identical to the one we have now except that it had no sentence concerning abstinence from

alcohol in it.

From 1871 to 1946, Bethlehem had no church constitution or covenant at all.

From 1945 to 1965, we had a church covenant which was identical to the one we have now except that it had

no sentence concerning abstinence from alcohol in it.

Then in 1965 the church amended that covenant so that it included the sentence,

we engaged to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.

The constitutional effect of that change was to make total abstinence a prerequisite for church membership.

The amendment before the church this Thursday is to replace that sentence which has sent

with a sentence which will not

not explicitly rule people out who are not

total abstainers.

It is a broader statement calling for a heart searching and a biblical

self-examination. It will read as follows. We engage to seek God's help in abstaining from all drugs, food,

drink, and practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or

another's faith.

And I wish that I could help everyone this morning see that the reason I am so strongly in favor of this amendment is not to encourage any evil but to discourage several great evils. Alcohol abuse is a great evils.

Alcohol abuse is a great evil in our land today. I tried my best to preach that and

nobody can reasonably construe that on October 4th. In my sermon concerning alcohol, and nobody can reasonably construe the proposed amendment to countenance that great evil.

Not only that, I regard total abstinence as generally a wise and preferable way to live in our land.

It's the way I live, it's the way I will teach my sons to live. The proposed amendment is not designed to encourage any evil. Rather,

it is designed to drive us to biblical, spiritual self-examination in view of the stupendous

...