A lecture on the harmony of teetotalism, with the divine word : as expressed in the authorized version of the Bible (with answers to several objectors) / abridged from the works of Dr. Lees, and printed for general circulation.

  • Frederic Richard Lees
Date:
[between 1850 and 1859]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A lecture on the harmony of teetotalism, with the divine word : as expressed in the authorized version of the Bible (with answers to several objectors) / abridged from the works of Dr. Lees, and printed for general circulation. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Rechabites. Judg. i. 10. Enoch xviii. 9. 1 Chron. ii. 55 2 Kings x. 15. 1 Sam- xv. 6. Judg. iv. 16,17 I! Rechab signifies ‘ a rider.’ Prof. Noyes. ♦ Jer. xxxy, 26 As Confucius lias said, “Heaven shortens not the life of man; it is man himself who does it by his own vices.” Ancient, as well as modern times, have presented ample proof of this,—proofs known to the Prophets as to the sons of Jonadab. The Bible, indeed, contains one of the most noteworthy illustrations of the connexion between temperance and prolonged national existence, which is to be found in all history. I allude to the Rechabites,—an Arabian and nomadic tribe, earnest seekers after truth, and proselytes to the Jewish religion, having renounced the stupid idolatry of their country for the worship of the invisible and true God. They wTere a peaceable and quiet people; not without bravery, as evinced in their expulsion of a degra¬ ding and cruel idolatry from the land; and possessed of great firm¬ ness of purpose and moral persistency, as evidenced by their respectful but unhesitating refusal to drink wine even when offered by a prophet. In brief, they were a very favorable specimen of Arabian character, and, as distinguished horsemen, may be regarded as the Chivalry of the Wilderness. || About three hundred years before the time of Jeremiah, Jonadab had renewed and amended the laws of the tribe. Anxious for the preservation of the people,—and knowing that they only re¬ mained in Canaan by permission, as friends and allies of Israel,—he adopted every precaution to keep them peaceful and obedient, and to exclude the growth of avarice and luxury. He commanded them to continue that nomadic and simple mode of life which they had prac¬ tised for ages,—to dwell as heretofore in tents, lest the acquiring of fixed property should generate an attachment that might bring them into conflict with the permanent proprietors of the soil or excite cu¬ pidity in others,—to abstain from that drink which is ‘raging/ lest it should breed quarrels, 'and from vintage fruit lest it should foster luxury, or, in some of its forms, thro ignorance and mistake, lead to the use of the fermented kinds of wine. They did this, that they might ‘ live long in the land/—on which passage Noyes says— “ These words seem to indicate the main purpose of the regulations of Jonadab, the son [i. e. descendant] of Rechab ... Their observance, would, he supposed, keep them on good terms with the Jews, as they would have fewer possessions to excite envy, ... and would possess more self-command, and more caution in avoiding quarrels.” s The interview between Jeremiah and the Rechabites temporarily dwelling at Jerusalem, is very instructive. He takes them into the house of Jehovah, and sets before them, to test their fidelity, pots full of wine. He does not tempt them. Neither the plea of argument, nor the pressure of Divine c authority/ is applied. He regards their refusal to drink as a virtue. Jeremiah, it appears, dare no more have given wine to them than to the Nazarites, on his own responsibility. The kind of wine we may assume to have been proper, such as was provided for the temple-service: a wine that might be innocently drank by men in general, tho not by the Rechabites. The Prophet received an express command before venturing even to offer wine to these abstainers;—but he is not authorized to say anything in favor of the wine, or against the practice of the sons of Jethro. There is no intimation that God desires them to drink. It is merely the man Jeremiah that speaks:— “ I said to them—Drink ye wine! But they said, We will not drink wine” The answer was deemed sufficient by the prophet, accompanied as it was by a reference to the noble purpose and venerable origin of