Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON AND
YOUNG PEOPLES MEETINGS
News of Interest to Church Goers By a
Writer Who is An Authority on Religious
Subjects. The International Lesson for
Next Sunday.

three years, increased Just two hun
dred million dollars
Had there been tangible monster
in the form of physical dragon that
had thus devoured the increase of
mems substance and prevented their
progress and growth, how quickly
would all the knightliness of the age
have rallied to its extinction. Our
imaginations are growing keener nova
days, and we are learning that strong
drink Is no less dangerous and worthy
of extinction because it is a widely
distributed evil rather than personi-
fed monster
Brains and Rum.
Not viciousness, but thoughtlessness
and uncontrolled self-indulgence are
responsible for most use of strong
drink. Whenever a person sits down
to consider the highest possible use of
his own powers, he Is inevitably bound
to eliminate from his habits the use
Of liquor. He finds the best scientists
In agreement upon the position that
strong drink imDairs mans highest
faculties. The twentieth century Is
not satisfied to tolerate anything that
hinders the fullest development of
manhood. In order that he may make
more of himself and of his children,
and of his childrens children, a man
must repudiate whatever hurts or him
/ ders his own capacity. Nobody will
deny the statement that man is not
man at his best when he in the grip
Of the habit of strong drink
A few weeks ago. In southern city,
| tho r1Qnlharc Of a toir
nent secret society foregathered in the
lobby of the leading hotel. They wore
the wellknown regalia of their order
All of them were presumably gentle
men; actually, for the moment, most
Of them were fools. They had drunk
to the point Of Stiffness The very
negro servants of the hotel spoke Of
them contemptuously The sober mem
bers Of their order were shocked and
Indignant, for they realized that the
order, as we'll as the individuals, was
injured by such debauchery. No man
can become drunken and retain the
respect Of anybody who knows him, in
Guiding himself.
The story Is told of rich young
man who sat at the dinner table with
number of friends, and babbled
drunken foolishness all the long even
ing. One of his friends was a court
stenographer. Seized by an idea for the
help of his friend, he geographically
reported every word that the latter ut
tered. The next day he had there notes
transcribed and sent to the man him
self. The latter, shocked, could scarce
| ly believe that he himself had descend
ed to such level of imbecility. IF
this is the way man talks when he
Is drunk, | mean to keep sober here
! after"
The Decisive Battle.
Enormous sums are now being spent
| by the vested liquor interests to stem
the time of temperance reform. APP
parently it Is too late The liquor bust
ness as business Is rapidly being out
lawed all over this western world ;
and those who engage in 1t are being
socially tabooed. The whirlwind is
now being reaDed.
1t is not to be supposed, however,
that the decisive battlefield in the
present temperance conflict is in the
halls of legislation. 1t really lies in
the public schools, and in the Sunday
schools, and in the homes There
must be a mind of temperance and
self-control put into the youth of to-
day. Boys must learn the needless
ness and hurt of strong drink, and the
necessity for withstanding its lure and
the glory Of joining that company or
l1nightly souls who have vowed to fight
1t ever and everywhere until it shall
no longer curse the race.