and, to decorate their tables with the deadliest of intoxicating poisons, and habitually to indulge themselves in the use of them, and no warnings shall be given, no reproofs shall be uttered, so long as they appear to be possessed of sufficient self-control, to be able to observe the decencies, and to discharge the common duties of civil life. To avoid the appearance of evil appears to be no part of Christian duty, in reference to the sin of Intemperance; but, although there is but a hair's breadth, between actual drunkenness, and the ultimate stage in what has been considered the path of moderate drinking, Christian professors have been allowed, without reproach, to proceed so far as to touch that very line; and, in some instances, have been permitted, while doing so, to retain the highest honours which the church has the power to confer. In some circles, the mere sight of a pack of cards has been almost sufficient to produce a thrill of pious horror; while, in those circles, it has been thought no violation of Christian consistency, to sit, hour after hour, around a table, covered with all kinds of intoxicating drink; and, to continue sipping the delicious poison, until, under its sensualising influence, all rational and improving converse has given place to what has been no better than profane jesting, or childish merriment. H It is not denied, that, in some Christian communities, when cases of intemperance have occurred, of so flagrant a character, as to force themselves upon public notice, the discipline of the church has been summoned to punish the transgressors; but any degree of inebriety short of that, which admits of no palliation, nor concealment, is usually treated, as the unintentional result of mere human infirmity, rather than as a criminal violation of clearly expressed law, or as a serious offence against the claims of Christian holiness. The truth is, we may surround ourselves with all the emblems of this idolatry-we may devote our money, most profusely, to uphold the authority of the drunken god-we may even pour forth the most extravagant libations to his ho nour, and all shall be considered as affording no just ground of exclusion from Christian privileges, so long as we take no part in those orgies, which delight the more devoted and enthusiastic of his worshippers. Thirdly. The general drinking customs of religious professors prove, that the infection of this evil has widely spread itself through the church. Through ignorance of their true nature, a Christian may use intoxicating liquors, for the purpose of quenching thirst, or of promoting his health and strength, though, in reality, they may produce entirely contrary effects. When thus ignorantly made use of, we are far from charging guilt upon the individuals who may so employ them: but how small a quantity of such liquors is thus consumed, compared with what is taken for mere self-indulgence, and unnatural excitement! The ordinary drinking usages of religious society differ very little from those of the irreligious. The church, in common with the world, has long adopted the irrational and dangerous custom, of connecting the use of strong drinks, with all the courtesies, and important circumstances of life. To say nothing of the practice of celebrating every joyous domestic event, by consuming an extra quantity of intoxicating liquor, it is a well-known fact, that even the respectable female members of Christian societies, who would shudder at the thought of giving any direct support to the cause of intemperance, will, nevertheless, partake of the strong-brandied wines of Spain and Portugal, during their morning visits, to each other, and thus become subject to such a state of animal excitement, as is not merely detrimental to purity of thought, and feeling, but absolutely destructive to the growth of Christian graces! At dinner parties, among those whose circumstances enable them to procure such means of self-indulgence, not content with malt liquors, whose strength is almost equal to that of unadulterated wines,* a variety of other intoxicating drinks must be introduced; and many a precious hour must be devoted to the drinking, and commending of articles, which but for ignorance, and sensuality, would, long ago, have been universally denounced, as the greatest destroyers of all good, and the most powerful incentives to all evil. Even the religious meetings, of those who minister in holy things, have been too generally desecrated by the presence of strong drinks. At the laying of the foundation stone of a sanctuary, for that Being, who has made it our duty, and the source of our greatest happiness to subject our animal nature to that which is rational and spiritual-at the dedication of such a sanctuary, when erected at the public appointment, or setting apart of an individual to the ministerial or pastoral office-in short, on almost every extraordinary occasion, when the ministers of Christ have been * See Brande's chemical analysis of alcoholic liquors : from which it appears, that ale contains as much alcohol as hock, nearly as much as tokay, and, within two or three parts out of a hundred, as much as many of the wines of France. assembled, the introduction of strong drinks has brought them down, from the position of severe, and self-denying reprovers of the vain, and luxurious, to that of self-indulgent imitators of a sensual, and an effeminate generation. It can never be pleaded, that the drinking of wines, whose potency is nearly equal to half the strength of ardent spirits,* is in any way necessary to the health of men, whose occupations rather demand a mild, and tranquillizing diet, than one of an exciting and inflammatory character. A desire to experience that particular kind of stimulation, the excess of which is actual drunkenness, is, without doubt, the prevailing reason, by which both the church and the world have been influenced, in using intoxicating drinks; and hence, they have become the object of attachment, and have had a value impressed upon them, in proportion as they have been found possessed of stimulative power.t * Brandy contains 53.39 parts out of the 100 of alcohol: Hollands, 51.60. Port, 23.48.: Madeira, 24.42. Marsala, 25.87. and Sherry, 19.83.-Brande's Chem. Anal. : †The argument, founded on the fact, that the ancient Jews occasionally drank the pure juice of the grape, when advanced in favour of the strong-brandied wines, in use in this country, is one of the strangest perversions of reasoning imaginable. It is in fact saying, that because they |