The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-05-18
LESSON FOR MAY 20
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-cON-
TROL-TEMPERA LESSON.
LESSON TExT-Isa. 2S:1-13.

GOLDEN TEXT-Every man that striv
eth for the mastery is temperate in al
things.-I Cor. 9:25.
Wine in the Scriptures is spoken O.
under four aspects. First, social, tha
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. 81 :6-7; I Tim
5 :23). These passages do not com
mand us to use it as such, and GOO
has very graciously revealed to us
in modern medical research the fulfil
ity of the use of alcohol in the matter
of medicine as a remedy. Third, Sacri-
fetal wine Matt. 26 :27-29; Luke % IT
20), and, fourth wine is spoken about
as productive of the woes of men (See
Amos 81; Heb. 2:15; Prov. % :20).
1t is also mentioned by way of contrast
(See Eph. 5:1S).
The Scriptures speak of drunkards
in four different ways: % They are
to be stoned Deut. 81 :2O) (2) Drunk
ards lead to poverty prov. % :2D /;
| (3) Drunkards are to be separated
from other men Il Cor. SID; az
they are to be finally separated from
God Il Cor. 6 :9).
| Abstinence from strong drink is en-
joined in the Scriptures under three
heads: (1) the priest and Nazarite
(Num. 6 %; Luke 1:15); (2) the ruler
prov. 10; (3) those who are to
worship Jehovah Lev. :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 warm
ings unto Judah.
!. The Steps of Intemperance. First,
Disgrace and Dishonor ". ~. The
city of Samaria is compared to
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 ". y.
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" Il Pet. 1:24). The
coming of the Assyrians upon Samaria
Is described in a three-fold way: Q)
AS tempest of hail"; (2) as "de-
stroying Storm" 90 as a tempest
of mighty waters overfowing." 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 I'M
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
judgments. 1t reaches the beautiful
". y; it reaches the learned ". D;
it reaches those in authority; in fact
all classes. 1t leads men to the depths
of degradation and to the loss of their
wills ". 81; it makes men to become
beasts, wallowing in their own vomit.
Not only Samaria, but these also"
wv. and 81, that is people of Jeru-
salem have erred through wine and
strong drink. Even the priests and
the prophets had and do so now (See
Oh. Sc :10-12; Micah 2:1D. The priests
were especially inexcusable because Of
the plain directness of Gods word |
Gev. 10 :9-1O; Ezekiel A :2D. The !
result of their intemperance was that
they utterly failed in their official |
acts. They reeled in vision and STUN
bled in judgment. The use Of wine
and strong drink made their social |
filthy and disgusting. Tenn
perance is the habit of abstaining from
everything that destroys. It is the con-
troll and right use Of Gods good gifts
for service. Intemperance is lack Of
control or the wrong use OF Gods
gifts in self-indulgence.
Ill. The Lesson In Contrast. Jeru-
salem VS.. Samara. Samaria's crown
Of pride was not the glory of God.
Its beauty was fading flower ". ~,
his wisdom condemned through the
ignorance of Samaria wv. 6, Z, 12), |
lis strength versus their weakness and
wv. 6, 13). God teaches
~ contrast as well as by direct
)recept. Verses nine and ten may be
aiken as hooking answer of the peo-
lie to Gods prophet. Isaiah intimates
hat the time to begin our instruction
s in childhood ". 81, that precept
must be upon precept, and line upon
inc, here a little and there a little.
There never is time when we can let
10 in this struggle against the mighty
Evil Of intemperance.
Take as reply ". 81 this would
eem to indicate that God TOOK them to
e babies just weaned. If the prophet.
imself, is the speaker, then Jehovah !
5 represented as teaching knowledge
o babes and not to the self-suficient.
t is these whom he makes to under I.
tand his message" Or. V. }, and the
lethod of his teaching is precept upon
RECEIPT. If we will not hear Gods
)ving and patient call to repentance,
T.,