Chapter 4—Cider
Testimonies for the Church 5:354-361
We are living in an age of intemperance, and catering to the appetite
of the cider-bibber is an offense against God. With others, you have
engaged in this work because you have not followed the light. Had
you stood in the light, you would not, you could not, have done this.
Every one of you who has acted a part in this work will come under
the condemnation of God, unless you make an entire change in your
business. You need to be in earnest. You need to commence the work
at once to clear your souls from condemnation.... After you had taken
a decided stand in opposition to active participation in the work of the
temperance societies, you might still have retained an influence over
others for good, had you acted conscientiously in accordance with the
holy faith which you profess, but by engaging in the manufacture of
cider, you have hurt your influence very much; and what is worse, you
have brought reproach upon the truth, and your own souls have been
injured. You have been building up a barrier between yourselves and
the temperance cause. Your course led unbelievers to question your
principles. You are not making straight paths for your feet; and the
lame are halting and stumbling over you to perdition.
I can not see how, in the light of the law of God, Christians can
conscientiously engage in the raising of hops or in the manufacture of
wine or cider for the market. All these articles may be put to a good
use, and prove a blessing; or they may be put to a wrong use, and
prove a temptation and a curse. Cider and wine may be canned when
fresh, and kept sweet a long time; and if used in an unfermented state,
they will not dethrone reason. But those who manufacture apples into
cider for the market are not careful as to the condition of the fruit used,
and in many cases the juice of decayed apples is expressed. Those
who would not think of using the poisonous rotten apples in any other
way, will drink the cider made from them, and call it a luxury; but
the microscope would reveal the fact that this pleasant beverage is
often unfit for the human stomach, even when fresh from the press.
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