Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-07


many such! But there are some. and the
ways in which the devil of drunkenness
can coil its Shiny length about even man
who has taken the preaching of the gospel
for his life work are many and subtle The
young men, alas. are too strong in their
own strength, and cannot believe in danger
Tor themselves. What picture Isaiah
gives us Of the fall of one Of Gods priests
into drunkenness "Out of the way
.erring in vision" stumbling in judg-
ment Could crown of Gods messenger
which ought to shine with many stars for
the redeemed ones he has helped to save
be lower trampled under foot?
AND there is a sense in which all who
nave nave !. named the name of the Lord and be-
lieve In Christ are His prophets and priests
crown.
Though this is primarily a temperance
lesson, there are other ways in which we
can trample our crowns under foot than
Dy drinking intoxicating liquors Some
times We let temper have it's way Some
times we indulge our own luxurious tastes
knowing at the time that we do SO at the
expense OF our crowns of everlasting glory.
Sometimes our weakness in resisting pleas
ure or any temptation makes us walk with
roughshod feet over the shining gold that
should adorn our heads. and by and by
when we have come to our senses and
missed our crowns we go back to try and
pick them up, but we find them marred and
furnished and beaten out of shape by other
feet as well as ours that have passed over
them since first we dropped them there In
carelessness.
1t is the privilege of every child Of God
10 have the Lord of Hosts for crown of
glory, royal diadern. 1t is ours now
Let us take no risks of losing It, Hold
tnat fast which thou hast. Let no man
take thy crown"
Applied Truth.
There is a beautiful legend of the martyrs
of the laundering Legion Forty of those
brave soldiers were told they must give I'D
Christ or die. The sentence was that they
were to be exposed all night in fearful cold,
naked, on lake of ice.
On the shore there was warmed and
lighted room into which they might run for
shelter and comfort If they were willing to
adiure Christ.
Let us ask God to send us forty to our
crowns together said one of the brave
men upon the ice, and so those heroes of
Jesus stood praying in the bitter cold or
running about encouraging one another and
trying to keep from freezing, one and
another of them little by little succumbing
to the terrible benumbing sleep that the
cold wrapped about Them resisting as best
they might the charm of the lighted
warmth on shore. The soldier on guard
by the warm fire slept and had vision.
He thought he was looking upon the ex-
posed Christians and an angel descended
from heaven with dazzling crown in his
hand for the first one who had dropped to
death upon the ice. Back he came again
and again, bringing crown after crown for
the martyrs, until he had brought thirty
nine crowns. Then he did not return.
The sound of one entering the warm
room aroused him and he awoke wonder
ing what it meant and saw that one of the
forty had been unable to endure the torture
of the cold and had yielded to the tempta-
ton to get warm.
Then the soldier who had dreamed went
and aroused the judge, and, processing his
faith in Jesus, went out to take the place
Of f1o rV,or xr1o bad ~zJt1 -
the fire. The others who were still alive
were praying: Forty wrestlers we have
entered the arena; let forty victors receive
the prize"
Bravely he stood waiting for the coming
of the angel with the forteth crown for
him to wear. When morning dawned those
who were still alive had their legs broken
and were cast together into great fire and
burned.
How to Help the Leader.
Tell some of the ways in which you think
people begin to be careless about their
crowns. Or speak especially of how drunk
enness subtly steals the crowns from souls.
Parallel passages,-Isaiah, 5:11,22; Joel,
1:5: Luke, 21:34; Romans, 1872; Galatians,
81; l Peter, At; Matthew, 24:4S-51 l
Corinthians, 6:1O; James, 1:12.
Hints to the characterization Endeavor
Hymns, 9. 20, liz, ia, 151 16O
The Endeavor Hymnal, 49, 49, 80 1903, 300
Ii this is to be made a temperance meet
ing-and by all means make 1t so If posi-
bie-ask some one to speak on the little
ways in which the "crown of Ephraim'' is
brought low, through intemperance.. Get
some physician or scientist to tell briefly
the percentage of alcohol in the various
common patent medicines that are used
freely in households. 1t will be a revela-
ton to many who think they are taking
something perfectly harmless to find they
are simply taking drugged liquors Take
little pains to study into these things, and
give the warning to the young people who
really prize their crowns and may take
the warning not to lose them. Prepare for
this meeting by much prayer. In your
heart should be great longing to save
others from going "out of the way" This
love of Jesus for souls, If felt by YOU will
make your meeting a wonderful temper
ance meeting.
Barter not His gold for pebbles; do not trade in
vanities:
Pearls there are Of price and jewels for the DUR
chase of the wise.
And know this: At thy returning thou wilt surely
f1Ed tie King
With al open book before Him. waiting to make
reckoning.
hen large honors will the faithful earnest service
of one day
Reap Of Him, but days folly largest penalties
will nay.
RICHARD G. TRENCH