STRONG DRINK by John G. Matteson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 16, 1876

STRONG DRINK.

By John G. Matteson

The use of strong drink is one of the greatest curses under which the human race is suffering. The evils produced thereby cannot be calculated. Strong drink does neither satisfy hunger nor quench thirst. It irritates the nerves and stupefies the brain. Men live longer and far happier without it.

Many insist that it is right to use strong drink moderately. But we have seen many sad instances of this moderate drinking. It creates strife and envying, and excites the baser passions.

No man becomes a drunkard at once. This degree in the school of King Alcohol is not reached except through some education. Men advance by degrees in said school. At first they use strong drink as a medicine, then from desire, and at last as slaves of a destructive habit. Yet every drunkard praises the qualities of strong drink; for what a man loves he will also speak well of.

We do not desire to extend our hand of fellowship to those who continue to use strong drink, after they have been enlightened and warned. We would rather be delivered from members in our church who love strong drink more than they love God and his word and church. Those who do not love the fellowship of the children of God more than their carnal desires would do well to separate from the congregation. Especially is this sin increased in the eyes of the public when such people drink in saloons.

It is said that the word of God recommends strong drink. There is but one place in the Bible where this is the case, and that is under peculiar circumstances. “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish.” Prov. 31:6. When a person is near dying from some peculiar cause, for instance, being bitten by a poisonous serpent, strong drink may perhaps sometimes be useful. But in general the word of God condemns the use of strong drink.

The Israelites did not drink wine or strong drink during their forty years’ journeyings in the wilderness, which was a type of the children of God under the new covenant. Deut. 29:6; 1 Cor. 10:11. The children of God are still pilgrims and strangers in the earth, as they seek the heavenly country. Heb. 11:13–16. The Lord gave his people manna from heaven and water from the flinty rock. Their clothes did not grow old, neither did their shoes wear out. The Lord can still forgive all our iniquities, and heal all our diseases. Ps. 103:3. But many have more confidence in strong drink than in the blessed gospel of Christ.

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Prov. 20:1. “Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” Prov. 23:31, 32. Sweet, unfermented wine, which can be preserved like canned fruit, is a wholesome drink. But when it moves or sparkles in the cup, it is fermented. It is strong drink, the use of which should be shunned as one would shun the sting of a serpent. The Bible does not say, Be moderate. Don’t drink too much. Be careful you do not get drunk when you use it. No! It says, Look not upon it. Flee from it as you would from a serpent. At the last it is a strong poison.

Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babblings, wounds without a cause, red eyes, and poverty? “They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.” Prov. 23:29, 30. Red eyes and dim eyes, as well as red noses, are the heritage of those who use strong drink.

“Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink.” Isa. 5:22. The woe or curse of God rests upon saloon-keepers and liquor-dealers. His blessing cannot follow those who visit saloons and keep up the liquor-traffic. “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” Verse 11. They have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel; “therefore their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust.” Verse 24.

The great day of the Lord draws nigh, when the curse shall utterly devour the earth. Then the joy of the harp shall cease, when the mirth of the land is gone, and there is a crying for wine in the streets. Then “they shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.” Isa. 24:6–11. Then the imagined blessings depart from them that use strong drink. Their strengthening drink is turned into bitterness and pain.

The prophet shows further that even some among the residue of God’s people will err through wine. “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.” Isa. 28:5–7. Surely, there is a strong call for Bible temperance in such an hour as this.

Of unfaithful ministers who do not lift up their voice against sin, but themselves partake in it, the man of God spoke thus: “His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. . . . Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.” Isa. 56:10–12.

Those people who love and use strong drink are best fitted for churches in which the minister and members can keep company, and be joyful together around tables laden with luxuries and wine.

The Lord warns us by the prophet Micah to tear loose from the corruptions and evil habits of this present world. “Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest; because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.” Micah. 2:10. He shows also that it will be a difficult matter for a strictly temperate man in those days to preach so as to please the people. “If a man walking in the spirit [Danish, walks after his own spirit] and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people. [Danish, he shall truly be one who can prophesy to please this people.]” Verse 11.

The angel of the Lord, announcing the birth of John the Baptist, said, “And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.” Luke. 1:14–16. If we have a part in the same work—the work of turning many to the Lord—it will also be safe for us to abstain from wine and strong drink.

Let us walk as the children of light. Let us watch and be sober, and thus wait for the coming of our Lord

JOHN G. MATTESON.

Ft. Atkinson, Wis.