The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-08-23
NorEs on THE LEssON.

The picture presented in this lesson has
its counterpart in our own day. The scene
is that of the bar-roOn, the grOg-shOp, or
any place of revelry.
The drunkard described, vs.. 29, 80.
The drunkard is wildly portrayed without
being named, in the questions of the first Of
these verses. Each question presents some
new feature of the character, not yet desig-
mated, woe, sorrow, contentious, babbing,
wounds without cause, redness of eyes. The
rhetorical effect is highly striking. COrjec-
ture as to who will meet the requirements OF
the successive questions is drawn within mar
rover and narrower limits, till "wounds with
out cause" and "redness Of eyes leave lit
tie room to doubt as to who IS Indicated
Then the answer is given, They that tarry
long at the wine," &c. Other translations
have been given for "babbhng," but none so
expressive as this word, and none, perhaps,
truer to the original. "Mixed wine" is
wine favored with such spices as increase its
stimulating power.
A scarning against strong drink, vs.. 81, 81
The description of the drunkard is natu-
rally followed by warning against the use Of
strong drink. The condition of the wine In
Dictated by the description, "when it is red,
when it giveth his color in the cup, is Its
state after fermentation, when clear and
sparkling it bushes in beauty, in contrast
with it's dull, murky, turbid state, when first
expressed. "His color" is literally its
eye" its brightness, or its bead, the bubbles
that please the wine bibber. " When it
moveth itself Alright" is an expression occur
ring in the original only here, and in Song
of Solomon vii: 9. In the latter passage 1t
is translated, "goeth down sweetly." This
is to be preferred to the translation here
The word describes the wine as flowing
pleasantly into to the cup or the throat
The admonition here given ia to beware of
the temptation, not to look upon the wine
when thus attractive. The resolution of the
inebriate will not resist the allurements of
what is so beautiful in his eyes. The sight
of it will excite his desire to drink.
The admonition is enforced by the warn
ing, DAT the last is bitath like serpent,
and stinseth like an adder" The bitter
miseries that follow the temptation are con-
trasted with the attractions Of the wine.
The consequences of yOar asglecting this
earning, VS.. 1886.
V. 80. Intemperanee leads to dissolute-
ness it pollutes the imagination. "Thine
heart shall utter perverse things thy heart
shall be- opened to let out the wickedness
that lies somewhat dormant when sober rea-
son holds sway.
v. "a. The perils to which the inebriate is
exposed are here represented by two COM
parsons drawn from naval affairs, with
which the people Of Israel were becoming
familiar in Solomon's day, He is ike the
man who is unconscious of danger when his
vessel is Sin the midst CiteraHy in the
Aeart) of the sea, a. e., in the trough Of the
sea, threatened by the waves that rise above
it. Who but the most stupid sailor could lie
down to rest in such peril? Or, he is like
one who goes to sleep "upOn the top of
mast" More imminent peril it is hard to
conceive of and this is the peril of him who
INDUCES his appetite for strong drink.
V. 80. The druukard now speaks, as he
wakes up from his debauch; and what sad
picture do his own words give US of his con-
dition! "They have stricken me, and l was
not sick: they have beaten me, and l felt it
not" Stricken and beaten in his drunken
reyelry he was not conscious Of it, till now,
in his waking, he begins to feel the bruises
and "wounds with cause, that his soon
tentions brought upon him. But, alas
the poor, deluded, enslaved victim Is beyond
reformation Opening his eyes upon the
scene of the nights brawls and debauch,
with the glamour that the wine threw over
it all gone, he beholds his own wretched
condition, and feels now the pains of which
before he was unconscious; and yet no says,
"When I shall awake for it IS better to read
without the interrogation, l will seek it yet
again" These are not the words Of human
reason, but rather Of the demon that nov
rules the man and cries, "Give, give" The
voice of warning is UNDECIDED; the wOOings
of love do not move his heart; the perils Of
his position alarm him to no purpose; the
shame of his own wretehedness does not
startle him back from certain ruin; but in
view of it all ho says, 81 will seek it yet
again.
RzMAREs.-1. Temptation to indulge or
cultivate an appetite for strong drink is
carefully to be avoided. No one who can be
tempted by the sight should even look upon
the euticiDg drink.
?. The downward course of the sinner in
drunkenness, as in other sins, is gradual
The look, the touch, the taste, the handling,
the tarrying long, the habit, the miserable
slaVery,-these are the steps.
3. This vivid picture of drunksrd, as a
writer suggests, should be hung up in his
cottage and in the ale.hOuse. Let the young