The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-17
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR MARCH IS.

Temperance. Lesson, Proverbs 1920.
35-GoIden Text: "At tNs Last
1t Biteth Like a Serpent and
Stingeth Like an Adder" Prov.
1882.
TIME. - All times. PLACE
Everywhere.
EXPOSITION.-I. Six Great Evils
That Result From Indulgence in
Wine, 20, 80. 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 u day as 1t
was in his that these evils pursue the
w%inebibber. Note them carefully.
Cd "Woe." literally, oh" il e., the
intense pain that leads one to cry
"Oh." How many "Ohs" are arising
each day from the lips Of men and
women whose bodies are tortured
with the many ills that arise from the
see still the man that I once carried
bodily 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. CD
Sorrow" literally, ALAS" i. 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 1t is the
sorrow of seeing loved wife and chill
dren reduced from plenty to poverty.
Sometimes 1t Is the sorrow Of being
passed upon the street unnoticed by
ol5-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 degrada-
ton. (3) 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 mar wants perpetual war
let him drink. a. Complaining"
(R. W Wine Injuries the stomach
and breaks down the nerves and
thereby spoils the disposition. The
drinker soon becomes. a grumbler and
the grumbler is miserable under any
circumstances. 80 wounds with
out cause" Go to the police court
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.
H.. 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. II a thing
ought to be left alone, leave 1t 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. II wouldn't drink
wine for anything, but I do like to
look at it. It has sucn a beautiful
color. It sparkles so. How smoothly
It would 60 down! Just look there!
lust a sip now. Delicious! Another.
Just n MORE. What Is the matter?
7 am dizzy. I am drowsy. I am
dead. l damned" Don't look at 1T.
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 course
of action we ought always to ask
where it ends. There is q way that
seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof is the ways of death
(chap. 14:12). The. way of the wine
drinker is undoubtedly such a way.
w. 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 mi
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 APP
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, for when the stomach is
full of wine the eyes are full OF lust.
How many a young man Eyes, n
young .woman) has taken his first
step in unmentionable 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.
v. The Wine Drinkers Brain, 81,
35. The head of the drinker reels
and he is stupid. He losses to and
fro as "he that lieth down in the
midst of the sea" and sways back and
forth as "he 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
juries received and the drinking man
is thus rendered incapable Of self
protection. Last of all, the drinker is
the complete slave of his enemy. With
frll knowledge OF the injury drink
does him he cries II will seek it yet
again."