ALCOHOLISM—ABSTINENCE

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

—Romans 13:13

74 “Get Me Out Of This!”

At the close of World War II, the Russians held a reception for Field Marshall Sir Bernard L. Montgomery. At the reception, he was awarded the Soviet Union’s Order of Victory. Vodka flowed freely at the function. Montgomery was surrounded by a score of imbibing, high-ranking Russian officers. Being a total abstainer, he was “on the spot.” He was embarrassed. Just then, General Dwight D. Eisenhower came near. In an undertone, Montgomery said: “Ike, get me out of this!” Ike came promptly to his aid. He explained that the British Marshall did not drink.

—Walter B. Knight

75 GI’s Prefer Coke

General Eisenhower is to be congratulated on his statement that the American fighting man calls for Coca Cola and not for the traditional “beer, beer, beer that makes you feel so queer.” The General in his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, also cited a poll he took of American troops after World War II landings in Italy as follows: “Instead of beer, they wanted Coca Cola, which was easy, because we could import the syrup and make it ourselves.”

—Watchman-Examiner

76 No Need To Say “Sorry”

The London Daily Mail has a regular feature called the Human Case Book, conducted by Ann Temple.

Here is a problem submitted to her:

“I am sixteen and have made up my mind not to drink, but people make it very hard for me to refuse. They keep on insisting and pressing, and some get scornful and angry if I say, ’I m sorry, I’d rather have an orangeade. ’ What’s the best way to refuse?—M.”

Here is the reply: “No need to say, ’I’m sorry. ’ You invite them to persuade you if you sound apologetic. All that is necessary is a ’Thank you; I only take soft drinks. ’ … If you can just hit the knack of being proud and glad and grateful for being able to hold on to your standards without being awkward or priggish or intolerant, you are just the nicest specimen of human being.”

—Maine Civic League Record

77 Senator Hatfield’s Testimony

Senator Mark Hatfield told me, and I have also seen him do it, that when he goes to social functions where hard liquor and wines are served, he turns his glass upside down. I have heard the master of ceremonies of a banquet tease him about it but there is no doubt that his testimony and influence against drinking has profound effect.

—Ministers’ Research Services

78 General Grant Leads the Way

General Grant was to be entertained at a banquet in the city of Houston, Texas. All that money could do to make the affair a success was done. The most notable men in the Lone Star State were present. After all were seated, the headwaiter approached the place where Grant was seated and was about to pour out the first glass of wine for the guest of the occasion. Quietly and unostentatiously Grant reached forward and turned his glass down. With the true spirit of Southern chivalry, every Texan present, in the same quiet manner, reached forward and turned his glass down, and for once in the history of banqueting in the Southwest a famous dinner was served without a drop of alcoholic liquor being drunk.

—H. L. Smith

79 Logical Toast In Japan

William J. Bryan, visiting Japan, attended a banquet given to the Admiral of the Navy. All present paid tribute to the Japanese naval leader. The time came to drink a toast. Those present lifted their champagne glasses, but there was a gasp of alarm as Mr. Bryan was seen to raise a glass of water. Someone grasped his arm and whispered that such a toast would be considered an insult. The great commoner was equal to the delicate situation. “You won your victories on water,” he said, turning to the admiral, “and I drink to your health in water; whenever you win any victories on champagne I shall drink your health in champagne.”

—Selected

80 First First Lady Who Refused

The first “First Lady” to go counter to the social custom of serving champagne and other wines at formal White House functions was the wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes, who, in fact, refused to serve any kind of alcoholic beverages.

“I have young sons,” she said, “who have never tasted liquor. They shall not receive, from my hand, or with the sanction that its use in my family would give, their taste of what might prove their ruin. What I wish for my own sons, I must do for the sons of other mothers.”

—Gospel Herald

81 God Will Help In Hongkong

In his book God will Help Me, Walter G. Swanson refers to the life of Robert Dollar. He writes:

“A keen-eyed young sea captain stood in the lobby of a large hotel in Hongkong conversing with an Englishman. “So you’ve come to do business in the Orient? Well, step into the bar and tell me about your plans.” “I’m sorry,” said the seaman, “but I never partake of alcoholic beverages.” The man’s florid face broke into an unbelieving smile. “Entering the Oriental trade without having a Scotch and soda?” “Yes, sir!” “Do you expect to be successful without taking your friends into a tavern for a drink? If you do,” he said with a cynical laugh, “God help you!” The young man replied, “God WILL help me.”” And he was right.

Years later, Robert Dollar stood on the 10th floor of the building that bore his name near San Francisco Bay. He was watching the workmen unload cargo from his freighters that had come from all over the world. Having avoided the pitfalls of liquor, he had indeed been richly blessed by the Lord.

—Our Daily Bread

82 A Promise Is A Promise To Lincoln

One day, President Abraham Lincoln was riding in a coach with a colonel from Kentucky. The colonel took a bottle of whiskey out of his pocket. He offered Mr. Lincoln a drink. Mr. Lincoln said, “No thank you, Colonel. I never drink whiskey.” In a little while, the colonel took some cigars out of his pocket and offered one to Mr. Lincoln. Again Mr. Lincoln said, “No, thank you, Colonel.” Then Mr. Lincoln said, “I want to tell you a story.”

“One day, when I was about nine years old, my mother called me to her bed. She was very sick. She said, ’Abe, the doctor tells me that I am not going to get well. I want you to be a good boy. I want you to promise me before I go that you will never use whiskey or tobacco as long as you live. ’ I promised my mother that I never would, and up to this hour, I kept this promise! Would you advise me to break that promise?”

The colonel put his hand on Mr. Lincoln’s shoulder and said, “Mr. Lincoln, I would not have you break that promise for the world! It is one of the best promises you ever made. I would give a thousand dollars today if I had made my mother a promise like that and had kept it like you have done. I would be a much better man than I am!”

—Martin M. Hyzer

83 Babe Ruth Against Beer

Babe Ruth was offered a good sum if he would allow himself to be photographed with a bottle of beer in his hand. The brewer wanted the picture for advertising purposes. It is said that Babe Ruth replied, “No, I have autographed too many baseballs of boys of America to think of helping advertise the sale of beer. Many of these boys regard me as a hero, and I’ll not do anything to lessen their esteem of me.”

84 When Saloon Keepers Capitulated

In 1873 a group of women at Hillsboro, Ohio, met and prayed and then read the 146th Psalm. Then they prayed and pleaded with the saloon keepers to give up their business. Church bells tolled simultaneously with the crusade of prayer and persuasion. On the second day one saloon keeper capitulated. He gave his entire stock to the women saying, “Do as you please with it.”

At the end of eight days, every one of the eleven saloons in the town closed. The brewers of Cincinnati offered $5,000 reward to anyone who would break up the movement. One unusually courageous male tried to do so. In four days he threw up his hands and surrendered to the women. This crusade of prayer and persuasion led to the formation in 1874 of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

85 Abstinence Without God Fails

The Hon. Thomas Marshall of Kentucky made a ten minutes’ speech in Broadway Tabernacle, saying, “were this great globe one chrysolite, and I offered the possession if I would drink one glass of brandy, I would refuse it with scorn. And I want no religion—I want the temperance pledge.” Then, with that wonderful voice of his, he thundered: “We want no religion in this movement; let it be purely secular, and keep religion where it belongs.”

Poor Tom Marshall, with all his self-confidence and energies, fell and died at Poughkeepsie in clothes given him by Christian charity.

86 Which Side Has God?

“Years ago, in a certain city of Texas visited by crusader Francis E. Willard, the leader of the saloon interests in a public speech made this boast: ’We are bound to win. We have the drinking men on our side; we have the foreigners on our side; we have money on our side—and money is a power, and don’t you forget it!

The following evening in the same city Frances Willard closed an eloquent public appeal for the home with these words: ’We are bound to win. We have the sober men on our side; we have the women on our side; we have God on our side—and God is a power, and don’t you forget it.”

—Living Church

87 Whiskey Queen Hates Whiskey

Damascus wine merchants selected 20-year-old Lamar Ouda as their whiskey queen. After presenting her with prize money, they were appalled to hear her announce: “I’ve never tasted the stuff in my life.” The merchants have now ruled that their next queen must produce a statement before entering the contest declaring not only that she drinks whiskey, but that she likes it.

88 Duke’s Fear Which Is Not Cowardice

No one had more courage than the Duke of Wellington, a man who brought more luster on the flag of England than any other man who has ever lived, and yet he was afraid of drink. On one occasion, when he was marching his victorious army across the Peninsula, he halted the whole army. Why? Simply because news had been brought to him that an immense store of Spanish wine lay directly in his line of march. He halted the whole victorious British Army until he had sent on his sappers to blow every single barrel to pieces.

—Sunday School Times

89 Charrington Gave Up Six Million Dollars

There died at the age of eighty-five a man who was well-known in London and throughout Great Britain as an apostle of temperance, partly because he gave up a fortune of six million dollars for conscience’ sake and for the sake of his fellow man.

Frederick N. Charrington was out one evening making a night of it with a group of friends. Strolling down one of London’s most notorious streets, a woman, ragged and pale, reeled out, her frail frame convulsed with sobs. She was clinging to a ruffian who was trying to shake her loose. “For God’s sake,” she cried, “give me a copper. I’m hungry, and the children are starving.” But the man clenched his fist and struck her to the ground.

Young Charrington and his friends rushed in to intervene and protect the woman. After the police had taken the couple away he happened to glance up at the illuminated sign over the saloon door, and there he read in letters of gold his own name—”Drink Charrington beer.”

“The message,” afterward wrote this young man, “came to me then as it had come to the Apostle Paul. Here was the source of my family wealth. Then and there I raised my hands to heaven, that not another penny of that tainted money should come to me, and that henceforth I would devote my life to fighting the drink traffic.”

—C. E. Macartney

90 The Beer Caps’ Error

The official state seal of Georgia shows three pillars supporting an arch of the Constitution, which are labeled “Wisdom,” “Justice,” and “Moderation.”

By mistake, the Crown Cork and Seal Company of Baltimore, which prints and furnishes the beer bottle caps to bottlers, printed the motto: “Wisdom,” “Justice,” and “Salvation.” For several years this error went unnoticed, then it was discovered by a reporter of the Evening Press and the printers assured the Malt Beverage Unit of the State Revenue Department that they would immediately correct the error.

—Now

See also: Purity of Life ; Separation, Worldly.