The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-03-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR MARCH 90.

Lesson, Proverbs 23:29-
35-Golden Text, Proverbs %:
s2-Commit Verse 81 Com
mentary.
TIME. - All times. PLACE
Everywhere.
That Result From Indulgence in
Wine, 20, so. Solomon here gives us
a very vivid picture of six evils that
result from indulgence In wine. Cen
turtles have passed since Solomon's
day, but it is as, true in our day
as it was in his that these evils pur-
sue the winebibber. Note them care
fully. Cd Woe" literally, obi" /.
e., the intense pain that leads n to
cry "Oh." How many "Ohs" are
arising to-day from the lips of men
and women whose bodies are tortured
with the many ills that arise from the
use of alcoholic stimulants. I a see
still the man that I once carried bod
lily through the streets of a city
shrieking "Oh, oh, OH" in indescrib-
able agony from drink, and I see him
later as I held him down with my
knee upon his chest as they strapped
him to a bed. in the hospital. (2)
Sorrow" literally, "Alas!" l.. e., the
deep seated and abiding grief that
causes one to cry ALAS! alas!" This
sorrow of the drunkard Is of innum-
cradle forms. Sometimes it is the
sorrow of seeing loved wife and chill
dren reduced from plenty to poverty.
Sometimes it Is the sorrow of being
passed upon the street unnoticed by
old-time friends and associates. Some
times it is the sorrow of standing by
the grave of the once beautiful and
happy wife who has died of a broken
heart over her loved ones degrade
ton. CD Contentious Conten-
lions at home, contentious in society,
contentious in the place of business,
contentious on the street. Alcohol
mothers most of the broils in this
world. If a man wants a perpetual
war let him drink. ca Complain.
ing" (R. W Wine Injuries the stom-
ach and breaks down the nerves and
thereby spoils the disposition. The
drinker 500 becomes a grumbler,
and grumbler is miserable under any
circumstances. 90 Wounds with
tomorrow morning and see the black
eyes, broken noses, crippled arms and
legs, chewed ears and more serious
and entirely unnecessary wounds that
have come through drink. 60 Red
ness Of eyes," the sign Of distempered
brain and premonitiOn Of approach
ing insanity and death. Note that
these things come from "wine," not
merely from the stronger distilled
liquors. Il know, of course, that
there is danger in whisky and rum
and gin and such things" many are
saying, "but what harm is there in
wine?"
II. The Only Wise Attitude To.
ward Wine, 81. Look not thou upon
the wine" This is total abstinence
with a vengeance. Not only don't
TASTE" but don't look" 1t is good
advice, inspired advice, If a thing
ought to be left alone, leave it alone
utterly. There are many who do not
mean to sin, but they will just look
at the sin. That look is fatal. Eve
first looked, then she lusted, then she
ate, then she died (Gen. $3.50. Many
a man and woman has taken the same
path to the drunkard's grave and the
drunkard's hell. .
III. "At the Last" 80. "At the
last" Three significant words. If
men could only see the end from the
beginning how many things they
would leave undone which they now
do. Before entering upon any curse
of action we ought always to ask
where it ends. There is a way that
seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof is the way Of death"
(chap. 14:12). The way Of the wine
drinker is undeniably such a way.
The beginning is likely to be pleasant
indeed: In the beginning it singeth
like a bird, it is "at the last" that lit
biteth like a serpent and stingeth like
an adder" But most of the trains on
that road are through trains, and If
you get on the train you are not like
ly to get off until you reach the end
Of the line.
, Nv. The Wine Drinkers Eyes and
Heart, So. Thine eyes shall behold
strange things. (R. W Indeed they
shall. They shall see things out OF
all proper proportion, they shall see
double, they shall see snakes and
monsters and devils. The drinking
man has perverted vision, physical,
mental, moral. Folly looks like wis
dom and wisdom looks like folly.
Right appears wrong and wrong ap-
pears right. A man who Is truthful
and honest and pure when sober will
lie and steal and commit abomination
when he has drank a little. Wine in
capacitates men for business, for
study, for decent living. If we take
the rendering of the A. ", the verse
Is still true, Tor when the stomach Is
full of wine the eyes are full Of lust.
How many a young man Eyes, Inc
young woman) has taken his first
step in uncomfortable vileness when
all that is bad in him has been set on
fire by a glass or two Of wine. Wine
is the seducer's most potent ally. But
not only the eyes are wrong, but
worse yet, the heart is wrong.
v. The Wine Drinkers Brain, 81,
35. The head of the drinker reels
and is stupid. He losses to and fro
as ''he that lieth down in the midst OF
the sea" and sways back and forth as
The that lieth upon the top of a
mast" 1t is a graphic picture of a
drunkard's confused and unsteady
mental condition. Furthermore, the
brain is for the time insensible to in
iuries received and the drinking man
is thus rendered incapable of self
protection. Last of all, the drlnAer
is the complete slave of his enemy.
With full knowledge of the injury
drink does him he cries, Il will seek
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