The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-06-05
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Topic For the Week Beginning Jun.
7-Comment by Rev. S. H. Doyle.

/
7-Comment by Rev. S. H. Doyle.
Topic.-Modern lessons from the Recha-
bites.-Jer xxxv, 1-6, IS, 49, (Temper-
ance)
The Rechabites were a section of the
Henites, Mjdianitish tribe, who, with
the Israelites, had come into Canaan.
! The real founder of the tribe was
/ Jonadab, a son OF descendant of Re-
chab. They were worshipers of Jeho-
yah, though not Israelites, and the wor-
ship of Baal was very offensive to
them. To guard them against apostacy
and to insure the preservation of their
! peculiar tribal life Jonadab bound
them to abstemiousness and to a no
madic life. They were ito drink no
wine" neither were they to build house
nor SOW seed nor plant vineyard, nor
have any, hut all your days We shall
dwell in tents" The Rechabites were
faithful to the demands of their found
er for two centuries and half. The
/ invasion of ACKNOWLEDGMENT drove
them into Jerusalem, where they still
resisted the temptations to break their
VOWS 1t is claimed that about 10000
of their descendants still remain. They
live near Mecca, in the mountain coun-
| try northeast of Medina, and still adj
here to the old rules of their tribe.
| 1. The Rechabites teach total abb
stinence. They did not take a vow to
drink but moderately, but to totally
abstain from wine. 1t was an absolute
command and embraced every member
of the tribe. sour father commanded
neither We nor your sons, forever"
Under the conditions of life in their
day this was their only safe attitude
toward intoxicating drinks. Any 9th
er course would have been dangerous
They would have been in danger of
succumbing to enervating forms of
life about them. In total abstinence
from strong drink lies our only safety
today. If the first glass is never taken,
the second cannot be, but if the first is
no one can predict the result
2. The Rechabites teach the POSSIBLE
ity of total abstinence. Many people
believe that abstinence is impossible
Surrounded on all sides by temptations,
their claim is that they cannot refuse
to drink. Many honestly believe this,
although they would personally prefer
not to touch intoxicating drinks. But
all temptations by the power of God
can be overcome. Look at the Recha-
bites. They had been surrounded by
the general debauchery of Jerusalem
| VI mt nd ,hor1
they were brought face to face with
temptation under peculiar circum-
stances they courageously replied, 1--WE
will drink no wine" What they did
bluntly Daniel under somewhat sim
liar circumstances did more suavely,
yet neither suffered for the stand TAX
en-. Nor would we today if we kindly,
but firmly, declined all invitations to
drink wine or other intoxicating drinks.
The world honors and admires the man
who has convictions and stands by
them rather than the one who weakly
gives in to its temptations against his
convictions
3. The Rechabites teach the value of
total abstinence. The Rechabites lived
DIS Lucy ulu u preserve lueIF ITlDdl
character and to prolong their lives,
that We may live many days in the
land where We are strangers" For ma
tional preservation and long and hap
by life they took and kept the Recha-
bite vows, and they were amply re-
paid. Intemperance is one of our ma
tlonal sins, and for the nations well
fare the American people need to be-
come more abstemious. And nothing
today does more to assure happiness,
health and longevity to the individual
than temperance in all things. God
also blessed the Rechabites for their
faithfulness to the rules of their ia
Tiers. and in so doing He placed the
stamp of His approval upon temper
ance. That lie has stamped intemper-
ance with His disapproval is evidenced
by the evils that result from it, Let
us therefore follow the example of the
Rechabites. Let us decide to totally
abstain from intoxicating drinks, and
when the tempter says, Drink We
wine let us like them courageously
rcply, I'VE will drink no wine'
BIBLE READINGS.
Lev. X, S-11; Mum. vi, 1-3; Prov. XIX,
/; xiii, 29-32; lisa. V, II. u; Dan. i, s;
Luke i, 10; Gal. Y, 1926; l Thess. V,