The Green Forest tribune., 1917-05-18
INTERNATIONAL. SUNDAYS01OOL
 LESSON (By k. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of the Sunday School Course of the Moody Bible Institute.)
LESSON FOR MAY 20
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CON-
 TROL-TEMPERA LESSON.
LESSON TEXT-Isa 2S.1-1a


 eth for the mastery is temperate In all things,-I Cor. 9:25.
 Wine in the Scriptures is spoken of under four aspects. First, social, that as illustrated by it's use at the mar riage in Cana. We must not, however, confuse this wine with the spirituous, strong drink of this present day. Sec ond, medicinal (Prov. 31 :6-7; I Tim. 3 :23). These passages do not com mand us to use it as such, and God has very graciOusly revealed to us in modern medical research the futil- ity of the use of alcohol in the matter of medicine as a remedy Third, sacri- ficial wine (NIatt. 26 :27-29; Luke p IT, 20), and, fourth wine is spoken about as productive of the woes of men (See Amos 6;1; Heb. 2:15; Prov. 23 POD. It is also mentioned by way of contrast (See Eph. , :1S).
 The Scriptures speak of drunkards in four different ways: CD They are to be stoned (Deut. 21 :20); CD Drunk ards lead to poverty (Prov. 23 :21) i; (3) Drunkards are to be separated from other men q Cor. SID; (D they are to be finally separated from God q Cor. 6:9).
 Abstinence from strong drink is en- joined in the Scriptures under three heads: CD the priest and Nazarite (Num. 6:3; Luke 1:15); CD the ruler (Prov. 31:D; (3) those who are to worship Jehovah Oev. 10:3).
 This particular lesson is taken from portion of Isaiah's prophecy where he is anticipating what is about to hap pen to Samaria, and uttering his warn- ings unto Judah.
 1. The Steps Of lntemperance. First, Disgrace and Dishonor (V. D. The city of Samaria is compared to a chaplet of flowers on drunkard's brow, which shall be trodden under foot because of his inebriety. Drunk enness seemed to have been so wide spread as to become a national sin. Second, Disease and Degeneracy (v. p. The pride of beauty spoken of in verse one is to fall to the earth" This glorious beauty was after all only a fading flower" q Pet. 1:2D. The coming of the Assyrians upon Samaria Is q Scribed in a three-f0ld way: CD As tempest of hail'; CD as a ''de- stroying storm;" (3) as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing." The thought contained is that of wide spread and overwhelming destruction. Back of this work of devastation and destruction and desolation was the wrath of God against sin (Ch. 2:4-9). All earthly pride shall be trodden un- der foot. Samaria, "a fading flower" was to be greedily eaten up by the on- coming enemy.
 II. Those Reached by Intemperance. Strong drink causes men to err in their conduct, in their moral insight, in their judgr ents. It reaches the beautiful (v. D it reaches the learned (v. D; it reaches those in authority; in fact all classes. It leads men to the depths of degradation and to the loss of their wills (v. S); it makes men to become beasts, wallowing in their own yomit. Not only Samaria, but "these also" (vv. and S), that is people of Jeru- SileLl 1ldN6 SIIGu IIICuSh MllC ttlNI strong drink Even the priests and the prophets had and do so now (See Oh. 56 :10-12; Micah 2:1I). The priests were especially inexcusable because of the plain directness of Gods word Oev. 10 :9-10; Ezekiel 4 :21). The result of their intemperance was that they utterly failed in their official acts. They reeled in vision and stum- bled in judgment. The use of wine and strong drink made their social gatherings filthy and disgusting. Tenn perance is the habit of abstaining from everything that destroys. It is the con- trol and right use of Gods good gifts for service. Intemperance is lack of control or the wrong use of Gods gifts in self-indulgence. Hence the sins of the priests, which were against light, and therefore without excuse.
 Ill. The Lesson in Contrast. Jeru- salem vs. Samaria. Samarias crown of pride was not the glory of God. Its beauty was a fading flower (v. Al, his wisdom condemned through the ignorance of Samaria (vv. 6, ', 12), his strength versus their weakness and wickedness (vv. 6, 13). God teaches by contrast as well as by direct precept. Verses nine and ten may be taken as mocking answer of the peo- pie to Gods prophet. Isaiah intimates that the time to begin our instruction is in childhood (v. 9, that precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, here q little and there a little. There never is a time when we can let up in this struggle against the mighty evil of intemperance. Taken as a re- ply of the people (v. 9 this would seem to indicate that God took them to be babies just weaned. If the prophet, himself, is the speaker, then Jehovah is represented as teaching knowledge to babes and not to the self-sufficient. It is these whom he makes to under stand his message" (R. V. ), and the method of his teaching is precept upon precept. If we will not hear Gods loving and patient call to repentance he will speak to us through cruel ene- mics. If we will not teach our chill dren, if we will not keep everlastingly agitating this question: he will use oth- CT means (v. ID.