The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1910-09-24
Sabbath School
NOTES BY R. S. HOLMES.
Lesson Kill September rs, 1910.
A TEMPERANCE LESSON.

Golden Text: If we live in the
spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal. 5: IS
Paul believed in righteousness
temperance and judgment to come, "
OF these he spoke to a Roman COVER
nor and made him tremble. The
Christian OF today will believe in the
same things il he is the same sort of
believer as was Paul.
Tie present temperance lesson be-
gins i'll the thought that real temper
ance relates to personal conduct to-
ward others One can treat another
Unexpectedly as well as be intemper-
ate in eating or in drinking. Prob
ably Christians among the people in
the towns of Galatia to whom, as a
whole, Paul wrote, were guilty of the
sin OF unfairneSs to each other in word
and deed And Paul reproves them
for it. For one Christian to talk badly
about another is Incorporate.
vs.. Is. For if We bite, etc" Not
real biting. as dosg bite. But words
bite, and cut, and sting sometimes.
Not our bodies, but our sensiblities.
If we do things to each other, by each
other, which harm, we are in danger
not only OF doing wrong which can
not be repaired, but we are ourselves
i'll danger OF being harmed in the same
way. Paul saw plainly what might
happen. They might, they to whom
he wrote, consume each other So
this first verse OF the lesson sounds a
warning to all ages, and of course to
us. to beware how we treat others i'll
an Incorporate way. A good prayre
to make every day is, Lord Jesus, keep
me fro mharming any human soul to-
day.
VS.. 10. Then Paul gives rule OF
life Walk in the Spirit" Walk"
means live. Walk in the Spirit means
let'your hearts and minds and tongues
and acts be under spiritual guidance.
That is a great rule Paul wrote to
the Romans. AS many as are led
by the Spirit OF God, they are the sons
OF God" To be led by the Spirit is to
walk in the Spirit.
Paul says it will be OF advantage to
live in that way, for those who do
will not be the victims OF sinful lusts.
That is sort of freedom which each
of us should, desire
vs.. II. The flesh that is unre-
generate human life, "lusteth against
the Spirit that is desires to do things
in opposition to the desires OF the
Spirit Lust stands for wrong.
Spirit stands for wrong, and right
and wrong can never agree with each
other SO it happens that a Christian
may have his real best purposes him
dered by a struggle in his life between
evil desires and good A Christian
disciple who thus allows his life to be-
come only neutral thing is in very
poor case. Beware, we say. No
wonder Paul wrote to beg his friends
to let the Spirit have control OF their
lives.
vs. Is. Here is a verse which had
its first special meaning to Hebrews
who had become Christians. When
Paul talked about the law he meant
the ceremonial la wunder which the
Hebrews had lived The Spirit was a
better guide. The law was only a
shadow OF things to come. The Spirit
was God dwelling in men as the rep
resentativc OF hrist and his purpose
to guide men into all truth We
know nothing about the ceremonial
law, and do not try TO keep it. But
we may know all about the Spirit, and
be led by him every day
NSS. 1921. Paul was accustomed
to speak very plainly to men about
sin To him sin was real The works
OF the flesh that is. as before, the
things which natural, sinful heart will
do. He enumcrates seventeen OF these
l.. IL. A q
drunkenness That brings us face to
face with what is commonly meant by
temperance 1t is the opposite of
drunkenness Paul is on record that
drunkenness is direct foe OF the
Holy Spirit We know that is true.
Do you know any Christian drunk
ards DO you know any sots who
are spiritually minded;
Paul was very earnest about these
things He said, Il told you before"
He tells the mover again. He prob
ably had seen very much ithc weak
ness ihis disciples under the assaults
OF sin. And then i'll his great earnest
ness he wrote, 81 tell you they which
do such things shall not inherit the
Kingdom OF God Paul does not
hesitate No heaven Tor the adulterer,
the murderer. the drunkard, or the
doer OF any such things, and there are
fourteen other such closing
sins mentioned.
Nss. 22-23. Now look at the other
side OF the picture Paul drew. He
knew what things wcr eplcasing to
God. The fruits OF the Spirit" That
is, the manifestations of the Spirit.
The things that one will do who lis
tens to the whisperings OF the Spirit
OF God. They are beautiful things.
There are nine OF them The first is
love. The last is temperance. Well
did Paul say, Against such ehcre is
no law" Well, one would say, Paul
was right. Did you ever know OF a
man being arrested because he was
too lovely, too peaceful, too patient,
too sober? Did you never know OF
one bicng in prison for refusing to
enter saloon, or sign license petit
ton, or for refusing to do harm of any
kind to any one? No one need be
afraid OF arrest in our day for being