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THE TEMPERANCE WORK

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1879

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 54, No. 16.

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THE TEMPERANCE WORK

By N. N. Andrews

AMONG THE S. D. ADVENTISTS OF AMERICA.

The Seventh-day Adventists believe that the advent of Christ will soon take place, and that all men should keep the commandments of God. Like Paul, they preach righteousness, temperance and the Judgment to come. Acts 24 : 25. Righteousness, according to St. John, is right doing. 1 John 2 : 29 ; 3 : 7. In the Judgment to come, God will decide on all human conduct, and on every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Eccl. 12 : 13, 14.
Temperance is a Christian virtue strongly insisted on in the New Testament. Paul calls it one of the fruits of the Spirit. Gal. 5 : 22. According to St. Peter it is one of the graces of the Spirit, which we are to use all diligence in acquiring. 2 Pet. 1 : 6. Temperance is well defined by St. Paul when he says, Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10 : 31 ; and again when he says, But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection ; lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Cor. 9 : 27, and also when he says, They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal. 5 : 24.
These passages show that to be temperate men we must govern our appetites and passions by the principles of the New Testament. We must eat and drink to the glory of God. To do this we must use with moderation such things as are beneficial to man, and must abstain wholly from those things which are injurious to him. We cannot use to the glory of God any hurtful thing, and those things which God has designed for man’s good must be used within the limits of man’s wants. Christian temperance therefore consists in the moderate and reasonable use of that which is good, and in total abstinence from that which is injurious and evil.
We cannot be moderate in the use of evil things. It was intemperance, on the part of Eve, to even taste the forbidden fruit. To be temperate we must govern our appetites. These principles are sustained both by reason and by the Scriptures. But it is evident that many, who consider themselves patterns of temperance, have no just idea of what constitutes this excellent virtue.
The attention of the Seventh-day Adventists has in the providence of God been particularly called to this subject. Believing that the Judgment of the great day is at hand, they have felt it to be of the highest importance to study the Scriptures with respect to a preparation for that event. They have sought to take just and reasonable views of their teachings on this subject. They have not overlooked those passages which relate to the work of God’s grace in the heart, and they have also given attention to those passages which teach us the necessity of governing the appetites and passions. They have learned that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. 1 Cor. 3 : 16, 17 ; 6 : 19, 20.
They have clearly seen that men cannot use to the glory of God that which destroys the nervous system, and for this reason they have wholly discarded the use of tea and coffee. Many who used these things to relieve sick headache and nervous diseases, have been surprised to find that these difficulties disappeared soon after they had wholly ceased to use these stimulants, and thus they learned that the supposed remedy for these diseases was the real cause of their existence.
The Seventh-day Adventists believe the use of tobacco a great evil in the sight of God and man. They therefore bear an outspoken testimony against its use in any form. They also consider it a great wrong to use as beverages any liquor capable of producing intoxication. They understand that there is but one safe ground to occupy with respect to such things, and that is total abstinence. The great army of drunkards is recruited from the ranks of moderate drinkers, but never is a recruit drawn from the ranks of those who totally abstain. The entire denomination takes the highest temperance ground, and this has been their position always.
Recently a new interest has been awakened on this subject among our people at Battle Creek, Michigan. To extend these principles everywhere, a general temperance society has been formed, and agents have been appointed to carry forward this work in other countries. The members of this society solemnly pledge themselves before each other that they will abstain from the use of these hurtful things. Regular meetings of this society are held from time to time, and many persons are taking a deep interest in the temperance work.
The state of things on the continent of Europe calls loudly for earnest effort in behalf of temperance reform. Tobacco and wine or beer are used everywhere and by all classes. If any person thinks that God is glorified by these things, let him pass the drinking saloons and listen to the revelry of the drinkers. Those who resort to these evil places, contracted the appetite for strong drink at the table of their own parents.
It must be evident to any person who will consider these things that both by precept and example we should cast our influence against the use of spirituous liquors, and we earnestly invite the readers of this journal to unite with us in the effort to rescue our fellow-men from the evils of intemperance. N. N. ANDREWS.
Bâle, Suisse, Aug. 31, 1879.