and wanton singing, universally prevailed extravagance it may be remarked, that in both among the clergy and laity."* Scotland, where the manners of the inmates The manners of the clergy in the four- of the monasteries were not so dissolute, teenth and fifteenth centuries, were extremely there was annually used in one Abbey, about gross and discreditable to the cause of re- nine thousand bushels of malt. It may be ligion. The luxury and intemperance of further noticed, that the nature of the the high dignitaries of the church, afforded revenues of these monastic establishments a pernicious example to its inferior officers, prompted to this excess. whose conduct is thus described by a modern Such were the luxurious habits of the historian. "The secular clergy, were no religious orders of these times, that it was. enemies to the pleasures of the table, and notorious that the best wines were to be some of them contrived to convert gluttony found at the houses of the priests. Hollinand drunkenness into religious ceremonies, shed remarks, "that the strongest wines" by the celebration of 'glutton-masses,' as used to be called “Theologicum ;" and the they very properly called them. These laymen, when they wished to spend a glutton-masses were celebrated five times a singularly jovial hour, used to send for wine year, in honour of the Virgin Mary, in this to the parson of the parish. "The Mermanner: Early in the morning, the people chant," says this distinguished writer, of the parish assembled in the church, loaded "would have thought that his soule should with ample stores of meats and drinks of all have gone streigtwaie to the divell, if he kinds. As soon as mass ended, the feast would have served them with other than the began, in which the clergy and laity engaged best."* with equal ardour. The church was turned At the commencement of the sixteenth into a tavern, and became a scene of ex- century, the influence of similar manners cessive riot and intemperance. The priests very generally displayed itself in most parts and people of different parishes entered into of the religious world. This corruption exformal contests, which of them should have tended not only to the people, but to their the greatest glutton-mass, i. e. which of religious instructors. them should devour the greatest quantities It is recorded of the people of Switzerof meat and drink in honour of the Virgin land, that "broils and conflicts, riot and Mary."+ debauchery, constituted their highest enjoy Sir John Chardin gives a lamentable ac-ments ;" and immediately afterwards the count of the state of the Christian churches same author adds,† "The wealth possessed about this period in Persian Georgia. "No by the convents led to the greatest corrupmen, says he, "are more addicted to beastly tion and excess, many of the clergy were drunkenness than the Georgians, in which wholly illiterate, others indulged in habits of filthy practices they indulge with more free-gaming, drinking, and swearing, and many dom, because it is so common, and not unblushingly lived in open concubinage.' looked upon as scandalous." The church- These occurrences took place previous to at the period of the Reformation.‡ men will be as drunk as others which nobody is offended, as being no more In the seventeenth century there is much than is generally practised, and as it were reason to believe, that the cause of religion authorized by custom, insomuch, that the suffered greatly, even in our own country, superior of the Capuchins assured me, that from the effects of intemperance. Yet at he had heard the Catholicos, or Patriarch, this period the profession of religion was of Georgia, say, that he who was not drunk very general, and fashionable vices of the at great festivals, such as Easter and Christ-age were discountenanced by the ruling aumas, could not be a good Christian, and thorities. Many excellent men, however, deserved to be excommunicated."+ made ineffectual efforts to remove this Similar practices appear to have existed national stain. One of the most prominent generally among Christians in those parts. appeals was the one entitled "The Blemish The Mingrelian Persians celebrated their of Government, the Shame of Religion, the principal religious festivals, by indulging in Disgrace of Mankind, &c., by R. Younge, their houses to great excess, both in eating London, 1658." This writer evidently and drinking. viewed intemperance as a great obstacle to the diffusion of religion, even in the Reformed Churches of England. The vices of the monasteries in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries are described as excessive. A principal cause of this excess The following extract from the parish originated, as has been noticed, in the case books of Darlington, is too interesting and of the Anglo-Saxons in the hospitality ob- illustrative to be omitted. Whether the served in these establishments, and the items in question, ought to be laid at the frequent and luxurious feasts held on par- door of the "ministeres," or what, perhaps, ticular occasions. As an instance of this Collett's Relics of Literature, p. 138. 1 Sir J. Chardin's Trave.s pp. 190-1. is, more probable, to the bibulous propensities of the parish officers, is a matter which the reader himself must determine. *Harrison apud Hollinshed, p. 166. + Zschokke's History of Switzerland, p. 175. Ibid. p. 173. But they amply prove how much the drink Philip Stubbs, a writer of the Elizabethan ing customs of the age were associated with age, strongly animadverts on the excesses more sacred matters, and create less surprise committed on these occasions. "In certain at the extent of intemperance, when it is towns," he remarks, "where drunken Bacperceived how intimately the practice of chus bears swaie against Christmass and drinking was connected with the offices of Easter, Whitsunday, or some other times, religion "A.D. 1639. (14 Charles I.) For Mr. Thompson, that preached the forenone and afternone, for a quarte of sacke, xiiiid. "A.D. 1650, (Commonwealth.) For sixe quarts of sacke to the ministere, when we had not a ministere, 9s. the churchwardens, for so they call them, of every parish, with the consent of the whole parish, provide half a score or twentie quarters of mault, whereof some they buy of the church stocke, and some is given to them of the parishioners themselves, every one conferring somewhat, according to his ability; which mault being made into very strong ale, or beer, is set to sale, either in the church, or in some other place assigned "A.D. 1691, (4 William and Mary) for to that purpose. Then, when this nippia pint of brandy, when Mr. George Bell | tatum, this huff cuppe as they call it, this preached here, ls. 4d. nectar of life, is set abroach, well is he that "When the Dean of Durham preached can get the soonest to it, and spends the here, spent in a treat with him, 3s. 6d. most at it, for he is counted the godliest "A.D. 1666, (6 Charles II.) For one quart of sacke bestowed on Mr. Jellett, when he preached, 2s. 4d. For a stranger that preached a dozen of man of all the rest, and most in God's ale, 1s. !!!"* favour, because it is spent upon his church 5. Religious festivals, although modified in forsooth. If all be true which they say, their character, have been encouraged since they bestow that money which is got therethe establishment of the reformed church. by, for the repair of their churches and The people who had long been habituated to chapels; they buy books for the service, meetings of this description, were not easily cupps for the celebration of sacrament, surdisposed to resign such popular means of plesses for Sir John, and such other necesenjoyment. Remains of these ancient cus-saries."* toms are now in existence. Selden was of opinion, that most of The distribution of gifts to the poor, was the ceremonies associated with the worassociated in former times with the church ship of the Roman Catholic church, establishment. At Whitsuntide, for instance, were derived from the ancient Saturnalia, a feast or holyday was given, and the stores or Feasts of Saturn. A good example of were provided from common contributions. the origin, together with some of the customs These feasts were arranged under the super-connected with these festive occasions, is intendence of the churchwardens, who found in the following description of St. afterwards delivered in a statement of their Martin's-day, generally called, Martinmass, accounts for the past year. They were or Martilmass. "This day is a great festival seldom concluded without exhibitions of on the continent; new wines then begin to gross intemperance. So usual was it to be tasted, and the hours are spent in carouscelebrate the festivals of the church with ing. An old author says, that the great strong drink, that even the names of the doings on this occasion almost throughout various ales were derived from the respective Europe in his time, are derived from an periods at which they were more particu- ancient Athenian festival observed in honour larly drunk. Thus our ancestors had their | of Bacchus, upon the 11th, 12th, and 13th "Church ales," their ،، Whitsun ales," | days of the month Anthesterion, corresand their "Easter ales," as well as many ponding with our November. Another says, others which it is not necessary to mention that the 11th month had a name from the in detail. ceremony of "tapping their barrels on it," "The Whitson ales," says a popular when it was customary to make merry. It writer, were derived from the agapai, is likewise imagined by Dr. Stukely, in his or love-feasts of the early Christians, and "Itinerary," concerning Martinsal-hill, were so denominated from the church- thus: "I take the name of this hill to come wardens buying, and laying in from pre- from the merriments among the northern sents also, a large quantity of malt, which people, called Martinalia, or drinking they brewed into beer, and sold out in healths to the memory of St. Martin, as the church or elsewhere. The profits, as practised by our Saxon and Danish anceswell as those from sundry games, there being tors, &c. &c.t then no poor-rates, were given to the poor, In some of the old church calendars the for whom this was one mode of provision, celebration of this day is thus made mention according to the Christian rule that all fes- of: "The Martinalia, a genial feast, wines tivities should be rendered innocent by are tasted of, and drawn from the lees; alms," &c.t Bacchus is the figure of Martin."+ *Surtees' Durham, vol. iii. pp. 365-6. * The Anatomie of Abuses. 1595. + Hone's Every Day Book, vol. i. p. 1471. "It is the day of Martilmasse, Cuppes of ale should freelie passe. |fairs now held in the kingdom are celebrated on saints days, and in many parts still retain These popular occasions originally estab- the name of wakes. Philip Stubbs affords lished as solemn observances, degenerated additional proof of the excesses committed into scenes of drunkenness and debauchery. at wakes. In speaking of "the manner of The one called Midsummer Vigils, or Vigil keeping of wakesses in England," he says, of St. John, comes under this description. they were "the sourcies of gluttonie and At these times bonfires were universally drunkenness," and adds, that " many spend made, a practice supposed by many to have more at these wakesses than in all the whole been a relic of heathen superstition. A year besides." How applicable is this remark creditable writer thus describes the excesses to our own times. which are common at this period. "This The eighteenth century may very approprivigil ought to be held with cheerfulness and ately be termed the dark age of Protestantism. piety, but not with such merriment as is Much of this lamentable decline may be shown by the profane lovers of this world, traced to the enervating influence of strong who make great fires in the streets, and drink. Members of the clergy were openly indulge themselves with filthy and un- addicted to intemperance: it need, therefore, lawful games, to which they added gluttony excite little surprise if the same vice was and drunkenness, and the commission of common among their parishioners. De many other shameful indecencies." + Foe writes in the following language :The country poor do by example live, * * * A drunken clergy, and a swearing bench, The wakes, so popular a means of amusement among the people of this country, are generally supposed to bear much similarity to the Agapæ, or love-feasts of the primitive Christians, and to have been founded on religious principles. It appears more probable, however, that they originated in some A principal cause of this ministerial laxity of the pagan rites of the heathens, a suppo- may be recognized in the gross habits which sition which is confirmed by Pope Gregory, many of them acquired during their residence in a letter addressed to Melitus, a British at the Universities. It was no uncommon abbot.+ the circumstance to witness the students at these duced the more lamentably injurious from the nature of the support by which it was countenanced. These transactions are so recent in their occurrence, and so amply referred to in contemporaneous works that it is unnecessary here to enter into any further detail respecting their progress and effects. The wakes, in primitive times, were held academies of learning, devoting that time to on the days of church dedications, or on the Bacchanalian excesses, which ought to have birth-days of the saints, to whose honour been employed in attention to study and these sacred edifices were dedicated. Like religious ordinances. Educated in such a other similar occasions, they were at first manner, it can excite little astonishment, conducted with solemnity and decorum. that habits of a similar character were folAccording to an old author, the people, on lowed by many of the clergymen in their the vigil of the saint, proceeded to parishes-and thus was an example introchurche with candellys burning, and would wake, and come toward night to church in their devocion; a practice in agreement with a canon established by King Edgar, whereby those persons who came to the church were ordered to pray devoutly, and not to betake themselves to drunkenness These sketches of intemperance, it is and debauchery, an enactment which strongly indicates the necessity for legal restriction. presumed, fully justify the following conThe author before quoted, proceeds as 1st. That Intemperance has in most ages follows:-" Afterwards the pepul fell to letcherie; and songs and daunces, with harp- of the world, been intimately associated ing and piping, and also to glotony and with the profession of religion; and, sinne; and so tourned the holyness to 2ndly. That the most disastrous effects cursydness; wherefore holy faders ordeyned have resulted from this association, among the pepull to leve that waking and to fast which we may include-laxity of church the eveyn, but it is called vigilia, that is discipline, deterioration of vital and personal waking, in English, and eveyn, for of eveyn piety; and, as a consequence, the general dethey were wont to come to churche." These clension of religious welfare. An examination and comparison of the festivals in course of time became so popular, and the riot and debaucheries which they prevalence or declension of religious welfare, occasioned were so common, that they were at various periods of the world, exhibit a eventually suppressed, and secular fairs, into cheering or depressing aspect, in proportion which they had more or less degenerated, to the extension or curtailment of luxurious were established in their place. Most of the clusions: practices. Religion is ever at war with the appetites; and the ascendancy of sensual indulgence invariably precedes the decline of spiritual prosperity. The attacks of infi * True-born Englishman; Part II nations. delity and the evils of scepticism, are harm- your missionaries stop at home and preach less in their effects, compared with the in- to their own countrymen." sinuating and soul-destroying influence of The Secretary of the Cawnpore Temperintoxicating liquors. In every age they have ance Society strongly adverts to the same silently, yet destructively undermined the humiliating circumstance. The Mussulman foundations of piety; the curse of intemper- and Hindoo, he observes, who are habitually ance, like the canker-worm, leaving fearful temperate by witnessing the drunkenness marks of its desolating progress. which exists in the British army, and among We have thus, in as brief a manner as those who are called Christians, refuse to possible, exhibited the evil effects of strong receive a religion, the fruits of which are drink upon religious welfare, up to a recent apparently so evil.* period. It becomes a matter of equal, if The Rev. W. O. Croggon, a Wesleyan not paramount importance, to inquire how Missionary, in a communication from far intemperance exists in the present day, Zante, observes, "The state of British in connexion with the profession of religion, sailors is shocking beyond description. and the influence it exercises in retarding It grieves me to the heart to behold the diffusion of Christian principles. them so given to intoxication." The same IV. The use of intoxicating liquors con- disastrous example is testified by Capt. W. sidered as an obstacle to the introduction of Jacob, of the East India Company's service, Christianity among heathen and other when making reference to the Bay of Islands. "There is much," he remarks, "to disThe examples of intemperance exhibited courage missionary efforts in the scenes of in the practices of those who belong to immorality and vice which are constantly countries professedly Christian, forms un-exhibited, through the intercourse subsisting doubtedly a serious hindrance to the reception between the islands and the shipping, and in of Christian principles among heathen the dissolute habits of many of the inhabitnations. Of this obstacle, the respective ants, which that intercourse has engenmissionaries of various Christian Societies dered." Mr. Southgate, the Missionary, loudly complain; and yet how natural it is in his "Tour in Turkey and Asia," corrobofor the heathens to refuse instruction in a rates this statement. 66 Except among the system of religion, of the alleged good Christians," says he, "it is rare to find a effects of which they witness such sad ex-confirmed drunkard." "The Mussulman," amples in the persons of its professors, and he remarks, "are liable to be siezed and that too, from countries where its principles punished for their transgression. are universally acknowledged. Under such Christians, on the contrary, simply because circumstances, it need not excite surprise, they are Christians, have the privilege of that they prefer adherence to the profession drinking as openly and as much as they of that religion in which they have been trained up from the earliest period of their existence, and which, in fact, sanctions no such disgusting practices as those who profess Christianity thus introduce amongst them. The please, provided always, that they get peaceably and safe home after it. And again, How is it,' said a Persian to me one day, that you, being a Christian, make so little use of the privilege which your religion "I have visited," states Mr. Charles grants you. For my part, I regard it as the Purnell, Calcutta, and other parts of the most attractive feature of Christianity, that East Indies, and am of opinion, that the it allows its votaries a free use of the juice outward conduct, at least, of the Hindoo, is of the grape.' beautiful when compared with the conduct | Thus, to a great extent, are the efforts of of most of the British seamen on shore; the pious missionary paralyzed. This devoted and I have often thought it very probable, servant of the Most High, labours among that while Christian ministers were engaged the benighted heathens, and unfolds to them in pointing out to the Hindoos the absurdity the blessings which the Gospel has in store of falling down to stocks and stones, and for those who adopt its principles; but the necessity of their turning to the true and strong drink, introduced by inhabitants of living God, they would turn round upon the Christian countries, speedily erases all the advocate of Christianity, and ask, "Do you good impressions which his addresses may want to make us such men as the sailors of have produced, and his labours are rendered your own country?" comparatively ineffectual. The sincere A missionary from India, stated,* not long Christian cannot but weep with the pious ago, that it was no uncommon thing in Williams over scenes like these. Calcutta to see an European lie intoxicated arriving at Raitea, I was perplexed and in the street, surrounded by several natives, astounded at beholding the scenes of drunk(who are very scrupulous in the observance of their religious rites and ceremonies,) and to hear them tauntingly exclaim, "here is one of your Europeans, look at him, you never see us get drunken, as you do; let * London Temperance Intelligencer, vol. i. P 207. "On enness which prevailed in my once flourishing station. There were scarcely one hundred people who had not disgraced themselves; and persons who had made a consistent profession of religion for years, had been * Sixth Report of the British and Foreign Temperance Society, p. 55. drawn into the vortex."* In writing from 37,522 gallons to the Indians of the Norththe South Sea Islands, the missionaries of west coast, making 54,000 gallons of rum the London Missionary Society, state, "The and brandy distributed among the natives, besetting sin at Tahiti, at present, is drunk- and it was ascertained that the largest proenness, and it has produced great mischief portion of this was shipped by a deacon of a in the churches." congregational church in Boston. New "A trading captain brought a small cask England has found its way from California, (of ardent spirits) on shore, and sold it to the to Behrings Straits, among all the Islands of natives. This revived their dormant appe- the Pacific and Indian oceans, and it has tite, and like pent-up waters, the disposition even penetrated into Africa, Egypt, and burst forth, and with the impetuosity of a through the whole extent of the Sultan's resistless torrent, carried the people before dominions." * it, so that they appeared maddened with The simple Indian cannot forbear to infatuation. I could scarcely imagine that reproach his religious instructor with an they were the same persons among whom I inconsistency so glaringly opposed to the had lived so long, and of whom I had principles of humanity, and much more thought so highly." * of Christianity. "I am glad," said a A pious and devoted Missionary_recently missionary to an Indian chief, "that you made the following statement. "From my do not drink whiskey, but it grieves me to knowledge of the ungodly Europeans in find that your people are accustomed to use New Zealand, I do not hesitate to say, that so much of it." "Ah, yes" said the red their example in encouraging drunkenness man, as he fixed an eloquent eye upon the and fornication, &c., tends more than any- preacher, which communicated the reproof thing else to counteract our missionary before he uttered it,-"we Indians use a great operations. When European, and other deal of whiskey; but we do not make it !! shipping, touch at the harbours, their crews The Rev. Peter Jones, in reference to the are like a pestilence among the natives. morals of the Chippewa Indian tribes, states, Oh, what blood-guiltiness stains the con- that "they abstain entirely from drinking sciences of sea-faring men who have visited ardent spirits, although frequently urged to the Islands of the South Seas! It should do so by the wicked white people, who use be known that intemperance, practised by every means in their power to turn them Europeans, is an obstacle to missionary again to their old crooked ways." enterprize. In the Bay of Islands there are several grog-houses, and the natives and our own countrymen yield to the inebriating draught; and many have come to an untimely end." + Scarcely any tribe among the untutored Indians in North America, has been free from the consequences arising from the introduction and use of alcoholic liquors. The records of missionary labours among those tribes exhibit in the strongest light the obstacles which this demoralizing practice "I hope presents to the introduction and diffussion of religious truth. Can we wonder after these statements that the Chief of Eimes should send this message to England and America. he will go to Britannia, and beg the people to have mercy on us, and then go to America, and beg the people there also to have mercy on us, because it was these countries that sent this poison amongst us!" The same injurious example is found to exist among professing Christians in Mahomedan countries, and is productive of corresponding impressions on the followers of In reference to the introduction of strong the prophet. The remarks of a respected misdrink into the islands of the Pacific, in con- sionary in Persia are to the point. "What nexion with other obstructions to religion, kind of Christianity do the Mahomedans of Daniel Wheeler, a minister of the Society of this country behold? None that has life— Friends, writes thus :-"Hopeless, indeed, none that is productive of a morality even (humanly speaking,) appears every attempt equal to their own; intemperance, for instance, to Christianize the natives of those islands is so common among the Christians of Persia, who are labouring under, and exposed to, these disadvantages, which must ever obstruct the free course of the gospel." and the few Europeans who stroll hither for the sake of lucre, that when Mahomedans see one of their own sect intoxicated, which The Americans contribute much to this is now become rather common, they at once awful state of things. Dr. Charles A. Lee say, 'That man has left Mahomed, and has remarks, "It is a lamentable fact that no gone over to Jesus." + The increase in the nation has done more to introduce intoxi-sale of rum in Constantinople within the cating liquors into heathen countries than last twelve years is astonishing. The annual the United States. For example: during exportation of rum from England into the year 1835, fourteen merchant vessels, Turkey advanced, in seven years, (1827 to eleven of which were American, sold in the 1834) from 8,530, to 97,108 gallons, or port of Honolulu, Island of Maui, alone, about 1038 per cent. 16,950 gallons ardent of spirits, and carried Missionary Enterprizes, by the Rev. John Williams, pp. 405, 406, 465. Evangel. Magazine, July, 1839. * Bacchus, American Edition. Note by Charles Lee, A.M. M.D., p. 74. Extract of a letter from the Rev. Justin Perkins, missionary in Persia.-American Christian Intelligencer |