ommon wine. The truth
is, _ardent spirits were not known until many centuries after Christ_:
not until the art of distillation was discovered, which was not
certainly earlier than the dark ages. _Not a word, therefore, is said in
the Bible concerning distilled spirits._ All its powerful descriptions
of drunkenness, and awful denunciations against it, were founded upon
the abuse men made of wine. How much louder its notes of remonstrance
and terror would have risen, had distillation thus early taught men how
to concentrate the poison, may be imagined by the reader.

After these statements, I trust none of those whom I address will any
longer resort to the Bible for proofs of a divine permission to
manufacture or use ardent spirits. But do the principles of the Bible
_condemn_ such use and manufacture?

What do you think of the golden rule of _doing unto others as we would
they should do unto us_? Should you suppose your neighbors were
conducting towards you according to this rule, were they unnecessarily
to pursue such a business, or to set such an example as would inevitably
lead any of your children or friends into confirmed drunkenness? If not,
then how can you, consistently with this rule, distil, use, or furnish
materials for the manufacture of ardent spirits, when you thereby,
directly or indirectly, render intemperate from two hundred thousand to
three hundred thousand of your fellow-citizens, and every year also
raise up new recruits enough to supply the dreadful ravages which death
makes in this army? This you are certainly doing; for were your
distilleries to stop, and you to stop drinking, few would become
drunkards, from want of the means.

How would you like to have your neighbors one after another break down
your fences, and turn their cattle into your corn-fields, cut down your
fruit and ornamental trees, set your house or barn on fire, and threaten
you with poverty and slavery? If you would not have your neighbor do
thus to you, provided he had the power, then how can you, by preparing
the food for intemperance, subject the property, the peace, the
morality, the religion, and the liberties of your country to those
dangers and fearful depredations which you are now inflicting upon her?

How would you like to have your neighbors, directly or indirectly, but
unnecessarily, cause the premature death of every fortieth of your
children and friends, and of one in three of those above the age of
twenty? I kno