Mexico Missouri message., 1909-03-25
TEMPERANCE
LESSON
suR1ay Sehssl Lessen fss March2e, lSe9
Specially Arranged for Thls Pager


LESSON TExT.-Prov. zs:2s-@ Mem
CRY verses -. 30.
GOLDEN TExT.-'.At the las, n hateth
like a serpent, and stingeth like an add
er."-Prov. 2s:2a
scRIPTuAL REFERENcEs.-Du
enness.-Deut. 2i;s0. n; s2:S3-S5: Prov. Sol;
2i:lT: $3.50. "a; sit, s; Isa. b:li. q; Hos.
Hos. AN: Hab. 2;l5; Matt. 2a:ta. 10: Luke
2l;s; Rom. 1878: 1 Cor s;ii: Cal s;2l;
Eph. Sis: 1 Thes. Sos; and to-day's lea
son. Warning ExAmpies.-Cen. p:so. n;
Sam. 1856; lisa. ISL. Z; Dan. B:l-e: Esther
l:i0. II: Matt. ei:ts-51. Temperament Cor.
e;sS-2l; Tim. 81. :. s: Tit, a;ii-it: Pct;
~; SIS; Pet lie Principles Of Total
Ahstinencs.--i Cor. -: Rom. IL; Coz.
a.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The money and talent in any civil
lied city is sufficient II properly used
aud distributed TO make that city an
Eden. an Hesperides garden or the
realization OF any dream. ancient or
modern. of the Golden Age. All would
be educated, all would partake Of the
best things; there would be no slums.
no abtect poverty. Everyone could
have all the Joy. the wealth. the com
forts, the rights, the school privileges
which he could use. The one thing
needed is the improved man to make
the social Transformation of the world,
the eliminating every evil from the
character Of men. TIL they are restored
TO the moral image OF God. when each
one did all he wished, and wishes but
what he ought.
The great obstacle In the way is sin.
bad character in some of its many
forms.
The one of these forms, the great
obstacle which most concerns US in
this lesson, is intemperance. the want
OF self-control over the appetites and
passions.
The wise man OF the Proverbs ex-
presses the evils Of intemperance by a
series Of questions.
20. who hath woe? Who hath sor-
row." The words corresponding to
the two substantives are, strictly
speaking. interjections, as In the mar.
gin. Who hath oh7 Who hath alas?
The woes are too great and too many
to name separately. They are woes OF
body and woes of mind; woes In ones
self. woes in his family; pains. dis
eases. poverty
Note that other people have woes
and sorrows, besides the Incorporate
man. Apostles and martyrs have been
imprisoned and tortured, have suffered
hunger and thirst, endured poverty
and sickness and pain. We have
| a. tnI In A,,I Nhs.
quarter. Read the eleventh chapter Of
Hebrews. Read the stories OF the
Huguenots in France. and of the
martyrs and missionaries Of every age.
But the difference in the two kinds
OF suffering il heaven.wide.
The woes and sorrows OF Peter and
John, Paul and Silas. in dungeons and
chains, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer for Chris.'s sake.
with clear consciences. for the sake Of
the kingdom of God and salvation Of
men, listening to Gods well done.
good and faithful" and seeing the
crown OF righteousness are almost in.
hnitely removed from the woes and
sorrows of those that tar-y long at
the E1ne," whose sufferings are the
fruit OF their own sins.
The other SORROWS that flow from
the wine cup mentioned In the wise
mans questions belong only to wicked.
ness--a quarrelsome disposition
where strong drink luflames the pas
sions. and. at the same time, removes
the restraint Of conscience and will
first maddening and then Enchanting
the tiger, grumbling, foolish talking
where the drunkard's tongue 10 set on
fire OF hell" wounds without cause"
"redness OF eyes," either Tor both) the
dimming OF the sight. physical, mental
AMI spiritual. or the copper nose
which makes the drinkers nose blush
for the sins of his mouth"
The means by which these great
evils can be removed are precisely the
same as those which produced the
marvellous transformations of char
acter in the early Christian disciples
which We have been studying.
/. Christ. our Living Leader, the
power Of God for salvation,
2. The Holy Spirit, convincing meE
OF sin, OF righteousness. and of judg
ment TO come; awakening mems
hearts. inspiring them to better things
3. The religious life which these pro
duce.
4. The results as manifested In ihs
healing OF the body. and the better
ment of the outward life and happi
ness, which were symbols aRe means
to better spiritual life.
S. The banding together in an organ
Ization which created helpful mora