The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-05-17
LESSON FOR MAY 20
THE IMPORTANCE OF sELF.coN.
TRoL-TEMPERANCE LESSON.


GOLDEN TEXT-Ever man that striv-
9th for the mastery Is temperate in all
things.-1 Cor. 9:25.
Wine In the Scriptures Is spoken of
under four aspects. First, social, that
US illustrated by Its 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 81; Tim.
5:23). 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 fulfill
ity Of the use Of alcohol in the matter
of medicine as remedy. Third, sacri-
1icial wine (Matt. 26 :27-29; Luke % IT
2O), and, fourth wine is spoken about
as productive Of the woes Of men (See
Amos 6:1; Heb. 2:15; Prov. % :2O).
1t is alsc mentioned by way Of contrast
(See Eph. 5:1S).
The Scriptures speak Of drunkards
In four different ways: (1) They are
to be stoned (Deut 81 :2O) (2) Drunk
ards lead to poverty prov. 23 :21)
(3) Drunkards are to be separated
from other men q Cor. 5:11); (4)
they are to be finally separated from
God Il Cor. 8:9).
Abstinence from strong drink is en-.
Joined in the Scriptures under three
heads: (1) the priest and Nazarite
(Num. 6:3; Luke :15); (2) the ruler
(Prov. 81 :4); (3) those who are to
worship Jehovah Uev. 1O:3).
This particular lesson Is taken from
portion of Isaiahs prophecy where
he is anticipating what Is about to hap
pen to Samaria, and uttcring his warn
ings unto Judah.
I. The Steps Of Intemperance. First,
Disgrace and Dishonor ". y. The
city of Samaria is compared to
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 rs to become u 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 II
fading flower" U Pet. 1 :24). The
| coming of the Assyriuns upon Snmarin
is described in three-fold way: %
AS tempest Of hail.; (2) as "dc-
stroying Storm" (3) as tempest
Of mighty waters overhowing.' The
though. 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"
| 70 l,<,o ~
coming enemy.
u. Those Reached by Intemperance.
Strong drink causes men to err in their
conduct, in their moral insight, In their
judgments. 1t reaches the beautiful
". ~ 1T reaches the learned Nv. y;
1t reaches those in authority; in fact
all classes. It leads men to the depths
Of degradation and to the loss Of their
wills ". 81; 1T. makes men to become
beasts, wallOwing In their own vomit.
Not only Snmaria, but "these alSo'
wv. z and -, 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. 56 :1O-12; Micah 2:11). The priests
were especially ineXcusnble because of
the plain dircctncsS of Gods word
Uev. 10:0-1O; Ezekiel 44 21). The
result Of their intcmperance was that
they utterly failed in their official
acts. They reeled in vision and stumr
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. 1t Is the con-
| troll and right use Of Gods good gifts
| for service. Intempcrance Is lack Of
control or the wrong use Of Gods
| gifts in sclf-!ndulgence.
~. The Lesson in Contrast. Jeru-
| salem VS.. Samaria. Samarlas crown
of pride was not the glory Of God.
It's beauty was fading flower ". ~,
his wisdom contemned through the
| ignorance of Snmaria wv. 6, 7, 12),
| his strength versus their weakness and
wlckcdncss wv. 6, 13). God teaches
| by contrast as well as by direct
! prccept. Verses nine and ten may be
taken as a mocking answer Of the peO-
pie to Gods prophet Isaiah intimatas
that the time to begin our instruction
| is in childhood ". 81, that precclt
must be upon prcccpt, and line upon
! line, here little and there n little.
| There never is time when we can let
up in this struggle against the mighty
! evil Of intemperance.
Take as reply ". 81 this would
seem to Indicate that God took them to
be babies just wcaned. If the prophet.
himself. Is the speaker, then Jehovah
is represented as teaching knowledge
to babes and not to the self-suficient.
1t Is these whom he "makes to under