Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-09-22
IT e M p e r A N @ e
I. Con. Q: 22-9.


servant, but bad master.
BY general and wise consent the sub
ject OF temperance has been selected for
this the last lesson of the present quar-.
ter.
No doubt the place for the most ef.
fective Christian effort of any kind is
with the young. The task of keeping
and establishing a child in right paths
is relatively easy as well as delightful.
To recover an old sinner is not beyond
divine power but il is the exceptional,
and by no means common, work even
OF Gods grace. We are not 10 cease
trying to rescue the confirmed victims
OF proiligacy and drunkenness. but our
most hopeful efforts will be with those
who have not yet gone far astray. 1t
is TO be hoped that no superintendent
or teacher in the Sunday school will
account the subject OF this lesson an
unimportant one. Intemperance is be.
yond doubt one of the chief foes with
which religion has at this day to con.
tend. Drink keeps many from Christ.
1t is the open or secret cause Of failure
in many a Christian profession.
1t is not necessary to suppose that
the Apostle, in the verses before US. is
speaking directly OF strong drink. He
is dealing with principles. But, in do.
ing this, he furnishes number of pow.
erful arguments, not only for total ab.
stinence," but for being temperate in
all things"
Three, at least, should be particularly
noted.
|. Our influence over others, and our
duty to make that influence helpful,
and not hurtful.
When Paul says, "To the weak be.
came | as weak, that might gain the
weak, he does not mean that he would
do wrong FOR any purpose. lie speaks
of concessions which involved no moral
principle. What he says is that he
would cheerfully surrender a personal
right, or indulgence, however innocent,
whenever his use Of it would cause
weak brother to stumble.
This is a most noble principle. Ii is
in the highest sense Christian. II has
many applications. Particularly 1t ap.
plies to the use OF strong drink. One
may think himself so strong as TO be in
no possible danger, and he may fancy
that his occasional or moderate indul'
gence does him good. But there are
about him those of whom this is not
true. They are very weak" The young
are weak because they are young. High
example is very sure to lead them
astray. In sense. man has a right
to use his own safe liberty. But in
proportion as the spirit of Christ is in
bim he will remember the weak about
him.
Perhaps one of the best reasons for
total abstinence to be set before boy
or girl is Just this, namely, their inhu
ence over others. The youngest feels
its force. He is glad to be entrusted
with responsibility and made helper.
1t is great thing to have taught him
to deny himself for the sake of another.
.. The importance of temperance to
our physical wellbeing.
The Apostle tells US the athlete was
temperate in all things" His object
was a sound, vigorous, agile body. that
he might gain the victory in leapinR or
running. in boxing or wrestling. The
crown before him was q wreath OF olive,
or ivy, or pine, and "corruptible.' But
n good body is never to be idespised.
The Greeks set great value upon it.
They came TO regard = vigorous agility
and elasticity OF limb, endurance in
running and in the contest, firm and
light step, and freshness Of health. as
equal to mental culture. They were
not far in the wrong. Mental attain.
ments, whether for comfort, profit or
usefulness, are of small account in a
sickly or weakened body. The old
Greeks had found out that temper.
ance is essential to physical health and
vigor. Accordingly the athletes sub.
jected themselves to very strict rules
with respect to all appetites. Every
wild passion was held in check. Every
weakening indulgence was avoided.
Modern athletes do the same. For
boating. running, wrestlihg, pugi!sm,
they subject themselves to long course
Of training. And one of the things
they most carefully abstain from il
strong drink. They teach us ell good
lesson. For life's business and Chris
tian work, how priceless a blessing il a
sound, elastic body. 1t is great argu.
ment for ''total abstinence" aud every
kind of care for the outward man"
3. The relation of temperance to our
spiritual well.beiDg and eternal life.
What the athlete did for c0rruptible
crown, the Apostle would have us do for
an incorruptible one. That he might
not himself be rejected when the prizes
Of eternity are awarded, he kept his
body under, and brought IL into subjec
tion. He does not say the body Is TO
be despised. He does not praise asceti.
cism. He does not say 1t IL . good
thing TO abuse and destroy our physical
powers. He would treat IL as \ servant
and refuse to allow II to be master. Al.
lowed TO rule II IL out Of its place. its
appetites and passions cannot be trust.
ed With the mastery; for the end would
be selfruin in every part--the ruin of
body, mind and soul, for this life and
for that which Ii to come. This Il the
browning reason for temperance. IL
should incite US 10 constant warfare
with every inferior and sensual appe-
lite. The most alarming thought con
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