"The Episcopal Church has been nonpuritanical in most respects; it believes that God intends men to enjoy life--if they can do so without such excesses as will harm them and spoil their potentialities as children of God. The Episcopal Church's primary concern has been with abuses. It has not taken an official stand on gambling and drinking, although there have been some quasi-official condemnations of the gambling evil and the perils to character which it involves. As to drinking--like card-playing, dancing, and the like, the Episcopal Church has on the whole been 'liberal' in attitude, feeling that the evils come when the activities are abused."

W. Norman Pittenger, Religions in America, pages 75-76.