Is Wine a Blessing? by John B. Gough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 24, 1878

Is Wine a Blessing?

By John B. Gough

I WISH to say that the clergymen of the Church of England are positively doing more for the temperance movement than Dissenters; and the same is true of their wives. I was invited to church with a clergyman who is now bishop of Carlisle, and we had a discussion for two hours. A titled lady was present, and she helped him. I was alone and had to bear the whole brunt of the battle in the Scriptural argument.

"The Bible permits the use of wine," said he.

"Very well," said I, "suppose it does."

"The Bible sanctions the use of wine."

"Very well, suppose it does."

"Our Saviour made wine."

"I know he did."

"Why, we thought you were prepared to deny this."

"I do not deny it. I can read."

"Wine is spoken of in the Bible as a blessing."

I replied, "There are two kinds of wine spoken of in the Bible."

"Prove it."

"I do not know that I can, but I will tell you what it is, the wine that is spoken of as a 'blessing' is not the same that is a 'mocker,' and the wine that is to be drunk in the kingdom of heaven cannot be the wine of the wrath of God. So that, although I cannot prove it learnedly, I know it is so."

Now, there are others who go farther than I can go, but you will please let me go just as far as I can understand it, and if I cannot go any farther, don't find fault with me.

I hold that the Bible permits total abstinence; and I would rather search the Bible for permission to give up a lawful gratification for the sake of my weaker-headed brother, who stumbles over my examples into sin, than to see how far I can follow my own propensities without committing sin and bringing condemnation upon any one's souls

Another gentleman who came to me for a long talk, said, "I have a conscientious objection to teetotalism, and it is this: our Saviour made wine at the marriage at Cana in Galilee."

"I know he did."

"He made it because they wanted it."

"So the Bible tells us."

"He made it of water."

"Yes."

"Then he honored and sanctified wine by performing a miracle to make it. Therefore," said he, "I should be guilty of ingratitude, and should be reproaching my Master."

"Sir," said I, "I can understand how you should feel so; but is there nothing else you put by, which our Saviour has honored?"

"No, I do not know that there is."

"Do you eat barley bread?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't like it."

"Very well, sir," said I, "Our Saviour sanctified barley bread just as much as he ever did wine. He fed five thousand people with barley loaves manufactured by a miracle. You put away barley from the low motive of not liking it. I ask you to put away wine from the higher motive of bearing the infirmity of your weaker brother, and so fulfilling the law of Christ." I wish to say that that man signed the pledge three days afterwards.—John B. Gough.