The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-23
WOES OF INTERFERENCE
A Most Interesting Explanation Of the
Subject for Tomorrow BY
Rev. Edward l.. Psll.

November Attic woes OF AatcHP~r
ance.--Isaiah ". II g.
No preacher ever saw the evils OF his
time moro clearly or denounced them
moro courageously than Isaiah. No
peacher ever rose to sublimer heights OF
eloQuence either in warning or In cneer'
our lesson was chosen. however. not that
We might have a specimen OF his preach
ing. but because the sins OF his time are
the sins OF ours and his words are a. iuii
OF meaning to-day as they were when
they fell warm from his lips.
The chapter opens with oeautifm par"
able I'm which tho chosen nation Is rep
resented as the vineyard OF the Lou.
God himself had planted 1t In the pest
place he could find for 1t; he had fenced IL
in and had done everything for IT that
could he done, and yet when ne looked LOT
IL 10 bring forth grapes 1t brought fortn
wild grapes. Then the prophet picks
n cluster OF the miserable fruit, ana
holds 1t up before his guilty hearers, ana,
with burning words, describes the woes
which must follow such awful perversion.
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ioln house to house and lay field TO field
"till there - no place, that they may be
placed alone in the midst OF the earth"
This thing cannot go on forever; the
strong cannot always trample the weak
under foot IN their haste 10 grasp the
earth. The time will como when the
greatest and fairest houses shall be
desolate and when these Ill gotten lands
shall cease TO proht-when ten acres or
vineyard will yield but seven gallons OF
wine. when eight bushels of wheat Will
yield but three pecks
And here is intemperance Men make
a business OF drinking. They get up early
in the morning that they may have a
drink before breakfast. and they keep II
UP through the day. II Is not mere IN
cident in their lives-they i've 10 drink.
They have no thoughts. no desires higher
than solf-indulgence. Life 10 them IL a
revelry. They are miserable II the nd
die Is not gong. Like SAUL they have an
evil spirit within them. and they must
have something to soothe Il. Such men
regard not the work of the Lord" God
is not I'm all their thoughts: they have an
thoughts higher than saloon counter.
Ayarice and intemperanCe-these are
the things. continues the prophet, that
bring men into captivity. Men controlled
by these sins have no knowledge. they
are blind-rather, they wilfully bfndfold
themselves, and allow thir appctites 10
lead them into captivity. And they are
sins which ensave all sorts and condi-
tons OF men, even our honorable men do
not escape them; high and low are brough
down 20 the same level by them No
man ever gets so high IN the world that
he can afford not 10 watch against the
temptations 10 avarice and intemperance.
These evils are fairly crowding the graves
with their victims. Death has had to
enlarge hroself as it were. for their re-
ception. And still the great and honor
able and the common multitude In full
view Of the dark chasm. go dancing and
shouting like madmen down TO destruc-
ton. And the sober woSld looks on and
endorses the righteous judgment of God,
realizing that If God rs holy. his jude-
ments must be consistent with his char
acter.
The end OF IT all Is dosola ..on. Every
thing is deserted the fences are down.
and the lambs feed unmolested I'm the
vineyards, and strangers gather what
they can from the waste places Of IN,
fat oucs"-the deserted lands OF those
I VINO were rich.
/ Woe unto them. continues the prophet
| selves to their sins with all sorts OF vain
cords-with foolish arguments and de
ceptive excuses; for having once tie'l
! themselves with these cords OF vanity
they become as strong as n cart rope
Woe unto these men who. thus joined &
their idols, are fun OF defiance toward
God; who say. II God can punish mo
why does he not do II Why does he not
make haste2-I would like TO see IT, Woe
unto these men who dare God to destroy
them, for they are already tied TO the
sins which are pulling them fast down
10 destruction. An lngersol may dare
Jehovah 10 strike him dead. and then
make capital out OF the long-sufferine
OF God which would lead n reasonable
man to repentance: but then we are not
TO lose sigth OF the cart-rope.
WOE unto them that call evil good
| and good ovil;" who call dishonesty
"shrewdness:" who indulge In tricks un.
der the name OF Legitimate business.
who regard conscientiousness in trade
as cowardice. Woe to them 20 whom a
debauch is u good time" to whom strone
drink Is the good gift OF God" man
may indulge I'm sin until his moral vision
always crrs-until black IS white and
white Is black. There is not free.
thinker IN the land who does not re-
gard the organized church az an evil
which ought not 10 be tolerated
WOE unto them that are wise in their
own eyes" for they will not listen ia
the counsel Of the wisest: and who ar,
prudent IN their own sight" for they
read no sign-bOards posted along the way
and stop their ears that they may hear
30 danger signals.
"WOe unto them that are mighty 10
drink wine" for IN seeing how much
they can drink they are overcome by II.
The hero OF the wlne-cup is soon con-
Querod by the cup.
WOE unto them that Justify the wick
ed for brides" "a good text for every
vOting-place and cOurt-rooml and who
seek to iniure the reputation OF the
righteous-who for the sake OF gain
whltewash the corrupt and east mud AT
the upright. EDWARD l.. PELL.
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