Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-24

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS idea or D.
worldwide lesson on temperance. or rather
intemperance, for the children and youth
OF our Sunday schools. cannot be too high
ly commended. 1t Is a pity, however. that
the committee in selecting the Scripture to
be studied included SO much. verses $50.
q large part Of which has nothing to do
with the subject In this exposition a more
limited passage Is therefore taken. and q
part even Of this is only indirectly ap-
propriate. By comparing verses IL and II
It will be seen. however. that the drink
habit was In the writer's thought through
out Separate sins never, flourish alone.
They all originate in carnality Gal. v:19-
~. When one appears the others are
present. although possibly concealed. In
depicting the woeful condition Of the drunk
ard the prophet calls attention to those
things which result from or accompany this
vice. grow with It. feed upon it. and. in
his head belongs to a whole nest OF them:
coiled in darkness are many more
HABIT.-In verses IL and II We see
the first result as well as the method OF
the drink habit. BY the use Of intoxicants
man acquires the appetite whose de-
mands cannot be refused. The infiamed
condition Of the vital organs and the con-
seQuent pain prov. xxih:32) compel him to
leave his couch early to seek relief. In
this way princes became slaves (Eccl.
x:16). The pleasurable sensation produced
led them to tarry long at night at their
cups, retiring in stupor prov xxiii:3D
Beginning and ending the day under the
dominion of strong drink, 1t became their
chief desire prov. xiii: 3b). Falling into
extreme sensuality they introduced music
into their feasts to heighten their pleasure
and entfce them to further Indulgence. In
this degradation they sought enjoyment as
their chief good (Amos. vi:5) and the work
of God was driven from their minds. They
lost interest in the phenomena of nature,
in the welfare of society, in the duties Of
the hour and gave their time and strength
men, cries Isaiah.
RESULTS.-Sad as Is the condition Of
those who come under the power OF strong
drink, as just described, there are more
deplorable consequences. both to the indi-
vidual and to society. The drunkard, while
boasting Of personal liberty and resenting
restraint, seems not to consider that he
injuries others Rom. xvi:O. The prophet
turns his thoughts to the remote results
Of the drink habit Tvs. 1910. MY people
are gone away into captivity" he declares.
referring to their past, and, probably, to
their future. But why into captivity? Be
cause they have no knowledge" Having
just shown that intemperance precuded
knowledge of God, he now shows that such
ignorance leads to national ruin (Hos. iv:6).
And this because the honorable men. the
officials, through drink come to poverty
prov. xxiii:21), and famine and death
carry multitudes Of them to the grave. He
saw hell enlarged to receive the victims.
like some voracious monster, opening wide
his Jaws, to gorge his prey. He may have
referred to Tophet. the general burning
place near Jerusalem der. vii:3D, once a
beautiful valley, then marked by defilement
and death, emblem Of the abode Of the
wicked duke xVi:2D. ...- -,--
JUDGMENT.-When all this has run
it's course what shall be the finality in
Israel? The prophet would have us know
the worst, that full measure may be
taken of the evil we are considering Tvs.
15-1D. The mean man shall be brought
down and the mighty man shall be humbled
they shall be ruined by their own sinful
indulgence. This will be recognized as the
judgment Of God upon them. and He will
be exalted and glorifed for this display Of
His holiness and 5ustice dan. iv:3O. Let
no man imagine that the Almighty Is an
Indifferent spectator when such havoc Is
made of the soul and body, when the good
order and peace Of society are disturbed
and when destruction is wrought on every
hand. Moreover when He has thus entered
into judgment, when the mighty are fallen
and the people are captives. the cities shall
become pastures. The lambs shall feed
where the dissolute had their habitation,
and strangers will cultivate the waste
places and eat Of the fruitage och. v:o-D.
Such will be the outcome, as Divine retri-
button upon a perverse people lisa. xviii:
ID, who, giving themselves over to their
SCOFFERS.-These are those who
doubt the execution Of Divine judgment
Encouraged to continue in sin because pun
ishment Is delayed Eccl. viii;1D they es-
tablish themselves in evil practices as one
who spins cords together to form a cable
each new deed drawing out their iniquity
until the habit becomes strong as a cart
rope Tvs. 18). They defy the predicted ven
geance Of God or think He has overlooked
their offenses Psalms x:12). The prophets
threatening Is received with scorn. and he
is met with ridicule Ger. v:12-13). So was
it in the time Of the flood (Heb. xi:D. So
will it be in the latter times as the final
Judgment approaches e Pet. iii:3-4. They
say contemptuously. Let God make speed
and hasten His work. Tvs. 19), and we will
believe it when we see it. The allusion
here is to that class Of persons who have
advanced from the counsel of the ungodly
and the way Of sinners to the seat, the
permanent resting place Of the scoffers
PSALMS I'D. Woe unto these persons"
cries the prophet. They will ultimately
behold what now they challenge and be
filled with CONSERVATION" prov. 1920.
PERvERSITY-The course OF sin IS
ever downward. When one takes his place
with scoffers he inflcts damage upon all
his powers, intellectual as well as moral.
persistent opposition to the right dmpalrs
the Judgment and dethrones the reason
(Matt. vi:23). He 10 soon unable TO dis-