content, unless he is
prepared to maintain that all who differ from him, even
upon religious questions, are hypocrites or fools.
3. It may be said " hat had total abstitzefzce been zn accordance wizh Scrz3tzre, it z's exlrenzely imirobable thzat thzs accordanzce wozzid have been overlooked by so overwhelminz, a
nmajorzily of good and devoutlfersonsfroni the earliest linzes."
But, strange as this may seem, it is not stranger than the
indisputable fact, that both the text and sense of many
passages of Scripture have been misunderstood by the
multitude of believers. How few doubted, until modern
times, that Scripture sanctioned slavery and the government of the many by the few, not to speak of numerous
* Analogy, part ii. c. 8.