The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-18

for July 10: Temperance Meeting:
How to Promote Total Abstinence"
Gal 6:16-24.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The "hurrah' stage has been reaoh-
ed in temperance reform. So many
and SO conspicuous are the vic
tories recently won by the anti
liquor forces that every temper
ance meeting partakes Of the nature
of jubilation celebration. Franly.
though, this is time OF peril to the
reform; 1t is well just now to bear in
mind the admonitfon of Jesus con-
corning the dangers of having all men
speak well of you. There is plenty of
evidence that politicians and papers
are inclined to use the popular and
prosperous temperance movement as
a cloak for their own selfish schemes.
Moderation and self-restraint never 30
well became temperance reformers a.
just now.
The real strength OF the temperance
movement will never be found in the
number and influence of its powerful
allies, but rather in those deeply I'M
DERIVING principles which are set forth
in the gospel of Jesus. Ultimately, the
reform rests upon individual total
abstinence for the sake of society's
well-being. Thus it is to be seen that
temperance is as essentially spiritual
in it's nature as any other development
Of Christianity.
Do as you please and you will not
please yourself, or anybody else. ex-
cept the author of selflshness. Self
Indulgence of any sort is short-sight-
ed, and inimical to characters highest
growth.
Whoever gets a clear understanding
Of the genius Of Christianity is not
likely to be guilty of practicing or sup
porting intemperance. Christianity is
spiritual; it Is a belief of the heart,
influencing the manner Of life. AS
the old writer's used to say, 1t is "a
spiritual walk" Paul expresses it
clearly when he says walk by the
Spirit, and we shall not fulfill the lust
of the f1esh.'' Again, ITO be spirit
ly-minded is life and peace" Lib
erty consists in emancipation from the
thralldom Of carnal desires Only
they are masters of life who have first
mastered themselves. To be a slave
to appetites and passions Is to deny
ones self-sovereignty. And self-sov-
ereignty Is best won by yielding life
over to the control Of the Spirit who
has come to be in the place of Him
whom the little band of fishermen
called Master"
Every time we deny the body for
the souls sake we ascend a step in the
scale of manliness and godliness.
A sharp line was drawn by the
apostle between the unbridled world
that surrounded the infant church, as
water surrounds an Ysrand, and the
Spirit-controlled church itself. The
worlds way was to let passion run
riot. Desires, said mcn, were made to
be gratified: and we still hear echoes
of the same philosophy today. The
result was a society corrupt with all
the rottenness of heathendom. The
New Testament presents a picture OF
the heather world that Is actually in
comprehensive to a person living in q
civilized land today. In shining con-
trast with this foulness was the hum
BILE, modest purity of the Christians.
They had been taught by their Lord
to deny themselves. The glory of
God and the welfare of the world
were more important in their eyes
than any qualification Of their own de-
sires. So they held a tight rein over
appetites and gave liberty to their
spiritual nature.
The enthusiasm of Paul was for the
cross: so he pictured the friends Of
Christ as having crucified the flesh,
that old man of desire, that they
might rise again with their Lord to
free life of spirituality. Risen to-
gether with Christ" is his description
of the life of those who have nailed
their passions and lusts to the cross.
The way to get the mastery of low
desires is to open the doors of life to
all that is high and pure and beautiful
and good. In other words, the one
sure remedy for all forms of intern
perance is to yield control of the char