Middletown transcript., 1920-09-18
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 19


LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 1a
EVILS OF INTEMPERANcE TEM.
PERANcE LEssoN).
LESSON TEXT-Prov. 23:19-2, x-8.
GOLDEN TEXT-The drunkard and
the glutton shall come to poverty.-Prov.
z3:2-
ADDITIONAL MArERIAI-Dan. l.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Keeping Our Bodies
Strong.
JUNIOR ToPIc-what Strong Drink
Does to the Drinker
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR ToPN
Deadly Foes In Disguise.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Alcohol - False Claims and True
Charges.
I. A Fathers Wise Counsel (vv.19-
~.
l. What it is (v. 20). BE not
among winebibbers; among riotous
eaters Of Eesh." This means persons
who meet together for the express pur-
pose of drinking intoxicating liquors
and eating purely for the qualification
Of their appetites. Wine bibbing and
gluttony usually go together.
2. Reason given ". 21). The
drunkard and the glutton shall come
to poverty" Intemperance in drink
ing and eating leads to ruin. Poverty
inevitably follows in their wake.
u. Woes Of Those Who Indulge In
Wine wv. %. 30).
The miseries attached to the drunk
ards life:
l. The awful pain which causes one
to cry out "Oh!" Many, indeed, are
the pains which men suffer because Of
strong drink.
2. S0rrow-the remorse which
causes one to cry out "Alasw Many
are the expressions Of bitter regret
which daily come from the lips Of the
drunkard. Sometimes it is the sor-
row Of poverty of himself and family
clothed in rags and half starved;
sometimes 1t is the sorrow of follow
ing a broken-hearted wife to the
grave and seeing his children scat
tered among strangers.
8. Contention-strife. and quarreling.
Much Of the fighting among men is
directly caused by their passions be-
ing infiamed by strong drink. The
drunken man is always ready to take
offense, as well as to give it.
4. Babblings and complainings. The
winebibber complains Of everything;
i'll luck, broken fortune, ruined health,
loss Of friends. Of fate and Of God.
5. Wounds without cause. These
are. wounds which might have been
avoided fightings in which a
sober man would not have engaged,
and from accidents which are purely
the result Of intOxicatiOn.
6. Redness of eyes. This has ref
to the bloodshot eye of the tip
pier which renders dim his vision.
All these woes come upon those who
tarry long at wine ". 30). Those who
the places of drinking soon
are tarrying long at wine.
III. The Attitude Enjoined ". 31).
Look not at it. Do not put yourself
IN the way Of temptation. The only
safe attitude toward strong drink 10
total abstinence, and the only sure
way Of total abstinence is not to even
ook at 1t.
w. The Drunkard's Bitter End wv.
32-35).
l. The acute miseries resulting ". |
32). 1T biteth like a serpent, and
,tingeth like an adder" Strong drink,
ike the poison Of the serpent. per-
neates the whole system and ends in
he most fatal consequences-the bit
.erest sufferings and death.
2. The perversion Of the moral sense
". 33). (1) This excitement causes
he eyes to behold strange things This
lenotes the fantastic images produced
IN the brain of the drunkard. Since
,nbridled lust always goes with wine
no doubt It Is true as the
Authorized Version has it, thine
yes shall behold strange women"
Drunken men do desire and rave after
lnchaste women. (2) thine heart
hall utter perverse things. His moral
ense being perverted, his utterances
,artake Of the same. He tells lies
lis words cannot be relied upon. Any
me who has had dealings with a
lrunkard knows that his statements
annot be relied upon.
3. He is insensible to danger ". 34).
The drunkard is unsteady; his brain
eels to and fro. He is fOolhardy,
ven as one who would lie in the top
+ ships mast where there is the
reatest danger Of falling of.
4. He is lnsensible to pain ". 35).
The drunkard Is utterly ignorant Of
THAT happens to him while under the
influence Of strong drink. Many
ruises and wounds. the drunkard has
phich he cannot account for.
s. His abject bondage ". 35). After
n his suffering. sorrow, and disap-
he goes on as a bond slave
0 follow the ways of sin.
6. He'll at last, for no drunkard
hall inherit the kingdom Of heaven
I Cor. 6:1O).
Christianity,