The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-05-19
the SUNDAY SCHOOL
International Lesson for May ~. 1s9S-
Against Intern pc rance Prov. s3;so-3o.

Lesson for May n. 1909
Against importance Prov. 23;so-3o.
Arranged from Peioubers Notes
GOLDEN TExr-wine IL . mocker. strono
drink Is raging: and whosocvsr IL deceived
thereby Is not wise--Prov. oo'i
INTRODUCTION Phelps saying: The
Old Testament often seems as u II were m
ep'red specially for young men, IL vcrineo IN
the present chapter. A father, foresceing tho
social dangers OF . well-born lad with
pleasant manners and . wcll-hiied purse. al
vises him In regard 70 great banquets; then,
with little gush OF affection, entrezts MIN 10
keep out OF the company OF wine oioDers ana
giuttons, who will surely como 10 poverty.
Finally with strong. rapid hand. he draws .
characser-skctch OF the drunkard, which hangs
in the worlds great pict1re gallery, solemn
warning for oil time This picture Is the texs
Of The lesson for to-day
THE SOCIAL orIcKsASDs.
1T sometimes happens on certain
coasts of Brittany or Scotland that
man, traveller or fisherman, walking on
the beach at low tide. far from the
bank. suddenly notices that for several
minutes he has been walking with
some difficulty. The strand beneath
his feet is like pitch; his soles stick to
il; il is sand no longer-it is glue. The
beach is perfectly dry; but At every
step he takes, as soon a. he lifts MS
foot, the print which it leaves fills with
water. The eye, however, has noticed
no change. The immense strand Is
smooth and tranquil all the sand has
the same appearance; nothing distin-
cuisines the surface which Is solid from
that which is no longer so; the Joyous
little cloud Of sand-heas continue to
leap unanimously over the wayfarers
feet The man pursues his way, goes
forward, inclines to the land, endeavors
to get nearer the upland. He is not
anxious. Anxious about what? Only
he feels somewhat as IL the weight OF
his feet increases with every step he
takes. Suddenly he sinks in. He sinks
| in two or three inches. Decidedly he is
not on the right road; he stops to take
| his bearing. All at once he looks at his
feet. His feet have disappeared. The
sand covers them. He draws his feet
| ont of the sand; he will retracc his
steps: he turns back; he sinks in deeper.
The sand comes up to his ankles; ne
pulls himself out. and throws himself to
the left; the sand is half-leg deep. lie
throws himself to the right; tho
sand comes up TO his shins. Then
he recognizes with unspeakable terror
that he is caught in the qpicksand, and
that he has beneath him the fearful me
tiiu. in which man can no more walk
than the fish can swim lie throws on
his load. il he has one, liRhtens him
self like ship in distress. 1t
is already too late; the sand Is above
his knees. He calls, he waves his
hat or his handkerchief; the sand
gains on him more and more.
the beach is deserted, IL the land Is too
far of, IL there is no help in sight, 1t Is
all over. He Is condemned to that APP
palling burial. long, infallibIe, implaca-
BILE, impossible 10 slacken or TO hasten,
which cndures for hours, which will not
end, which seizes you erect, free, in full
health, which draws you by the feet,
} which at every effort that you attempt,
at every shout that you utter. drags you
a little deeper, sinking you slowly into
! the earth while you look upon the hori-
7 ron. the trees, the green fields, the
smoke of the villages on the plains, the
sails Of the ships upon the sea, the
birds flying and singing. the sunshine
and the sky. The victim attempts "a
sit down. to lie down, to creep. Every
! movement he makes inters him. He
straightens up, he sinks in; he
feels that he is being swallowed
7 M. He howls, implores, cries e
, the clouds, despairs. Behold hin
! waist-deep in the sand The sand
reaches his breast; he is now only ,
: bust. He raises his arms, utters furioui
Qroans, clutches the beach with hi
: nails, would hold by that straw, lean
! upon his elbows to pull himself out o
: this soft sheath. sobs frenziedly. Th'
4 sand rises. The sand reaches his shout
ders; the sand reaches his neck
= the face alone is visible now. III
mouth cries. the sand fills it-silence
e The eyes still gaze, the sand shuts then
= night. Now the forehead decreases
y little hair flutters above the sand;
y hand comes to the surface OF the beach
e moves and shakes, and disappears.
+ is the earth drowning man The cart
u filed with the ocean becomes trap.
J. presents itself like plain, and open
Z like a wave --victor Hugo. You hav
= doubtless noticed during this dcscriT
p ton the striking analogy between tn
quicksand and intemperancc. Tn
; young man indulges in his socii
Ie glass joyously, merrily, until ut lengt
"a he feels little Of the power {
"a appetite; but he is not anxious III
= strong will can keep it In check, and
"a goes on with his indulgcnces without
y thought Of fear. Songs are merry abos
3 him, laughter Is loud and frequent; !
Z, is in no danger Of crossing the invisib
a line between moderation and drunken
u ness. And yet somehow his feet b
= come unsteady, and his nerves trcmb
- strangely. Suddenly he wakes fro
- his dream of security to find that 10
IL night he lost control Of himself and
came the laughing-stock OF the stree
b He makes resolutions OF reform; he wi
20 give up his drinks Then he finds tn
~ II the dregs Of the social glass form
Is quicksand that holds his feet with
he terrible power. With agony he rcaliz
C. the power Of qucnchless thirst.
-. 1 taLcS The pledUc- entreatS the aid