The Yale expositor., 1907-03-22
WOES OF
DRUNKENNESS
Sunday School Lesson for March "a, 1907
Specially prepared for this paper.


TIME-About B. c. 725, two or three
years after the tragic end of the north
ern kingdom, b. c. 722.
PLACE.-Prophecy was spoken at
Jerusalem TO Jews there, but with part
reference to Samaria and the northern
kingdom.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
A Terrible Object Lesson.-Vs. IA.
The Prophet, seeing the danger threat
ening his own nation from their I'M
righteousness, urged them to look be-
yond the walls of Jerusalem over to
the northern kingdom and observe
what was going on and take warning.
FIRST The Material Observation
Lesson.-Palestine lay between the
two great nations of the then known
world-Assyria on the northeast and
Egypt on the southwest. Neither
could reach the other without going
through Palestine. Each wanted this
narrow intermediate country. both as
a defense against the other and as
safe place where they could gather
their forces for attack. The Assyrians
from the north were at this time in
northern Israel trying to capture Sa-
maria and devastating the country.
Jerusalem, a strong fortress, a very
Gibraltar, rarely captured, and outside
of the great highways between the
two great nations, felt safe. Egypt
was making overtures to Judea, and
the latter had made an agreement
with them. which the prophet calls
covenant with death" and an agree
ment with hell or the grave" because
il was, in the words Of George Adams
Smith, IAN unhallowed, underhand in
trigue, accomplished by much swind-
ling and false conceit of cleverness.
"a secret agreement with the southern
power (EgypD. while the open treaty
with the northern (Assyria) was still
in force" 1t was covenant that
came from moral death and was GER
tain to lead to national death and de-
struction. But the Jews seemed TO be
blind TO the facts and unconscious of
their danger, as Jonah dreaming in
the storm that was overwhelming the
ship; and Isaiah is calling to them,
Awake. awake thou that sleepest."
Second The Observations of Sins
and Crimes Fomented by Intemper-
ance-The moral scourge was the rea-
son for the material desolation. Here,
as elsewhere, there were two sources
of wealth. The God-given wealth was
from fruitful fields cultivated In peace,
from focks and herds and orchards,
and from legitimate commerce. This
God-given wealth was blessed. 1t
reached all classes. IL was possible to
all who were industrious, moral and
economical.
The other source of wealth was the
spoils of the nations they conquered.
They gathered in the fiocks and herds
Of other lands. They brought to their
houses the Injuries of foreign palaces
and the garnered wealth of conquered
cities. This wealth was sudden, un-
evenly distributed, from unjust
sources, connected with cruelty, sell
fishness, and crime. AS always, the
Cain-mark was on its forehead, 1t
bore a curse in its heart, and it
brought an atmosphere of moral pois-
on. 1t was unblessed The natural
results on character and morals we
learn from Amos and Hosea and
Isaiah. Drunkenness, debauchery, cor
ruption, oppression of the poor, MUIR
der. profanity, lying, stealing, ran riot.
The demon of drunkenness was
eating out their manhood. Samaria is
represented under the three figures OF
the first ripe, premature fig" the
crown pride" and the Flower OF his
glorious beauty, which is on the head
of the fat valley"
Learning by Experience.-V. Z. But
they also. The people of judah. who
had been specially chosen of God.
Note the effects of strong drink pOr-
trayed in this verse. "a Erring, wan
dering into forbidden ways and places.
(2) Even the religious teachers are
led astray CD They are wholly alb
sorbed in appetite. (D They cannot
see things as they are. CD They can
not Judge correctly. The whole life
is perverted. Have erred through
wine" The American revision trans
lates Reel with wine, and stagger
with strong drink" But Prof. Willis
j. Beecher thinks the older translation
is more accurate. The point is not
that the mobiles and priests and proph-
cts present disgusting spectacles OF
drunkenness, but that by reason OF
their convivial habits they take the
wrong road, commit errors. miss the
trail. lose their course. The older
translations are correct, err are
out OF the way are gone astray.'"
'They err i'm vision" Strong drink not
only perverts the natural vision, but
the moral vision. Intemperance per-
verts the vision of right and wrong,
the business judgment, the views OF
truth and duty. Men do under that in
iuence what they would not do in
their right mind.
When Mr.. Joshua Bailey, Of Phila-
delphia, was in London last year,
representative Of the London Sunday
School Chronicle interviewed him on
the temperance question.
~ h.