The Newtown bee., 1904-10-28

The great panacea of the world is intoxicating drink. In one form or another drunkenness is the universal medicine of the sin-Sick and suffering children of earth. Every nation has it's intoXicant which cheers the heart, and SOotheS the pains of the flesh, and drOWnS the sorrows of the soul. To what extent StimulantS and narcotics may be a mercy and a blessing to the world no one can tell. But we know full we'll the extent and terribleness of their abuses.
 St Paul simply makes this striking contrast between being ''drunken with wine, wherein is riot," or excess, and the exultation and happiness of being filled with the Spirit" Intoxicating drink stands here, for all animal ex- citement and intemperance. Drunken ness may almost be taken as the sym bol of all carnal pleasure, vice, and crime. In the nature of the case it runs to riot. The drlnk-habit is close ly identified with all evil associations, and sinful indulgences:,lNM- do not strong-drink for the purpose of doing good; but rather as a preparation for some greater evil.
 uC CllCCU Ol IllIldIloll To uo cite the life of the flesh at the expense of the Spirit. It influences the ap- petites of the body, confuSeS the sen ses, throws the mind and will out of balance and putSa discount upon the moral and spiritual nature. And so the world $ medicine for the ills of the flesh reverSeS the order of nature, mak- ing man more of beast and less of a son of God, and leads him into excess and riot.
 It is question still whether alcohol l is in any proper sense a food for the | body, and whether it can really relieve | the world so freely uses it. It is a we'll | known fact that the most dreaded eX- perience of all is the reaction and re- cOvery from the effects of excessive stimulation. The despair which fol lows the riot of drunkenness is darker than the dread of pain and sorrow which it drOwnS for the time being And we cannot doubt that the wise man of old knew the truth of what he was saying:
 "Wine is mocker, strong-drink g brawler;
 And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise."
 At least, we may we'll pity, with al our heart, and mind, and lsoul, anC unutterable longings of sympathy, any one whose happiness depends upon the effects of drinks or drugs. And let us not judge too hastily nor harshly, but tenderly commend the suffering sou to the wisdom and mercy of infinite love.
 But what is the great, universa cure of the souls and bodies of sin cursed men? What is it that car surely refresh the weary, tighten thu burden of life, eXalt the sensibilities and not exhaust the energies, bu cause the whole being, body, soul, ano Spirit, to rejoice and be strong Tn the hope of the better things to come St Paul's answer is: ''Be filled witt the Spirit.' Inspiration, and no stimulation is what we all need. Tn exaltation of the spiritual nature, an'
 not the excitement of the physica
 man is the divine treatment for ou sin and sorrow, weakness and wear
 ness. Life, real deathless life whic
 comes from God is our greatest want
 and not the mere mechanical gOadin
 of our bodily functions. AS the Spiri
 of God was the creative power b.
 which we were made and endowe
 with life, so it is the life giving agenc
 by which we are cured of Sin, restore
 to righteousness, and brought int F the fellowship of the divine love. "B = filled with the Spirit," for the life c {; the Spirit is health, strength, joy, an S peace.