The National tribune., 1895-07-11

the brothers. The men were as electroouted.
Their sins ds6led their garments king them
unfit for other priests 10 wear.
IL. Uncover not your heads. v. s. The
deaths OF Nsdab and Abihu were so just that
any signs OF mourning seemed out OF place.
In formal mourning, Jews were dsmonstrstive.
Rcnding OF garments a common expression
of mourning. Nothing savoring of sympathy
with Nadab and Abihu was tolerated. II there
be any fitness in walls, let It be on account of
the sin Of the priests. The people might well
go into mourning over such blasphemy.
H. Amounting oil upon you. Y. Z. Refer
euce is made 10 the ordination of priests by
means Of amounting or conseersting oil. Ex..
80 % 80. The oil was the symbol OF tho Holy
Spirit. Having been soIemniy set apart as
Gods ministers, il was not fit they show any
regret at Gods severe punishment Of those who
were unworthy, sacrilegious priests.
IL. Do not drink wine. v. 8. Baal Hattu-
rim, n cabalistical commentator, thinks he sees
here the real reason for the scandalOus conduct
of Nadab and Abihu. They were intoxicated.
Drunkenness in priest At the altar was pun
ishable by death. And as to this law there is
not statute Of limitation. w. Persons are
responsible for what they do when drunk.
though they are unconscious of the wrong.
The evil was in excessive drinking.
Ia. Put difference. V. 10. A drunken man
knows no difference. A priest is constantly
called on to show by example and instruction
tho difference between good and evil. Even
heather nations had laws forbidding men,
whose business was to Judge in important
cases, to drink spurious liquors We find such
injunctions among Carthsgenians, Egyptians,
Greeks.
Is. Teach. v. IL. That ye may teach
that you may, by your example in your min
istrations, preserve the minds of the Isrselites
from confusion IN regard TO the distinctions
made By the divine law" Eze.. "A % Priests
and Levites were set apart in special for teach
ing. Deu.. 1919; Chron.. II: 10; Ezra. Z: /,
6. II. IL. 81; Noh., 3:7 NAL. 2:7. Read Eze.,
%: &c.
Suggestions
i. The disobedient cannot escape punish
ment
2. There is a at method in worship. God
has let us know how TO come before him.
Recklessness in divine worship and the offer
ing of our excited and proud emotions instead
of that humble and obedient spirit which he
requires. are peculiarly offensive to God"
Gods will. and not selfwill, is to guide us.
3. 1t is better few suffer greatly than that
all be encouraged to do evil.
4. Ministers should be holy men.
5. Care should be taken to have burial places
sufficiently retired to insure protection from
any harm to the living by the interments.
o. Never let just punishment of evil doors
lose its force by unwarrxntable sympathy with
the evil doer.
q. People should take TO heart a national
affection and religious sorrow when eminent
Christian men fall from grace.
8. Clergymen should Of all men be temperate
II drunken, they cannot discriminate between
good and evil; cannot be wise ad visers of those
seeking their counsel; cannot teach Gods
statutes.
TEMPERANCE
Rev. A. E. Dunning said What ono drinks
has much TO do with bis success or failure in
life Temperance is promotiye of health and
happiness. It's relation to our bodies and minds.
to the home, and public prosperity has become
question of the broadcast social economy, and
ID studied by the wisest statesmen. philanthro-
pisis. and Christians. While the press and the
public schools are waking up to the importance
of instruction on this point, the Sunday-school
should use its opportunity to make children,
like John the Baptist, drink neither wine nor
strong drink"
Sir Philip Sidney wrote lines that every SUM-
day-school scholar might we'll learn:
THE common ingredients Of long life are.
Great temperance. open air,
Easy labor. little care"