The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-27
ANCIENT WISDOM.
International Sunday School Lesson for
November p Is "The Curse of
Strong Drink"

International Sunday School Lesson for
November % Is "The Curse of
Strong Drink"
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
once d quarter comes round the tenn
perance lesson for the Sunday schools
of the world. 1t differs from other les
sons in several particulars, one of them
being it's topical rather than it's biblical
character. Other lessons are a study
of a passage of scripture; these are
rather the study of a theme. Sometimes
the assigned scripture verses have
a direct bearing on the temperance sub
iect, as today; but it 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 tne
bible. We have dvanced over the
fathers in this, as in many other par
ticulars. The wisdom books of the Old
Testament cover all phases of practical
life and conduct. They touched upon
the good and bad practices Of their
day; and their observations are as true
now as when written 5000 years ago.
This classic passage on the w~inebibber,
which is assigned for present study,
shows the authors familiarity with the
evils of over-indulgence i'll strong drink.
There is a keeness and a bite about the
lines which modern temperance htera-
ture lackS:
And whatsoever erreth thereby Is not wise:
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a bfa wler'
BE not among WineblbberS;
Among gluttonous eaters or 1iesn;
For the drunkard and the glutton snail
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 thou upon the wine when 1t is
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, thou shalt be as he that lieth down
in the midst of the sea,
Or as he that lieth upon the top Of a mast,
They have stricken me, shalt thou say,
and l was not hurt;
They have beaten me, and | felt 1t not.
When shall 1 awake? 1 will seek it yet
again."
THE NEXT GREAT CRUSADE.
The temperance question is a bigger
question today than it was in Solomon's
time. During the last twenty years
even during the past decade-lt has as
sumed proportions that are considered
,ominous by traffickers in strong drink.
There Is q knowledge, and q purpose,
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 than
do the generality of Christians. The
decisive battle in the temperance war
IS not far distant.
Signs are not lacking that the pre-
s1nniO1nca Of nlh1ic sentiment in
America is against even 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 il
the main agree with the writer OF
proverbs upon the alcohol question.
ENEMIES OF AN ENEMY.
How widely strong drink is locke
upon as an enemy OF the welfare o
the individual and of the community
may be seen by writing out even {
partial list of the classes of person:
who have registered themselves as OPP
posed to it. Perhaps corporations
those modern, unsentimenal n who'll!
selfish creations of the new times
should be put first, for their judgmen
is certain to be based solely on consid
erations Of self-interset and CONNER
cial effectiveness. Today these cor
porations are shutting their doors t.
drinking men for responsible positions
Educators say that the effects of al
scohol are evil; and the report of tn
committee Of fifty leading educators
by no means Temperance crankS," i
one of the strongest temperance docu
ments this generation has produced.
Doctors and preachers have bot
condemned drinking, and pointed GU
it's baleful effects, each from his ow,
standpoint. Athletes put a bane upo
1t. while unexpected recruits have bee
found in bartenders themselves VIII
have formed a society of total abstain
ers. No mention has been made of tina
greater than any of the 9th
ers, who are sworn enemies OF stron
drink because of the harm it ha
wrought to dear ones.
FETTERED OR FIRE.
Life is becoming more intense ever
year. The struggle for eXlstenS
grows ever sharper. The need for TT
free use of all Of a mans energies I
enable him to survive and succeed he
become q potent temperance argC
ment. A man cannot a tribut !
the flowing BOWL and still have stuff
cient store with which to do bushes
in the world. Alcohol may have
food value in the sense that Profess
Atwater claims but it is everywhel
recognized that in the case of a Worl
Ell it does not put more power into hir
but rather takes power from him.
is only a whip for a jaded horse.
AS he looks into his future, evel
Young man should decide, once for a
that he will choose the course that COZ
tains no risks, but insu1es liberty fl
the expression of his fullest power
He cannot afford to fetter himself /
any dangerous appetite. If he wish
to make sure of being a free man, wi
a clear head, steady nerves, strol
muscles, and a body fit for all j
moral functions, responding to the in
.rE. 81 r..u.L /, {, Holfarc ~.