Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-10-21
TEMPERANCE
SUNDAY OBSERVED

ance Sunday in the Presby terian
church. On this date generally TIE
ministers of that denomination preach
ed an effective temperance sermon.
Following are some of the points of
Rev. DR.. Mccormack sermon. He
handled the subject in his usual force
full and original manner good siz-
| ed congregation had turned ont at the
| Grove church, all without exception
commencing the PASTORS effort.
The text was founded on Romans
] XIV.2l: ut is good not to eat flesh, =,
nor to drink wine, nor to do anything
whereby thy brother stumbleth. "
Taking as a topic the broad subject
of Temperance" DR.. Mccormack
said: when we join the church we
cease to be able to look at things mere.
ly in their relation to ourselves; we
are in honor bound to look at them in
their relation to the life OF every 9TH
er member In the text Paul speaks
of abstinence not for man s own sake
but for the sake of others. One who
realizes his own weakness abstains for
his own sake another person, who re-
oognizes the weakness of those around
him. abstains for their sake. This
chapter tnrges the Importance of con-
science. This is question on which
there is no room for difference of
opinion. AS follower of Christ IA
mans duty is perfectly clear he must
be total abstainer.
You all admit that there may be cir
cumstances when it would be wrong
for you to drink-when you know you
are running serious risk by doing it,
The nurse and physician have to take
risks in mastering the plague. Busi-
ness men are bound to take risks 9TH
erwise the wheels of commerce would
stand still but risks that can be avoid
ed should not be taken.
believe that in taking a drink
man runs risss that might be avoided.
There is no place where drink is nee
essary. The social cup does not feed
nor sustain. Granted, if you like, that
il is a medicine.
Further there are things nobody
should risk character of his own chill
dren-his own soul Your character has
reached stage in which it is pretty
well fixed and the danger of you ever
becoming drunkard is very remote.
But what of your children The man
who drinks also risks Ills own charac-
ter.
The risk in your case yop say is
moderate drinker. Men do not de-
liberstely become drunkards. LET
those who stand beware lest they
fall" Abstain for personal safety.
/. 1t is wrong for you to drink
" hen you know it is an occasion of
stumbling to others. This is to Christ
ian PEOPLE an unanswerable argument.
The strong language of temperance ad-
vocatcs is no good excuse for turning
a deaf ear. Our national drink bill is
enormous. The victims belong to all
classes. to both sexes.
2. Is self sacrifice part of the
Christians s duty? Take up thy cross
and follow me- But why should a
man give mp drink-what difference
will 1t make-why should a man give
up what he likes? The life of the
drunken wretch, the besotted scamp
stands out as red signal of danger.
Satan does not take the innocent
young man to the Justices court on
Monday morning to persuade him that
a little wine or beer is good for him.
But on Sunday he takes him to church
points out the respectable church
member, Sunday school teacher or
elder. who is moderate drinkor, and
discourses on their illustrious virtues.
That is q plea the young man can not
answer or withstand.
respectable. temperate man is
worth 10000 drunkards in the DEVILS
battle for the souls of the youth of
our land.
Again BY having drink in your house
you place it in the way of your chill
dren and friends. 1t is for each of us
to weigh these things up.
There is no doubt bat that you think
of something to he said on the other
side. l believe you will agree that
moderation is the highest form of
temperance it is self control. That
sounds well enough but it is Pagan
morality, not Christianity, which has
taught US there is something higher
than self-control and that is self deni-
al.
Agaip,yo say total abstine nee may
he necessary for some, but it is a con-
fession of weakness moderation is the
ideal-moderation is freedom m-but is
it?
The moderate driuker has reserved
his strongest argument for the last.
He has the authority of Paul for his
position. But surely Paul's theologic-
al insight did not make him an infall-
able medical adviser. When l want
advice as to diet do not consult Rev.
DR.. Patton, of Princeton, but DI.
| Thompson, of B 'oom street. We who
profess to follow Christ should not
judge one another, but standing in the
! presence of our Lord we repeat the
words: at is good not to eat flesh,
nor to drink wine, nor to do anything
whereby thy brother stumbleth.'