Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-06-11
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Topic For the Week Beginning June
xS-Comment by Rev. $. H. Doyle.

Topic For the week BeStuutuS June
zs-Comment by Rev. 5. H. Doyle.
Toplc. why total abstinence is best
Rom xiv. 1874 Temperance meeting)
There is one of three attitudes we
may take toward intoxicating drinks as
a beverage may totally abstain,
drink moderately or drink to excess.
No one will argue that drinking to ex-
cess is the best attitude to take. Drunk
snness would find few open advocates
even among those who decry most saw
agely all temperance efforts or move
rnents The question. therefore, mar
rows down to a choice between total
abstinence and moderate drinking, and
it certainly should not take long for
any Christian Endeavorer TO decide
that total abstinence Is preferable TO
moderate drinking, even suppesing that
one could drink to moderation without
drinking to excess.
Total abstinence is best because
drinking even in moderation is unnec-
essary. Intoxicating drinks In no form
are necessary to health or to powers OF
physical endurance. They are all slim
ulants. and, while stimulants invigorate
for a time, the stimulation Is only tenn
porary, and the reaction Is always In
proportion to the stimulation. As a
medicine, at proper times, no one can
question the usefulness Of alcohol in Its
various forms, but as beverage 1t Is
absolutely unnecessary for health or
for physical endurance. IL is, rather.
positively injurious and should be alb
solutely avoided
Total abstinence is best because 1t Is
safest for ourselves. Who knows that
he can drink in moderation and not 60
on to excess? Every drunkard at one
time thought he could. No man ever
deliberately intended 10 become
drunkard. He expected to be only
moderate drinker; but, alas. how many
millions have had their hopes of mod
Grafton blasted to the ruination Of body.
mind. soul, character. position, home
and eyerythingi And how do we know
but this would be our experienee9
Every man has in him an appetite for
drink that, IL awakened. will lead to
his destruction, or else he has no such
natural appetite. Until we test II we
cannot tell which 1t Is, hence why test
1t at all? Why should we unnecessa-
rfly run the risk Of awakening de-
youring beast within us or Of develop
Ing within us a ruinous appetite that
we do not naturally possess? Safety
lies In total abstinence alone. The man
who never drinks is In no danger, but
the man who drinks even ever so mod"
erately knows not what awful conse-
uuences may result from such a course
Total abstinence Is best because il is
safest for others. We should always
consider our example in deciding upon
any course. We are our brothers keep
er and must not put "a stumbling block
or an occasion to fall In our brothers
way" Suppose we could drink in mod
Grafton but that our example would
lead another to drinking who would so
down to a drunkard's grave and eternal
destruction. Would It pay Us to do
SO? Would 1t not be infinitely better to
abridge our personal liberty and TO
sacrifice the supposed enjoyment OF
moderate drinking for the eternal vel
fare Of our brothers soul?
The only wise course In relation to In
toxicating drinks as q beverage Is total
abstinence. 1t alone is safe for our
selves and for those who come under
our influence. How can one who sees
the awful. damning consequences OF In
temperance put even one glass TO his
lips? 1t should be impossible, and as
Christian Endeavorers let us advocate
: and practice total abstinence.
BIBLE READINGS
Lev. x, Sill; Mum. vi. Ia; Deut. XXI
1921; Prov. Xxx, /; xiii, 1885: lisa. v.
IL; Luke xii, As. 46; l. Cor. V. II; Gal,
v, 1926