Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1903-11-26
ANCIENT WISDOM.
International Sunday School Lesson for
November % Is 1.-The Curse of
Strong Drink"

international Sunday School Lesson for
November % Is 1.-The Curse of
Strong Drink"
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Once Il quarter comes round the tenn
i perance lesson for the Sunday school
! of the world. 1t differs from other les
sons IN several particulars. one oil them
being its topical rather tnaE its blDllcal
character. Other lessons are a study
of a passage of scripture; these are
| rather the study OF II theme. Sometimes
/! the assigned scripture verses nave
a direct bearing on the temperance sub
| ject, as today; but ii is understood that
| the temperance sentiment of our times
| finds its warrant in the spirit of the
| New Testament, rather than IN the
| specific injunctions contained IN the
bible. We have advanced over the
| fathers in this, rs in many other par,
| ticulars. The wisdom books OF the oiu
Testament cover all phases of practical
| life and conduct. They touched upon
I the good and bad practices or thelr
! day; and their observations are as true
now as when written 5000 years ago.
| This classic passage on the w~1neplpper'
which is assigned for present study.
shows the authors familiarity with the
evils of over-indulgence in strong drink.
L 1noTe IL Il hceIICSS LIN ~
lines which modern temperance ntera-
ture lacks:
And whosoever erreth thereby Is not wise.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink IL brawier;
BE not among winebibbers:
Among GluttOnouS eaters or nesh. q,
For the drunkard and the glutton sha'i
come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with
rags.
Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who
hath contentious.
Who hath complaining? Who hath wounds
without cause?
Who hath redness of eyes!
They that tarry long at the wine:
They that go to seek out mixed wine.
Look not tho upon the wine when 1t is
red.
When it sparkleth in the cup:
When 1t goeth down smoothly.
At the last 1t biteth like a serpent.
And stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall utter perverse things.
Yea, tho shalt be as he that lieth down
in the midst of the sea.
OR as he that lieth upon the top Of q mast.
They have stricken me. shalt thou say,
and l was not hurt;
They nave beaten me. and l felt 1t not.
When shall l awake? 1 will seek it yet
THE NEXT GREAT CRUSADE.
The. temperance question is a bigger
question today than 1t was in Solomon's
time. During the last twenty years
even during the past decade-it has as
sumed proportions that are considered
Observation-Disclosures in strong drink.
There is u knowledge, and a
and a versatility displayed by the tenn
perance forces that promise success.
The struggle is becoming more tense
daily, and the liquor trade recognizes
this with even greater clearness han
do the generality of Christians. The
decisive battle in the temperance war
is not far distant.
Signs are net a the pre-
dominance of public sentiment in
America is against eve the moderate
use of alcoholic beverages. This senti-
ment was strong enough to drive the
saloon out OF the army, out of the cap
itol. and out of all government reser-
vations. The increase of the local OPP
, ton and prohibition legislation
throughout the country are further
evidences that the American people In
proverbs upon the alcohol question.
ENEMIES OF AN ENEMY.
How widely strong drink is looked
upon as an enemy of the welfare OF
the individual and of the community
may be seen by writing out even a
partial list of the classes Of persons
who have registered themselves as OPP
posed to 1t. Perhaps corporations
hos modern, unsentimenal and wholly
"a (ACdl1OIl6 " tu6 new tlInGS
should be put first, for their Judgment
is certain to be based solely on cOnsid-
erattOns of self -interset and CONNER
cial effectiveness. Today these cor.
porations are shutting their doors tt
drinking men for responsible positions
Educators say hat the effects of al.
cohol are evil; and the report of the
committee OF ffty leading educators
by no means Temperance cranks." /.
n OF the strongest temperance docu'
ments this generation has produced.
Doctors n preachers have boil
condemned drinking, and pointed GU
Its baleful effects, each from his owl
standpoint. Athletes put a bane upol
1t, while unexpected ecruits have bee
found in bartenders themselves VIII
have formed a society Of total abstain
ers. No mention has been made of tina
company greater than any Of the 9th
ers. who are sworn enemies OF stron
drink because Of the harm II ha
wrought to dear ones.
FETTERED OR FIRE.
Life Is becoming more intense ever
grows ever sharper. The need for til
free use of all of u mans energies I
enable him to survive and succeed ha
become a potent temperance argu
.ment. A man cannot pay tribute I
> the flowing bowl and still have sun
cient store with which to do bushes
, In the world. Alcohol may have
: food value In the sense that Pr0fesst
Atwater claims but 1t Is eyerywhel
h recognized that In h case Of a worl
err 1t does not put more power into hit
but rather takes power from him.
= II only q whip for a taded horse.
4 Az he looks into his future. eve
: that he will choose the Ourse that col
. taino no rlulkS. but insuree liberty 4