Middletown transcript., 1917-05-19
LESSON FOR MAY 20
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-coN-
OL-TEMPERANcE LESSON.
LESSON TEXT-Isa. 2S:1-13

things.-I Cor. 9:25.
Wine in the Scriptures is spoken OF
under four aspects. First, social, that
as 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 :6-7; I Tim
5:23). These passages do not COM
mand US to use it as such, and COO
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, sacrl-
fetal wine Matt. 26 :27-29; Luke % II
2O), and, fourth wine is spoken about
as productive of the woes of men (See
Amos 6:1; Heb. 2:15; Prov. % :20)
1t is also mentioned by way of contrast
(See Eph. :1S).
The Scriptures speak of drunkards
in four different ways: (1) They are
to be stoned (Deut. q :20); (2) Drunk
ards lead to poverty (Prov. % :2D
Isl Brunkards are to be separated
from other men q Cor. Sid; (4)
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: (1) the priest and Nazarlte
(Num. 6 :3; Luke :15); (2) the ruler
prov. 81 ~; (3) those who are to
worship Jehovah Uev. 1879.
This particular lesson is taken from
a 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 Intemperance. First
Disgrace and Dishonor ". u. The
city of Samaria is compared to a
chaplet 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
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 q
fading flower" Q Pet. 1:2D. The
coming Of the Assyrians upon Samaria
is described in a three-fold way: Q)
AS a tempest of hail.; (2) as '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
1 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 (v. y
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 s., 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
Ch. 56 1912; Micah 2:1D. The priests
were especially inexcusable because OF
the plain dircctness Of Gods word
Ucv. 10 :9-10; Ezekiel A 4:2D. The
result of their intcmperance 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. TEN
perancc is the habit of abstaining from
everything that destroys. 1t 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 selfindulgence. 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
It's beauty was fading flower (v. ~
his wisdom cOntemned through the
ignorance of Samaria wv. 6, z, 12)
his strength versus their weakness ant
wickedness wv. 6. 13). God teachc:
by contrast as well as by direc
precept Verses nine and ten may bt
taken as mocking answer of the peO
pie to Gods prophet. Isaiah intimate:
that the time to begin our instruction
is in childhood (v. 0), that precep
must be upon precept, and line upol
line, here Il little and there Il little
There never is time when we can lie
up in this struggle against the might,
evil of intemperance. Taken as a re
ply Of the people (v. % this woul'
seem to indicate that God took them t.
be babies just weaned. If the prophet
himself, is the speaker, then JehOval
is represented as teaching knowlcdg
TO babes and not to the self-suflicient
1t is these whom he "makeS to under
stand his message" OR. V. }. and til
method of his teaching is prccept upol
precept If we will not hear Coo
loving and patient call to repentance
he will speak to US through cruel enc
mics. If we will not teach our Chi
dren. if we will not keep everlastingl
agitating this question. he will use oti
er means (v. ~.