For example, until the microscope was invented and Pasteur (sp?) discovered that heat kills germs, it was not known that invisible critters caused sickness. The old timers knew that excess wine caused hangovers but they also knew that no one got the common diseases from drinking it. Canned grape juice was invented in the 1800's see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bramwell_Welch
So if Baptist Christians can be traced back to the first century, it is clear to me that they used fermented wine for many centuries because the options were alcoholic wine or no communion. That was the social contract.
After it was discovered how to preserve wine, the Baptists and Methodists changed their denominational social contract to forbid wine, the Baptists going so far as to reinterpret Scripture and history.
So if Baptist Christians can be traced back to the first century, it is clear to me that they used fermented wine for many centuries because the options were alcoholic wine or no communion. That was the social contract.
After it was discovered how to preserve wine, the Baptists and Methodists changed their denominational social contract to forbid wine, the Baptists going so far as to reinterpret Scripture and history.
