The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-05-19
INTERNATIONAL
Sunday School
Z essor1 8:
LESSON FOR MAY 20
me IMPORTANCE OF eELF.coN.
TRoL-TEMPERANcE LESSON.
.rssoN rpxr-1sa as1.ia.

7
under four aspects. First, social, that
al illustrated by It's use at the mar
riage ID Cana. We must not, however,
Confuse this wine with the spirituous,
strong drink Of this present day. Sec.
Cnd, medicinal (ProV. 81;647; I Tim.
6:e3). These passages 10 not COM
mhnd us to use 1t as such, and God
has very graciously revealed to US
in modern medical research the fulfil
tty Of the use Of alcohol in the matter
81 medicine as q remedy. Third, sacri-
ficla1 wine (iatt. 2e:27.2e Luke % :17'
20), and, fourth wine Is spoken about
is productive Of the woes Of men (See
Amos ell; Heb. 2:15; Prov 2S:20).
It Is also mentioned by way Of contrast
(see Eph. 5;1s).
The Scriptures speak Of drunkards
IA four different ways: ~ They are
To- be stoned (Deut. 81 :2O) (2) Drunk
ards lead to poverty prov. 23:2D +;
(3) Drunkards are to be separated
from other men Il Cor. 5:11); ~
they are to be finally separated from
God u Cor. SEQ.
Abstinence from strong drink is en-
coined In the Scriptures under three
heads: ~ the priest and Nazarite
(Num. $50; Luke 1879; t2) the ruler
(prov. 81:4); (S) those who are to
worship Jehovah Ney. 1879.
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.
|. The steps Of Intemperanee. First,
Disgrace and Dlshonor ". ~. The
city Of Samaria is compared to a
ichaplet Of flowers on a 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.
SecUld, Disease and Depeneraey ". 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" Il Pet. 1920. The
coming Of the Assyrlans upon samaria
is described In three-fold way: ~
AS tempest of hair; (2) as "de'
stroylng stormT ~ as tempest
of mighty waters overlooking" The
thought contained is that Of wide-
spread and overwhelming destruction.
Back 81 this work of devastation and
destruction and desolatlon was the
wrath of God against sin (Ch. 2:4-9).
All earthly pride shall be trodden IN.
der foot. Samaria, 20 fading flower, "
was to be greadily eaten up by the on
coming enemy.
II. Those Reached by Intemperance.
Strong drink chuses men to err in their
conduct, in their moral insight, in their
judgments. 1t reaches the beautiful
". ~; 1t reaches the learned ". ~;
It reaches those in authority; in fact
all classes. Il 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 Samarla, but "these also"
wv. z Ind 81, that is people of Jeru'
salem have erred through wine and
strong drink. Even the priests and
4 the prophets had and do so now (See
Oh. 56:1O-12; Micah 2:11). The priests
were especially lnexcusable because Of
the plain directness of Gods word
Nev. 1O:9-1O; Ezekiel 44:2D. 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
gatherings filthy and disgusting. Tenn
perance Is the habit Of abstalning 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 Code
gifts In self-indulgence.
III. Tho Lesson In Contrast. Jeru'
salem We. samarIa. Samaria's crown
Of pride was not the glory Of God.
IT'S beauty was a fading flower ". a.
his wisdom condemned through the
ignorance Of samaria Wv. 6, Z, 12),
bis strength versus their weakness and
wickedness wv. 9, 1877. 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
b In childhood ". 81, that precept
must be upon precept, and line upon
3 line, here a little and there little.
Ehere never is time when we can let
up In this struggle against the mighty
evil Of intemperance.
Take as a reply ". 81 this would
seem to indicate that God took them to
be babies Just Weaned. II the prophet,
himself, IL the speaker, then Jehovah
Is represented as teaching knowledge
10 babes and not to the self.suficlent.
Il Is these whom he makes to under
stand his message" (R. v. }, and the
method Of his teaching is precept upon
brecept. II we will not hear Gods
loving and patient call to repentance,
be VIII speak to us through cruel enc
MES. II we win not teach our chill
dfan, II we win not keep eyerlastingly
agllating this question, he will use 9TH
Is means ". III.