The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-22
Nov. 23, 1902. Isaiah XVIII, lib
Worlds TEMPERANCE Lesson.
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SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON

WORLDS Temperance Lesson.
Ephraim occupied a fertile territory. stretching
across the heart of Palestine from the Mediterra-
mean to the Jordan. In the midst stood Samaria,
the capital, commanding eminence- The
tropical luxuriance of the valleys hung about II
like the bacchanalian garland the brow of the
banqueter. And its exuberance was an evanes-
cent, for Its glorious beauty was fading flower.
Destruction at hand.
The capital court and people were enslaved to
drink. Under its subtle delusion they were IN
perfect ease With the proverbial stupidity of
the drunkard they felt perfectly SAFE trusting In
the mountain fastness of Samaria. With sense
of justice blunted by the use of intoxicants and
their basest passions inhamed, they oppressed
the poor and crushed the needy. With the insa-
table thirst which the use of alcoholic liquors
always begets, they kept crying. Bring and let
us drink"-the Samaritan equivalent to our mod
ern bacchanal. Here's a health to YOU" (Amos
vi. ID
But the judgments of God abroad The
Irresistible Assyrian, Shalmaneser, mighty and
strong is Gods instrument of wrath. He looks
upon Samaria like peculiarly tempting morsel;
like hg ripe in June, so rare and succulent
that one swallows it II 10 in his hand;
does not even think of laying II aside to preserve
1t or eat it at his leisure. His coming will be
like tempest of hail. destroying storm. a
flood of waters; figures peculiarly impressive In
that latitude. where in an hour the dryest water
course becomes an awful current. This prophecy
had its literal fulflment 72l b. c., in the ninth
year of Hosea, King of Israel. The country was
ravaged by the Assyrians under Shalmaneser.
and Israel deported into the cities OF Assyria
and Media. q Kings xviii. s-l2)
The prophet turns from Israel to judah.
He contrasts the imperishable crown and diadem.
glorious and beautiful rewards of piety, the
rioht M faft f,.l
DUE with the fading garland of voluptuous pleas
ure on the brow of drunken Ephraim. God shall
help Juoah's judges on the bench and her
riors at the gate.
But Judah. too is not free from this degrading
sin. Even her priests and prophets infected
with it. And the people will not endure the
prophets rebrkes. Listen TO their drunken
scoffing: docs Isaiah presume to instruct US?
Does he take to be just weaned. that he
adopts such childish way? Here and there,
with set order. and coming his words over,
il We still in primers.
Tzav lat-zav, tzav lat-zav,
Quv laquv. quv laquv
The prophet rejoins ''Ah IL you will not let
teach you. then the Assyrians and Babylon
ians shall. and their foreign accent will seem
more like stammerng and twaddle than my in
structons. II they had only hearkened to the
prophets voice, they might have found rest from
warlIke preparations and that more blessed rest
which comes from obedience to the eivine pre-
cepts.
But the Lords word offensive to them
from its very simplicity. They rejected IL; so.
like drunken man. the nation tottered, stumbled
its ruin.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN
The woe OF God against the drunkard is not
capricious or sporadic affair. 1t is interviewer
with the physiological constitution. The sources
CT retribution external. but internal.
Every inebriate carries the fire and birthstone of
mis- hell in her very person.
The prophet talks by the book. He is true to
physiological science. not Of his date only but Of
ours. He vivioly depicts the imperceptible
growth of the alcoholic appetite; the cord be-
comes the cart-rope. How the bon vivant
finds himself in the hopeless treadmill Of an I'M
comfortable passion, Henceforth his might con-
sists In his capacity to drink. and simple wine
gives place TO fiery concoctions. Then follows
complete perversion of moral ideas. The denoue-
mcnt is death and hell.
There is a hint TO modern temperance lecturers
in this old Testament temperance address. They
are sometimes themselves incorporate. Intern
perance can show ITSELF also. not only In the
length of time vital force wasted. but the
language used, In extravaganza and yindctive
vituperation.
Again the prediction for funny stories. the
dramatic imitation Ct the drunkard's staggering
gait and mardiin speech. Ten Nights in a Bar
roou... and all that, tend to famiiarize youth
with vice and to minify the towering evil OF our
day.
Isaiah h the model temperance orator. His