When the Puritans

set sail to Massachusetts, they had taken care to carry with them 42 tons

of beer (in contrast with 14 tons of water) and 10,000 gallons of wine.

When Prohibition became the law of the land in 1921, churches would requisition

sacramental wine.

In 1925, the

Department of Research and Education of the Federal Council of the Churches

of Christ reported that the withdrawal of wine on permit from bonded warehouses

for sacramental purposes amounted in round figures to 2,139,000 gallons

in the fiscal year 1922; 2,503,500 gallons in 1923; and 2,944,700 gallons

in 1924. There was no way of knowing what the legitimate consumption of

fermented sacramental wine was, but it is clear that the legitimate demand

did not increase 800,000 gallons in two years.

I share the

historical information to confirm the point of many in regard to alcohol:

although some Christians are against it; some Christians are not. Both

groups can find their statistics and their spokesmen. Both groups can

quote their Scriptures.

A well-known

Biblical expositor once told me that the strongest verse in the Bible

against drinking was Paul's advice to his young disciple, Timothy: "No

longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of

your stomach and your frequent ailments" (1 Timothy 5:23). The interpretation

of the verse goes something like this: Timothy was so acutely aware of

the dangers and detriment of fermented drink that Paul had to instruct

him specifically to take a little wine for medicinal purposes. I also

read that doctors made $40 million in writing prescriptions for whiskey

in 1928 alone, one of the 13 years of Prohibition in the United States.

So, let me

draw some conclusions for myself as I deal with the special referendum

scheduled for a vote for the city of Fayetteville residents come leap

year election day, November 7.

First, it has

been highly circulated that once liquor by the drink passes in Fayetteville,

we will attract better restaurants. Hogwash! Just look around Peachtree

City and count the number of "better restaurants." Not there.

If you want dinner for two at $100 a pop, take a nice drive to downtown,

midtown, Buckhead, or out of town.

Second, we've

heard that "fine" restaurants don't want to come to half- dry

Fayetteville because they can't make the big bucks. Hogwash! I heard from

a bird that Applebeeswithout a pouring license is one of the chain's biggest

money makers. And look who is moving in just down the streetRuby Tuesdays.

Question: Did these chains build hoping we would pass liquor-by-the-drink

or did they know they could make a lot of money with or without?

Third, have

you been reading about the teenagers getting killed on our highways? Question:

After attending the funeral of a precious teenager, could anyone go into

a secret ballot booth and vote for just one more ounce of alcohol to be

more available to our young people?

Fourth, do

opponents have the right to impose their sense of right and wrong on everyone

else? Yes! We did it in regard to Hooters. We also have the right to do

it on liquor-by-the-drink. Regretfully, only residents of the city of

Fayetteville qualify to vote in this election. Plus, residents will have

to vote at the old city Depot.

There is a

quality of life in Fayetteville much in demand. In part, it's because

of what we don't have and don't need. Let me urge Fayetteville residents

to make the extra effort to vote in this referendum and consider the big

picture. There's already enough beer and wine in Fayette County alone

to float the Mayflower.

Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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