The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-03-17
DEFEAT THROUGH
DRUNKENNESS

LESSON TEST-Ii Kings $50. Mem
DRY verse r.
GOLDEN TrxT-"It Is not for kings
To drink wine: nor for princes strong
drink Prov. az
TIME This lesson belongs between Los,
snns WI and TX. during the latter part
~ Eliish's mission.
PJACE-The syrian kingdom. with us
capital at Damascus. adjOined Israel on
III. north. Al this period. not long before
'he revived Assyrinn power aud aggrss-
sim came In contact with Israel Syria
under Brnhadad II vas the most powerful
aa'ion On tho Mediterranean coast, snN
was normally a bitter enemy Of northern
Israel. I, WIS always a group ~ relsted.
nut not united. petty Kingdoms or tribes.
Benhadsd. the Syrian king. gathered
together the S2 kings Of the smaller
tribes allied to his kingdom and made
an overpo~cring raid upon Israel. de-
stroying villages aud farms and or.
rhar,ls. parslyzing business. ravagins
the homes and driving the people 10
the more strongly fortified towns.
They we're like ~ tempest Of hail. a
destroying storm. food Of mighty
waters overlooking. an Overwhelming
scourge." These cpithets describe In
Wv ID speech the irresistible violence.
the devastating force with which the
Syrians were about to overwhelm
them. u il almost impossible for us
10 realize the devastating power OF
such half.savage hordes who live'i
upon the country. who ravsged vii.
ages. who murdered women and chill.
ircn. who had an unrestrsined power.
They we're worse than the ten plaques
~ Egypt.
What the invaders sought was tho
wealth. the harycsts and all kinds Of
,aluabics. without paying for them.
and entirely without regard to the wei
are Of the people. Into our gOodly
country incompetence. from drinking
alcoholic liquors. has come and 10 do.
ing our country more damage. TO It's
pnopie TO it's wealth and prosperity.
than the Syrians did TO Palestine. tho
Promised Land. by their invasion.
King Alcohol comes with an army Of
iribu'nr ics aud allies. such az the 2t0..
ooo saloons. the distillerics. brewcries.
hotels. clubs. personal invitations 10
drink. advertisements In magazines
md papers. cocaine and opium habits.
All invading lis for the sake Of their
own personal gain At the expense Of
the community.
when the invaders had reached tho
capital with their army and horses
and chario's In an unresisted march.
Rcnhadad scni messengers to Ahab
dem andins that he yield up his throne.
which is implied IN his imperious con.
ceit Of power. Thy silver aud thy gold
10 mine: thy wives also and thy chi.
hren. even the goodlies'. are mine. And
Ahab was 40 overwhelmed ~ tho
power backing the demand that he
baseiy yielded and replied: Ny lord.
~ king. according to thy saying. ! am
thine. and all thar ! have. Such ara
he demands Of King Alcohol!
The cost Of liquors each year In this
ountry IL nearly sl.<o0. 00O. 900. Tho
sN00. 0oO.0o0, Take the national liquor
hin and divide II by the number Of
saloons and Sh.at6 beromes the aver.
,ss cost 10 the people Of each saloon.
In the average the saloon pays back
for nation, state and city taxes $500.
This $5nO Ia eagerly taken from q
country In lieu Of $685.. Thus
King Alcohol demands our hOmes. our
wives. our husbands. our silver and
.,old. And We have yielded TOO easily
10 It's demands.
licnhadad then sent word that his
officers were coming and would search
Ahab's house for every pleasant thing
ne had and would take II away. And
NOT only Ahab's house. hut the hous-s
" his officers and leaders. This caused
4 rs,olr. The king summoned his
LEADING people TO u conference and
hey decided not 10 yield TO the de-
inands OF I.nhadad. The weak Abob
declared thai for himself he would
yield all he had promised, but he must
i"ny the Increased demand.
King Alcohol became 40 greedy In
his demands, the results OF his evil
work became 30 great, that the people