Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-17
Some Wise Temperance
Teachings.

In I. Kings 1882 Solomon is said
to have spoken three thousand
proverbs = short, pithy, pointed
sayings. In chapters 1.29 OF the
Book of Proverbs many of these,
probably, are preserved. The con-
tents of the twenty-four chapters
were apparently selected and edit
ed by Solomon himself, while
chapters $3.50 contain a collection
made by other hands, many of
them under the direction of Heze-
kiah. (See Prov. 25: ~ In chap
tiers 80 and 81 are given the words
of others than Solomon. A Jewish
tradition identified "King Lemuel"
(chapter 31:D with Solomon. The
proverbs are full of condensed
wisdom; each being, as someone
has said, a fortune in a single
diamond" Although neither the
liquor business nor the habits of
intoxication are mentioned in
these verses (Prov.4: 10-19) which
our readers may we'll turn to and
study, they give, in their state
ment of general principles, some
of the most direct and forcible
temperance teachings that could
be found.
First, Solomon tells US in his
wisdom that one of the first steps
to ruin, and a long step, is DISC
bedience to parents, or the doing
in secret of things we know they
would disapprove. Parents have
seer more of life than their child
rem have, and are most DESTROYS
for their good. The young are
always i'll danger of scorning the
old, saying that because they are
old they must be old-fashioned.
But there are a good many things
people learn as they grow old,
and no one can be counted wise
who will not accept the counsel OF
the experienced. A wise appren-
tice practices under one who has
learned the trade. The sensible
young pilot studies alongside one
who has crossed the ocean before.
The warnings from the wrong
way, and the wooings toward the
right way, given us by those OF
ripe and experienced Christian
character, are always wise for us
to heed,
Again, Solomon reminds us that
virtuous habits are conductive to
long life, while all vice is destruc-
tive. The wicked, as a rule, do
not live out half their days. The
Bible announces, and experience
prove this to be a fact. We do
not need to go further than the
life insurance tables to learn that
sobriety and morality tend to
many more years of life than do
drunkenness and licentiousness.
Many life insurance companies
will not take a risk on a mans
life who drinks at all. Sin is al
ways dangerous; righteousness is
always safe. Goodness is profit
able unto all things, having prom
Use of the life that now is and of
that which is to come"
Therefore, let US Center not in
to the path of the wicked" 1t is
worth while putting much empha-
sis on the first two words. CENTER
not" that is, do not begin.
Never drink the first glass of in
toxicating liquor; never use the
first profane word, never indulge
in the first unclean story or UNI
worthy joke. There is risk in the
first glass of liquor; there is none
in leaving liquor entirely alone.
1t is the same with other sins.
We learn, furthermore, that Sa-
tan seeks no easier way for lead
ing young people wrong than
through evil companions. There
is great danger in bad company,
1t was the same wise Solomon
who penned the verses we are
studying who also said: "He thai
walketh with wise men shall be
wise; but a companion of fools
shall be destroyed" There is
nothing which young people
should be more careful about thar
the matter Of their choice OF
friends.
Consider especially Solomon'f
teachings regarding the end of the
ways. "The path of the just
those who walk in the ways Of
godliness, "shineth more and
more" Beautiful picture this il
of the beginning and continue
ton, and of the end of the course
of the righteous man. 1t begins
in twilight, but it is morning twi-
light, increasing light flooding