Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-24

ana gives the reason for SoIomon's counsel
IN another place. prov. xxxi:3-4) Lust and
WINE nave gone together in all times and
countries. tDan. v:2). From the days OF
bippocrates. an eminent Greek physician
down TO our day, this fact has been ex-
pressed in an aphorism the truth OF which
no one now questions.
TROUBLE (verse 34-when body
ana SOU are thus affected no one could
reasonably expect any substantial peace
or any enduring happiness. Unrest and
misfortune are the portion of the victim
70 strong drink. lie may indeed for a
time seek repose In the midst of fanciet
security, only to be overtaken and over
Wheined by calamities which he neither
could have foreseen nor averted WithaI
ne appears to lose Judgment of what is
prudent and best, so that by his own fool
ISh conduct he involves himself In trouble
our author expresses these points very
lorGbly. The man IL so fndiscreet that
ne Is like one who lies down in the midst
OF the sea, seeking rest in the very pIaca
where his life is In peril He is like one
that lies down to sleep upon the top OF
mast. from which he may be suddenly
tossed into the deep Who has not seen
all this illustrated many times in the lives
or drunkards? Nothing could be more
pltlful than the course of men who ars
acknowledged to be their own worst
enemy
COMPLAINT (verse s5)-one other
characteristic of the drunken man. more
peculiar in many respects. more serious
than those already mentioned. completes
the account in the passage before u.s.
Having recovered somewhat from the eff
fects OF the last debauch, he is determined
to seek 1t again" No loss pain. sick
ness, poverty, ill-treatment, imminent dam
gers, or merciful deliverances can prevail
with him so much as to awaken a desire
to break his chain. So inveterate are his
habits and so great his infatuation that
he considers the suffering through which
he passed as a personal and unusual az
Fiction, of which he complains. as II some
one other than himself, or some cirCum-
stance for which he was not responsible,
had brought Ii upon him He seldom
aScribes his mtserieS to drink. On tho
contrary, he eSteems the cup to be his one
true friend. to which he turns with hopo
of finding needed comfort. 1t has occurred
ate and his drink are considered to be en-
emieS
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES liquor as a
beverage is condemned by Scripture for
reasons that must appeal to the good
sense OF every rational person. II Is far
worse than the tabled cup of Circe. which
transformed men into brutes. 1t infames
the passions and prepares for every hate
full crime. 1t ruins mans constitution
and character and tends to beggsr his FAM
lily. 1t incites the basest lusts, and causes
man to fall into that deep ditch from
which few escape with their lives, making
them an easy prey for bad women It let's
and disgusting speech. 1t leads a man Into
unnumbered dangers. vet fascinates him
into such love for his cruel oppressor that
he sleeps only to recruit himself, ana
awakes to return to its destructive indul-
gence Who that has common sense would
contract such habit, or sell himself to an
iniquity which tends to such accumulated
guilt and misery? Henceforth let no man
doubt the teaching of Gods word on this
momentous subject.