The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-23
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
What the Church Folks Are Thinking About and Doing
Religious News From Everywhere.

I Nobody in Shanghai pays his bills
While that generalization is untrue, 1t
is indicative. The financial as well as
moral disaster which overtakes so
many men in the East may generally
be traced to the widespread prevalence
! of the drink habit.
The haunting look in the cavernous
| eyes OF a once-brilliant American man
whose career IN the Orient is closing in
disappointment abLdes with me as a
| reminder OF tragedy. For that mans
only son ended a life OF promise IN
der peculiarly distressing circum-
stances, as a worthless drunkardi and
now, report has II, the father has
turned for Solace-or oblivion-to the
! cup which caused all his bitterness. 1t
does seem as il the trail of strong
drink cannot be followed in any direc-
ton without finding disaster
When the Strong Reel.
The visitor to Port Arthur learns
dreadful applications of the old proph-
cts lament that "eye nthese reel with
wine" and stagger with strong drink"
battle at the gates" More than once
during the late war Russia's chances
of victory were far greater than the
world knows, but the minds and wills
sled by strong drink. The memorable
Dogger Bank incident, when fishing
boats were fired .upon- because mis-
taken for torpedo boats, is a modern
vision, they stumble in judgment"
Nor is Russia alone sufferer from
this cause. The ablest military light in
Japan was recently snuffed out by over
drinking; and one OF her admirals. whose
name the whole world knows, has an
unenviable reputation at home for the
same vice. America is not guiltless, as
more than one incident in her naval and
military history attests; and it has been
more than limited that one of the recent
diSa Cf<a 20 a- mt mir,
was due to the cause which makes men
err in vision" and. stumble in judg-
ment." The Arbroath railway horror in |
England, when. q few weeks since. |
directly due. the dispatches stated, to |
the drunkenness of the engineer in /
charge.
The Reveler's Loss.
The plain speech of the Orient, which !
jars on the sensitive ears Of the west,
abounds in the Bible. So this passage
describes wildly the nauseating ap-
of a scene of revelry. The Ian
guage Is not wise; but neither is the
thing itself. The fact is that strong
drink bestializes men. and destroys all
their finer perceptions. The sensitive
spirit soon becomes blunted by drunk
enness. A crowd of jewellers will endure
and do and say things of which no one
Of them would be for an instant tolerant
when sober. There is a reach and an
application not always appreciated about
the old phrase, applied to one who
drinks, Going to the dogs
The lessons that will not be learned
1T school usually have to be learned Ind
the bitter school of experience. Recent
y ran across a bishops son who had
iorsaken his fathers wise teachings: it
-ook delirium tremenS in a strange land
% bring him to himself. AS with indi-
'iduals so with nations. Korea would
lot learn in liberty how to govern her !
elf; now beneath the fail of oppression,
he is finding out how precious is indie
and self-government. Old
China was deaf to entreaty and coun-
el; not until the ruthless plowshare of
.rmies had been run through her high
st and most sacred places did she ,
wake from the sleep of centuries. |
That is the way God works, as all his
Dry shows. So he warned Israel that if .
he would not hear his pleadings of !
ove, then "by men of strange lips and
Nth another tongue will he speak to
his people" The Lord is bound to
make himself heard, and to teach his
wn truth. The boys who will not I
EARN the lesson of temperance in the I
unday school. may have to learn it in 7
he gutter or IN the jail Every rescue |
Mission in the land hears almost night
Y the pitiful plea, IF had only heed
d the lessons taught me as boy" And S
e it remembered, the truths that per- T
ain to character can be acquired in l
outh.