Social Wine Drinking

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 4, 1877

Social Wine Drinking.

At an Episcopal convention a discussion on temperance brought up the wine “question.” A part of the clergy advocated its entire disuse, and a part took the other side. At length an influential clergyman rose and made a vehement argument in favor of wine, denouncing the radical reformers for attempting to banish this token of hospitality from us. When he had resumed his seat, a layman, trembling with emotion, rose, and asked if it was allowable for him to speak. The chair having signified that he would be heard, he said:—

“Mr. Moderator, it is not my purpose in rising to answer the learned arguments you have just listened to. My object is more humble, and I hope more practical. I once knew a father in moderate circumstances who was at much inconvenience to educate a beloved son at college. Here this son became dissipated; but after he had graduated and returned to his father, the influence of home acting upon his generous nature, actually reformed him. The father was overjoyed at the prospect that his cherished hopes of other days were still to be realized.

“Several years passed, when, the young man having completed his professional study and being about to leave his father for the purpose of establishing himself in business, he was invited to dine with a neighboring clergyman distinguished for his hospitality and social qualities. At this dinner wine was introduced, and offered to this young man and refused; pressed upon him, and again firmly refused. This was repeated, and again firmly refused. This was repeated, and the young man was ridiculed for his singular abstinence. He was strong to overcome appetite, but could not resist ridicule; he drank, and fell; and from that moment became a confirmed drunkard, and long since has found a drunkard’s grave.

“Mr. Moderator,” continued the old man, with streaming eyes, “I am that father;” and it was at the table of the clergyman who has just taken his seat, that his token of hospitality ruined the son I shall never cease to mourn.”