Beech Tree News Network

Dear Editor:
First, let me say that the nature and purpose of this letter is not to deceive, belittle, or in any way try to take God’s place to judge this matter as He is the Judge of us all. I know I am not perfect and I will not use that as an excuse either.  Much has been said by those who are advocates of the county becoming “wet”, it’s so called revenues and incomes as though it would “save the county”, “bring prosperity” or “boost our economy”. In all due respect to those suggestions, it does sound good, very promising and even hopeful, but the real truth to those claims are only that they are FALSE. As I understand things according to “classification reform reference sheet”(www.kic.org) the city of Morgantown is NOT APPLICABLE to receive ANY TAX REVENUE from the sale of alcohol. And only a percentage of the license fees would the county as a whole receive.
I was asked by a person at church “where do you stand on this alcohol issue”? My answer……as if he didn't already know .........THE PULPIT AT CARVE ROCK WILL STAND FIRM ON THIS ISSUE, OPPOSING THE SALE OF ALCOHOL IN THIS COUNTY. I have friends, maybe even family that is for this and regardless of the outcome I do not wish that friendship to change. As they have a right to their belief so do I. There has been more falsehood about the money of alcohol sales than you can imagine. The truth of this matter is it would be a convenience for those that choose to drink, nothing more. VOTE NO.           
          I would like for every pastor and church to seriously consider what the Bible has to say about this matter, go to the poles and vote NO. Ask yourself one simple question “What does the Bible say about strong drink”? Many of those in the church who insist upon its use refer to the miracle at Cana when Jesus turned water into wine and then try to insinuate that Jesus himself would endorse alcohol.     
         First to the Pastors of Butler County: : Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. This was said of the fore runner of Jesus, John the Baptist. In the Bible we as pastors are held to a certain standard of Holiness by God himself. I’ve heard it said on many occasions that "As the pulpit goes, so goes the congregation” we see this example all thru the bible, be it to bring Glory and honor to the Lord or shame and dishonor.  In The Bible “the first mention” of strong drink is found, Lev 10:9 when God gave requirements not suggestions to the Priest , “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations:
Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;” 
That same “first mention” is carried thru out the entirety of the Bible. Nowhere does the Bible change its position on this in or out of the pulpit. It’s my understanding that many of the Pastors have decided to be “neutral” Being silent on this issue, choosing not to take a stand against the sale of alcohol in our county. Again I’m not throwing stones but we must stand together on this issue, agree to respect one another’s beliefs but also agree that this is not what our county needs, work together in and out of the pulpit to stop this in our county.   Isa_28:7  But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. I agree Alcohol is only one of the many evils that plaques our community but it’s one to many, one we do not need. The churches in this county need to be a voice and that voice MUST start in the PULPIT.    
         To the churches of Butler County: Vote NO.  Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. The first step to STOP alcohol sales in this county is to recognize its deceptions. Ask your pastor why he speaks against alcohol from the pulpit? If he doesn’t speak against this then ask him why he doesn’t? I do know that in many of the churches they have a church covenant which states “we will abstain from the sale of and use of alcohol as an intoxicating beverage” Vote NO - Paul writes Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; One might ask what is Truth ? Truth never changes, again I say look at the bible, Vote NO- Remember this man’s first sin began thru deception, “The serpent beguiled me, 1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionist, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Attached below you will find just a few of the facts why we cannot be silent on this issue,1Peter_4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1Co_9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Thank You,God Bless Butler County,

Bro. Jim McIntosh
Please Vote NO on January 26, 2016

Don’t be lead astray or mislead about alcohol or its effects:
National institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism & Florida institute for technologies
Economic Burden: In 2006, alcohol related problems cost the United States $223.5 billion.

One half of all car accidents are associated with alcohol.
 Alcohol is the #1 misused drug in the U.S. / 17.6 million people (1 in 12 adults) suffer from some form of alcohol abuse.
Alcohol is the most widely used drug in America. It is the third largest cause of death in the United States, second only to heart disease and cancer.
Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) in the United States:* An estimated 73,000 adolescents (44,000 males and 29,000 females) received treatment for an alcohol problem in a specialized facility in 2013.
Adults (ages 18+): 16.6 million adults ages 18 and older had an AUD in 2013. This includes 10.8 million men and 5.8 million women.
 Over 60 percent of admissions to emergency rooms are either directly or indirectly due to drug or alcohol usage.
 Alcohol and other drug addictions contribute to over 50 percent of all suicides and over 50 percent of all violent crimes.
 In 2013- 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
Poor judgement is a natural outcome when the brain is influenced by alcohol.
One third of homicides are associated with alcohol misuse