The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-09-23
TEMPERANCE SERMON,
DELIVERED BY REV. GEO. s. BIsCoE, IN TIL
CONGREGATION AL CHURCH, TIPToN,
AUGUST ETH, 1863.

TEMPERANCE SERMON,
DELIVERED BY REV. GEO. S. BIsCoE, IN THE
CONGREGATION CHURCH, T1PToN,
AUGUST 2TH, lSS
"He reasoned Of righteousness. temperance
and judgment to come."-Acts XIV: 25
The apostle Paul was a powerful
prt acher Of the great doctrines OF the
gospel. He was also a close practical
preacher. When hes reasoned of tenn
perance, he had a discourse both doctri-
nal and practical. The temperance OF
which he spoke was not confined to the
narrow range of the subject which is too
often associated with the word at the
present day. ~ 4 ; VI ~@.= - --
DR.. Alexander, one Of the most thor
ough scholars Of modern times, in his
comment on this word says, "Tempe-
rance-not in the restricted modern
sense Of abstinence from strong drink,
but in that of self control and modera.
ton as to all the appetites, with special
reference i'm ancient usage to chastity or
confluence" Thus it appears that the
virtue of temperance urged in the Bible
is one that every person has occasion to
cultivate. In the common, modern
sense of the term, it would be slander
for me to charge all my congregation
with being Incorporate. But using the
word, In the meaning of the apostle
Paul, there is probably not person in
this congregation who, before God, is
not verify guilty of intemperance.
When Peter says, Giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue, and to virtue
knowl dye, and to knowledge temper
a'.cc," he lays out as much work for
every christian in the last count, as in
any of the preceding.
l purpose at this time, in the first
place, to direct attention to the funda-
mental principles OH which the duty of
temperance rests. Temperance may be
defined as the maintenance Of that self
control, in which a man denies himself
every qualification of appetite or passion
that would diminish his efficiency in
the work God gives him to do. The
fundamental principle on which the
doctrine of temperance rests is that
every man belongs to God. Hence no
man is his own master. God, as a mas
ter, claims all his service. MANS chief
end is to glorify God and enjoy him for
ever.' The claim of God on every man
is claim for the full service ofhis heart
and life. 1t is not waived or diminish
ed in the case of any individual. His
law is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart and with all thy
soul aud with all thy mind.' This law
evidently involves a claim that all the
powers and faculties of men be used in
the service Of God. Evidently If for the
purposes of personal pleasure man SO
uses his body or mind as to unfit him
self, in greater or less degree, for the
service God requires of him, he is rob-
bing God. For example, The work,
which God gives to one man, is to carry
on farm, and from it's increase provide
for the temporal and spiritual wants of
his family. If that man Yields to the
demands ofany appetite, or the impulses
of any passion. 50 that merely to crafty
self, he nnfits himself for work, he il
robbing God-he is intemperate. The
case is the same when mental labor is
concerned. II a lawyer eats so much
'tlinner that his stomach is overloaded,
and the brain sympathizing with it, is
unified for mental labor, then he has
been ihtemperate. When the Roman
| republic was in danger, the senate ap-
pointed dictator, clothed with the
| highest power, whose business was to
| "take caret hat the republic received no
damage Temperance requires of ev-
cry man that he take care that he
re- Give no damage. This duty is urged,
not SO much as one that man owes to
| himself as one that he owes to God.
I The plea is>not addressed to human sci
tishness, but to the sense Of duty. Its
weight Is measured exactly by the
strength of the love one has to God and
to his fellow men. He who loves God
wishes to serve and glorify him to the
| uttermost. He will therefore avoid
every indulgence that threatens to di
I IuiuiSl Ills OWu usefulness. lie W DC
loves his fellow men with holy chris.
tian love wishes their highest welfare
both of soul and body. His love fol
them therefore strengthens him against
any selfish indulgence that threaten.
their well being. 1t is. an established
fact that all intoxicating drinks, howev
er they, may stimulate for the time
have anaftereffect, in which they weak
ell the physical and mental powers o
those that use them. We owe to Goo
the hest worship and service we car
render; hence it becomes our duty to st
direct our lives as to preserve at all times
tlle most vigorous, clear, discriminating
minds. ard the most strong and health!
bodies. And as we love God, and desir,
to have him we'll served by others, W,
are under obligation to use all prope
means to preserve unimpaired the men
i tai and physical abilities. Of our fellow
men. These results cannot be secures,
without effort, and such effort in variabl,
meets with opposition. Every man
Il 4 -