Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-02-11
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
nspic For the Week Beginning Feb.
/ i@Comment by Rev. = III. Doyle.

rspie For the Week BegfnninE Feb.
1 i5-Conment by Rev. = III. Doyle.
Topie.-Iezscns fran Benhadad's de-
nszt-I King IL La Temperance meet
Ax)
~And Benhadad. the king Of Syria
gathered all lis host together, and
Gere were thirty ard two kings with
hin and horses and ehariots. ard he
went up and bes.esed Samaria and
wxrred against it." The cause Of this
war Is unknown. except that il seems
TO have been for the purpose Of humih-
attnz King Ahab and the people Of Is
mel The Syrian kings demands upon
De king Of Israel were most huniliat-
tnS and offensive. yet would have had
to be complied with had not God inter
Tered to save the nation. In his provi-
&ence 232 young mcn were enabled to
hiring about a panic among the soldiers
os Benhaead that led to their utter
Bpgt and ruin
One Ct the principal factors In this
defeat was drunk mess. When Ahab's
reply was sent TO the Syrian king. he
and his allies were drinking in the pa
vilions. ard when later on the prophet
I'D the young men against them they
were still drinking. And they went
Nut at noon. But Benhadad was drink
ing himself drunk in the pavilions, he
and his kings. the thirty and two
ktngs that helped them" This Excess
I've drinking had No doubt much 10 do
with the panic that Immediately seized
tie Syrian army and caused its defeat
and destruction. Nor was this the hrst
Sr last time that intemperance caused
The defeat Of armies Beishazzar and
Babylon went down to defeat in the
midst of drunken reyelings, and Alex
ander's military career was bhghted
b. the terrible curse. Men able to
have themselves been overcome by the
demon of strong drink
Drunkenness always leads to defeat
1T IL not for kings to drink wine nor
for generals nor for soldiers nor for
any one who would creditably hold any
POSITION in life worth holding and who
Would perform successfully the duties
It life Drunkenness never won bat
De. The Russian soldiers IN the Cri-
mean war were drugged with drink.
bot this only assured their defeat in
stead Of saving them from IL Intoxi-
ating drinks weaken the intellect. de-
0erov the physical powers Of 8 man and
absolutely unit him for the battle Of
HE. Defeat win come to every man
- surely as it did to Benhadad- who
b accustomed 10 drinking himself
drunk"
Since intemperance has always led
to individual and national disgrace and
ruin. why viii nations continue to
make drunkenness possible, and why
will men continue TO form habit that
has proved SO disastrous 10 thOusan ds
81 others7 That these things are done
after centuries Of experience seems al
most incredible Yet il is sadly true
Public sentiment has not yet been edu-
Gated to the point where it will make
drunkenness impossible by law, and in
dividuals are not yet brought 10 the
point where they are unwilling to risk
all for the pleasures Of intoxication.
May God hasten the day when these
conditions will prevail. To this end
let US as Christians totally abstain
ourselves, pray earnestly for the over
throw CT the rum traffic and do all in
our power 10 reach and torecIaim those
who have been led to form this terrible
habit.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ell. xI, Is; Lev. Z, s, o; Mum. vi, ia:
Prov. Ky, /; xii, 1922; Hab. Ii, lib;
Luke l. 1916; Cor iii, 1G, Il; Gal v.
70, %.