Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-03-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH rs:

Temperance Lesson, Prov. kill, 20 3d.
Golden Text, Prov. kill. 3%-Memory
Verse, 81 Topic: Drinks Chamber
Of Horrors.
I. Strong drink destroys happiness
Tvs. 90 3O). 20. "Who." A divine
commission to every man to investi-
gate the prevailing cause OF woe ana
sorrow and strife, and thus be deferred
from taking the wrong course IN life.
Robinson call this lesson the drunk
ards looking glass, set before those
whose face is toward the drnnkard's
habits, so that they may see what they
will be If they go on. "Woe." Direful
distress; both the condemnation for
sin committed, and certain awful con-
dition of suffering. Sin Of all kinds
brings its own punishment, but there Is
no sin which so speedily and relent-
lessly pursues its victim as the sin OF
drunkenness. "Who hath sorrow"
The Hebrew word means. first poverty
and then misery. The cup contains more
than one woe; q single sorrow is not all.
These are so numerous as to call forth
q constant and long continued cry OF
cnguish. "Who hath contentious
quarrels and MISUNDERSTANDING are
traceable to drink. "Who hath bab-
bling" This refers to the tendency Of
strong drink to foolish and incessant
talking, revealing secrets, vile CONVEX
sation and noisy demonstrations, wh1cn
are common in different stages OF
drunkenness Nothing goes right with
the drlnker. He complains OF God, OF
society, Of his family, Of his circum-
stances, of everything. Nothing can
be right to one who is thus wrong.
"Wounds without cause" Wounds re-
celved in wholly Improbable disputes,
such as come Of the brawls OF drunken
men. Drinkers are especially exposed
to accidents and diseases which TEN
perance would have prevented. RED
ness Of eyes" Bloodshot, blurred or
beared eyes (Gen. 1912. Alcohol in
duces paralysis of the nerves control
ling the minute blood vessels, the ca
pillaries, which results in dilatlon
that speedily shows itself in the eye.
80. "They that tSrry long" This
answers the above questions. He who
begins to drink continues to drink, tar
rying often Il whole night, and from
that to day and night. "They that 60"
To places or among people where In
toxicating drinks are made or stored
or used. MIXED wine" Spiced.
drugged, indicated wine.
III. Strong drink prohibited Tvs. 81,
32). 81. Look not" This prohibits
even moderate drinking. 1t is our duty
to avoid temptation. See Prov. Ala.
10. The person who enters into temp
tation Is almost certain to fall. Red
The bright color of the wine gives it
an attractive look. His color in the
cup" Literally, its eye. the clear
brightness, or the beaded bubbles, on
which the wine drlnker looks with
pleasure. "Goeth down smoothly" Or.
W This verse pictures the attractive
side Of wine, when 1t seems perfectly
harmless to sip little, when 1t Is
bright and inspiring, thrilling the
nerves with delight, promising all JOY
and freedom. 1t is the shining side OF
evil that is so dangerous-thiS towery
entrance to the path that leads to
death. At such time, beware! 81.
"At the last it biteth." The pleasure
will be attended at last with intoler-
able pains. when 1t works like so much
poison in thy veins and casts thee into
diseases as hard to cure as the biting
of q serpent. Adder" In the Geneva
Bible this word Is translated "cocka-
trice." 1t was a very venomous ser
pent. But the picture cannot be over
drawn. The curse Of strong drink Is
worse than the bite of a thousand SER
penis.
III. Strong drink ruinous to charac-
ter ". 33).
33. Eyes shall behold" etc. Thine
eyes shall behold strange things" r.
V. Some think there is q reference
here to the dellrium tremens. But the
rendering IN the Authorized Version.
which is retained in the margin Of the
Revised Version. Is, according to the
Cambridge Bible, 'in keeping with the
usage of the word in the Book Of Prov
cribs, and with the undoubted conncc-
ton between excess Of wine and lust
The ''lust Of the eyes, causes the
downfall of many. We should hasten
to close our eyes to that which we
ought not to see Heart shall utter
When men or women indulge In the
use Of strong drink they let down the
bars to every sin that follows In the
train.
". Strong drink leads to folly VS.
81. 35).
81. "In the midst of the sea-" To
make ones bed on the waves of the
sea would be to be swallowed up in
death. So is the drunken man. Or rs
pilot who has gone to sleep when his
ship was In the troughs of the sea. al
lowing the tiller to slip out Of his hand,
and his ship to be swamped with the
waves. which. he might have outridden.
Stupefied, besotted men know not
where they are or what they are doing,
and when they lie down they are as If
tossed by the rolling waves Of the sea,
or upon the top Of a mast. Their heads
swim. Their sleep is disquiet, and
troublesome dreams make sleep unre-
freshing. "Top of mast" The
drunkard is utterly regardless of life
35. Have strlcken-not hurt" Or.
W With conscience scared and self
respect gone, the drunkard boasts of
the things which should make him
blush with shame. Have bcaten-felt
it not" Angry companions have done
their worst to end my life, says he but
their blows did not affect me-" will
see-again." Rather, when shall
awake will seek it again. Self-con-
troll is ali gone. The drunkard is a
slave to appetite. He is as insensible
to the pleadings and warnings of those
who seek MS salvation as he is to the
beatings Of his comrades when he Is
Gelirlous.