The Rise of the Temperance Movement - John Wesley

Hello and Greetings,

I am John Wesley.  If you'd like to know a little bit more about my life on earth, take a look at my Wikipedia entry locate here.  Today I want to talk to you about my views on alcohol and temperance.

In my sermon talking about "the right use of money" (Sermon 50) I make reference to those who make money by selling alcohol:

Neither may we gain (money) by hurting our neighbour in his body. Therefore we may not sell anything which tends to impair health. Such is, eminently, all that liquid fire, commonly called drams or spirituous liquors. 

It is true, these may have a place in medicine; they may be of use in some bodily disorders; although there would rarely be occasion for them were it not for the unskillfulness of the practitioner. Therefore, such as prepare and sell them only for this end may keep their conscience clear. But who are they Who prepare and sell them only for this end? Do you know ten such distillers in England? Then excuse these.

But all who sell them in the common way, to any that will buy, are poisoners general. They murder His Majesty's subjects by wholesale, neither does their eye pity or spare. They drive them to hell like sheep. 

And what is their gain? Is it not the blood of these men Who then would envy their large estates and sumptuous palaces A curse is in the midst of them: The curse of God cleaves to the stones, the timber, the furniture of them. The curse of God is in their gardens, their walks, their groves; a fire that burns to the nethermost hell! Blood, blood is there: The foundation, the floor, the walls, the roof are stained with blood! And canst thou hope, O thou man of blood, though thou art "clothed in scarlet and fine linen, and farest sumptuously every day;" canst thou hope to deliver down thy fields of blood to the third generation Not so; for there is a God in heaven: Therefore, thy name shall soon be rooted out. Like as those whom thou hast destroyed, body and soul, "thy memorial shall perish with thee!"

It should be noted - I do not hate "wine" in and of itself.  Christ Himself gave us wine in order to remember Him as I've noted in my journal entries on numerous occasions:

It is not Prohibition that I seek - it is temperance and self-control in all of life's pleasures.

Although this was written long after my time on earth,  the movement I founded created a political movement and with it a whole series of songs and poems to encourage humanity to stay away from the scourge of alcohol.  Let's close off by singing one of those songs I think we can all support titled "King Alcohol".  Here are some song sheets: