The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-09
Third Quarter; Lesson VI.; August
 10, 1909; Leviticus, X, Ill.
Temperance Lesson.

A costly and beautiful temple. and at the same time one suited to the pilgrim character of the nation, in that It was portable, stood under the shadow of the mount, where it's pattern, to mlnutest detail, had been revealed. It's curtain walls of harmonious and significant col ors-purple. crimson. ana Whlte-were swaying in the breeze. Its supporting posts. overlaid with gold and set in sockets of silver, were flashing in the sunlight The furniture and implements, so manifold in uses. were all in position.
 A ritual, in every respect worthy Of a shrine so ornate, was instituted. into whose mortise-like rites the facts of gos- pei history, a millennium and half later, were to fit, like tenons, with in variable precision.
 A priesthood was anointed to perform the speaking rites. in court and holy place and holy of holes. The last stitch had been taken in their splendid regalia, the last jewel set in their costly insignia
 It is time for the Hallelujah Chorus. Ring all heavens joy-bells. But instead, a wild, discordant note is struck-a cata- clysm of shame and grief. It is the in veterate irruption of human depravity.
 Aaron's sons had strange fires in their hearts before they had 1t in their hands They had been lifted to the highest heaven in point of privilege. They had gone with their father and uncle into the mount, and seen that appearance as it were a pavement of sapphires beneath the invisible presence of Jehovah and heard his ineffable voice. They had been inducted into the most exalted ofnce or the old dispensation and clad in gorgeous robes. They found themselves suddenly and widely infiuentiali.
 Their heads were turned Pride pos sessed them. They were precipitate. They could not wait the appointed hour | to perform their function. With consum- mate assurance they esteemed the meth cd, though divinely appointed matter l of indifference. Any fire would do as well as that which God had kindled Fire | was fire. These fools rushed in where | angels would have feared to tread. They were probably intoxicated But this was | likely an accompaniment of their folly rather than the cause of it.
 | So these ma audlin and reeling princes Of the Church came fumbling their way. | holding their censors full of unlawful | fire with unsteady hand, and violating the canon of this sacred. service at every point.
 The proclamation was superlative. It was conspicuous to the last degree It oc- cured at the very genesis of ecclesiasti- cal service and, if unpunished, might have vitiated the entire stream.
 The advance of civilization, manifest In the infiction of capital punishment in a form which causes the least suffering and leaves the body urtmutiated. was anticf- pated a thousand years. These sacrile- gious priests were efectrocuted.
 The profane intrudsrs were standing before the Shekinah, with only the beau- tiful and ouriously-wrought veil interven- ing The darkened inclosure was softly illuminated by a golden candlestick, the light of which fell upon a golden table and golden altar. The hallowed place and presence ought to have brought these rash men to their senses. It probably would have done so had they not been intoxicated. Even yet they might have retired, crying for mercy as they went. But they were drunk!
 They were wrapped in their sullied robes-the very shreds of which were counted unworthy to be used according to custom as wicks for the tabernacle lamps. Their cousins carried them forth.