Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-28
| SUNDAY SCHOOL
EASLESS0M ~
BY BIN NEWSOIE

Lessen November 4. Kings 20:
1-21
riverting from the historical course
which we have been following for sew
eral sundays, this day is set apart for
the considerations of the evils OF
drunkenness and boasting. King Ben
hadad came down to Syria in much
the same spirit as did the Germans in
their great drive on Paris in 1914.
They We're going to crush France as
preliminary to holding England at bay
and absorbing Russia. They took Il
for granted that everything they
| wanted would be theirs for the simple
act of going after 1t. SO Benhadad fig
uTed that Israel could not put up an
effective resistance to his mighty SOL
diers. and he sent his demands IN to
Ahab demanding as his unquestioned
right whatever he thought worth the
| taking But Bcnhadad in the first
place rackoned without the still pa
tient love of Jehovah for his people,
as well as being inconsiderately sure
OF his power, so much so that he be-
| took himself TO .carousing instead of
making preparation to carry out his
/ invasior. Now Ahab was himself a
| wi ked and ungodly man. but he was
| the head and representative of peo-
pie to whom the Lord had of old
| given specific promises. Altho the
| king did not recognize the Lords
| power and goodness, Jehovah still
remembered the faithful among his
| chosen ones and would not permit this
| toastful potcntate from Damascus to
disoredt Gods people.
| This is supposed to be essentially o
| temperance lesson. but 1t is q ques-
| ton If we. while concentrating on the
drink evil are not neglecting our ef-
forts toward other directions in which
we need 10 be active and vigilant. Doc
| tor Wallace was something like this
| in mind for he says: "The frequency
, with which passages from Daniel,
| Proverbs, etc, arc used in connection
with lessons on the subject of temper
ance might seem to imply that the Bi-
| lie is not rich in material for such les
sons. This however, is not the case.
The Bible Is abundantly furnished
with instruction. respecting self-indui-
eence. II we keep our eyes open we
shall not fail TO find admonitions,
teachings and appeals. The Bible diff
fers from the ordinary reformer in
| that 1t does not specialize on one re-
form to the exclusion of others. The
| Ribie warns against sins of the flesh
and calls for self-o ontrol. II shows
| the folly and sin of gluttony and
| drunkenness, which relate to the pal
ate, and of lascviousness. which re-
letes to sexual impulse. The latter is
of such nature that teaching at this
point Is particularly difficult, while
teaching concerning drunkenness Is
easy. The fact that we have many
temperance lessons and that as n rule
there are no set and scheduled les
sons respecting .he other evil. is no;
to be taken that intemperance Is Il
greater evil than impUrty, for all sins
are corruptiny and Destructive"
Yet we cannot on this account lei
UP on emphasizing the evils of the
liquor habit. but we can be more dis
! Greet and wise, and we may be less
discriminate in putting so much stress
On one sin while the menace OF the
the other is crying out to God as did
the blood Of Abel Neither does 1t JUS
tify us in reaching that stage of mono
mania where we concentrate OUT
whole religious zeal on Kidding the
world of one blot, the while the
other is gaining ground and ever
claiming the cloak OF respecta bility
Sad to say, the social lines in thi,
world do not even tend to ward off the
attacks Of this greater evil. but ever
tho upper ten" are honeycombed
with marital infidelity and disregaro
OF real purity. They are more con
cerned about keeping up the appear.
ing even the little ones that "wha
people say is OF more Importance
than inward rcctitude. The clocks
OF things arc emphasized to the neg.
left Of genuine virtue. Neither dc
the teachings of the Bible Justify u.
ir trying to force legal semblance OF
sobriety. or any other virtue, upon
those who have not yet been converted
to the need of reformation. The
church of the middle ages sought tc
&C mpel the universal observance of IL.
rites and forms, with the result thai
sin flourished the more abundanty
its hideousness being hidden ant