The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-10


Golden Text is. 'Wine Is a Mocker,
Strong Drink Is Raging, and Whose
ever Is Deceived Thereby Is Not
WISE" Prov. 2O:1.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
A dramatic episode in the early pill
grim life of the Hebrew nation is made
the basis of this weeks Sunday school
teaching that the day is meant to I'M
press is not drawn from the text: the
latter can be only a starting point for
topical treatment of a great present.
day theme. The unwilling should be-
ware lest they be tripped into barren
and proftiess discussion of the taber-
nacle ritual.
The men who stand in the position
of horrible examples" for the day
were Nadab and Abihu. sons of Aaron,
the great high priest, and themselves
also priests and his possible success
Sors. They belonged to the best family
uncle, and they themselves held hign
place OF privilege They fully under
stood all the stress that Jehovah had
laid upon the elaborate ritual OF wor-
ship which he had prescribed for this
people whom he was leading out OF
slavery and tdolatry.
why the Japanese Was Slain
Nevertheless in a careless hour they
transgressed, by Offering strange fire"
before the altar of the Lord. That is,
they directly violated the method of
worship which God had laid down The
exact. technical nature of the oHense
is not agreed upon by all commenta-
tors; it may be that they even rashly
pressed within the forbidden veil of
the Sacred Presence. Whatever the
form of the transgression. 1t was a
making light of the divine law, and of
the Sanctity of the worship of Jeho-
yah.
Everybody in Japan knows an analo-
gous story of the death of a prominent,
fOF6fUn-G6nn1fa6 JAn9nPSa official he
cause he had dared to lift the veil in
front of the inner court of the imperial
ShintO shrine at 1Se. This is the court
which no one is permitted to enter but
the emperor and the priests. Filled
with a sense of superiority to the old
notions. this man raised the curtain |
with his cane. He was straightway fol- |
lowed by Jealous Shintotst and aSsas- |
sinated. The grave of his murderer
became n shrine for the people.
Thus even the heather conception of
the sanctity of their gods rebukes the |
irreverenoe of the average Christian.
1t is no light thing to make light of
what God has declared sacred. If the
destruction of Nadab and Abihu by a |
consuming fire seem too heavy a pun
ishment for their offenSe, be it remem-
bered that the religious order of the
chosen nation was in its beginning, and
Jehovah had to vindicate his majesty
much less the priests. take liberties
with his honor and his law. Such a
course would be mistaken kindness to
the peoDle themselves.
The Travellers Spirituality"
The swift and terrible justice which
overlook the sons of Aaron. and the
grim edict that their death should
cause no mourning, and no interrupt
ton of the tabernacle services. was
probably a punishment of intemper-
nnce. For Immediately "the Lord
spake unto Aaron. saying, Drink no
wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy
sons with thee, when ye go into the
tent OF meeting, that We die not"
Spirits distort spirituality. A drunk
en- mans religion is likely to be an i'm
pious thing. When crossing the Allan |
tic, few months ago, there sat beside
me during the ships Sunday service a |
much-traveled Presbyterian business
man. After the service. we walked the |
deck together, and the talk rather nat |
urally fell upon religion. My compan- !
ion bemoaned with earnestness, elo- |
quencs and citation of details, the lack |
of spirituality in the churches. His
own particular church was going to
the dogs, because the minister was not
Spiritual"
All of which would have been very
fine ana impressive. had not known
that this ardent Presbyterian had won
ships run. and had celebrated his good
fortune by a continuous round of var
led drinks. His loosened tongue was
not the result Of spirituality, but of
to him. but to his pastor.
A Reputable Topic.
Less than a generation ago the tenn
perance theme was regarded to small
class of people called "cranks'' and
fanatics; TODAY it is q reputable and |
important subject of discussion in the
most dvanced spheres of life Scien- |
lists, Psychologist political economists, |
social economists, physicians. educa-
tors, sociologists, politicians, religious
leaders and labor leaders. all may be |
found in the present-day arena of pub
lie affairs championing the cause of
temperance.
Such strides have been made by the |
cause of political prohibition, especial |
" in the south and southwest, that the |
least observant reader of the daily |
The National Association of Brewers, |
in convention in Atlantic City a few
weeks ago, raised the alarm among the |
liquor men that their business is fast |
the United States and Canada the tenn |
perance question is today the dominant
political question. The vigor and
healthfuluess OF public sentiment in |
this particular was shown by the gen.
eral disgust exhibited among all classes |
of people In Philadelphia over the ex-
cessive convfviality which character |
lied the recent convention of Elks in |
that city.
A Soldier on StimuIants.
was with the relief column that |
moved on to IAdysmith. It was an ex-
tremely trying time, apart from the |
heat of the weather. In that column /
of some $4,000 men the first who /
dropped out were not the tall men,
or the short men, or the big men, or |
the little men. but the drinkers; and |
they dropped out as clearly as X they
had been labeled with a big letter on
How's This?