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Temperance in the Home

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 20, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 25.

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Temperance in the Home

By Augusta C. Bainbridge

AUGUSTA C. BAINBRIDGE
“Wine is a mocker,” says the Word of God.
“No, indeed,” says the would-be scientist, “wine is a stimulant, a tonic, a food.”
Which is true? May we know?
A mocker is one who pretends to be what he is not, even though it be only for an hour, or an instant.
Wine, or any fermented liquor, is a mocker, because it pretends to be a tonic, a food, when it is not. Any one who is deceived by the pretense surely is not wise. A wise, sensible person should detect the deception. Any one who is wise will see that wine is not what it pretends to be.
How does wine accomplish this deceit, and mock a tonic so closely that seemingly wise men are deceived? They are not wise, for the Good Book says, “Whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
A wagon needs a brake, to make it move slowly, or stop. A wagon also needs a whip, to make it move faster, or hurry. The human body is much like a wagon; for we have brake-nerves (inhibitors) and whip-nerves (accelerators). When our brake-nerves are in good order, we can move slowly, more slowly, yes, we can stop at any time. When our whip-nerves are in good order, we can move fast, faster, yes, we can hurry, at any time.
Here is the father's precious opportunity. As he takes his boy with him to harness the horses, to grease the wagon, to load or unload, or to drive, he can unmask the “mocker,” and show how foolish is the man who does not agree with the Word of God.
When a person takes a drink of wine or anything that has alcohol in it, he thinks faster, talks faster, can work faster for a time.
“Surely he is better for the wine,” says the deceived man.
“Yes,” says the father to his boy, “he is just as much better as this wagon is better when it has a weak or broken brake; for the wine has weakened the power of the brake-nerves, and the poor man can not help thinking fast, talking fast, or working fast. He is like our wagon when it ran so fast down-hill, the other day. It could not help going fast. It had to go fast. It could not go slowly, and if I had not turned the horses up the hill, we might all have been killed before I could stop to fix it. Is our wagon any better for having a broken brake? Would that be in its favor if I wanted to sell it?”
“Why, no, father, but why does alcohol affect the brake-nerves first?”
“Because they are the most sensitive nerves of the body. Their substance is largely water, and alcohol has a great affinity for water.”
Then this wise father who knows that “wine is a mocker,” and who is not “deceived thereby,” takes opportunity that very evening while the impression is still on the boy’s mind to show him by two simple experiments this great fact.
Experiment—No. 1
Pour a little water in a saucer; color the water a little, if you wish to; pour a little alcohol over or around it, and then watch it.
Experiment—No. 2
Wet a cloth with water,—a piece of muslin about six inches square,—then take a match and try to light the cloth and make it burn. Then dip it into alcohol, or pour alcohol over it. Now try your match, and see the difference.
San Francisco, Cal.