The Watchtower Society and John and Morton Edgar - A2Z.org

therefore the same as Bacchus (Wilkinson's Egypiiatis,Vol. v, b. 3 ; c. xiii, p. 10).When Jesus, the true Messiah and Saviour of theworld, was being led to death, we read that the women"bewailed and lamented him." But Jesus rebukedthem and said : "Daughters sf Jerusalem, weep notfor me, but weep for yourselves, and for yourchildren (Luke 2327, 28).Tile reason why Bacchus is commonly understood tobe the god of wine, drunkenness and revelry, is becauseof the effect which the mysterious beverages and ointn~erltshad upon his devotees. The uninitiated merelysaw the after effects, but did not understand the trueimport of these Bacchanalian orgies, which wereclaimed to be for " the purification of souls " (Servius,in Georg., lib. i, Vo1. ii. p. 197). The "elevating"effect which the process of anointing, etc., had uponthe initiates of the false religions, is manifestly amiserable counterfeit of the godly joy experienced byt,hose who, on being anointed with the Holy Spirit,gain an understanding of the glorious truth as it shinesiu the face of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 2:9-16). TheApostle says : "Be not drunk with wine, wherein isexcess ; but be filled with the Holy Spirit; speakingto yourselves in psalms and liyinns and spiritual songs,singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord "'Eph. 5:18. 19). To the worldly, the exhilarating andjoyful effect which the Holy Spirit has upon those whonewly come into the light of God's Truth, seems to bethe result of intemperate drinking, or due to insanity.hiany of us have had the experience of being thus misjudged.So also were the members of the early Churchat Pentecost misrepresented, some of the bystandersmockingly saying : These men are full of new wine"(Acts 2:l-18). But we care nothing for this, because