Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1937-10-28
lMPRO OWED
UhiEORM INTERNATIONAL
CUNDAyH
ooioo Lesson
By REV. HAROLD L. IuNDorIIsr
Dean OF the Moody Bible IhstitsItr
Of Chicago
9"estern Newspaper Union,
Lesson for October 81
THE. MORAL. ISSUE IN THE
DRINK PROBLEM

LESSON TEXT-Romans 1s.12.1u. ,
corinthians 6.9-11; Galatians 5fi6:24.
GOLDEN TEXT-Walk in the Shirt .,S
ye snan not fuldl the lust Of the fiesh.~
PRIMARY TOPIc-My Neiehbors
JUNIOR TOPIClThe Greatest. raw
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOpTr.
erages? DeS-
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Inc moral Issue in the Drink Problem.
The title for our lesson is we'll
chosen-"The Moral Issue, in the,
Drink Problem"
First, let it be- clear that there is.
an issue. Those who have business
social, OF political connections with
the liquor traffic would like to have
us believe that the repeal of prohi-
oltlon settled the matter once for
all. But let us be sure of this fact
the liquor problem is at our verv
door,. and it must be met.
In the second place, many would,
have us think that the matter of
drunkenness isS social, political,
or even a. physical problem, without
any moral implications whatever.
But those who are informed know,
that; even the supposedly innocent
beer is inextrioably tied up, with
vice and crime: A. prisoner in a. fed
eral penitentiary writing before pro-
hibition was repealed said. "Crimi-.
mails hail with delight the re-
turn of liquor via, the beer route, and,
the greater license that the return
of the saloon will inevitably bring.
With the return of beer will come,
open prostitution and gambling."'
His words were true.
1. Drunkenness Is a Work Of Dark
ness, from. 18s12a14).
Just as there are darkness and,
daylight in the physical universe, so,
there are two contrasting spiritual,
realms, of darkness and light.
Men Flowed; darkness rather than
light because their deeds were. evil, !"
according to, the Lord Jesus. (See.
John S:19.)N This spiritual realm, of:
darkness is directed by rulers of
the darkness of this world" (Eph.
SID, and their purpose is, 'tspiritu-
81 wscke6irrVs. With the works of
3agkress''' THE believer is to- '4f1awe
70 fellowship (Eph 5.11Ol. but is
TO ''reprNe tllern' and bring them
into the light where their true ma
ture is made manifest (Eph. 5:f3).
God is; light, and in, him is no
darkness at ALL" and those who
have Fellowship with him walk in
the light (See I John r:5-T.b
Drunkenness is a wonR Of dark
ness. It separates man. from God
and makes him fear the glorious
light of his countenanee. The solu-
ton for that awfull condition is re-
vealed in v. IA. "Put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ"
In Drunkenness Is a Work Of I'M
righteousness Il Cor. 6:9-11).
No drunkard '4shall inherit the.
kingdom of God" (v. 10), and the
man who takes his first drink has
put his foot on the path that leads
to the drunkard's grave. Of course
10 man plans 30 go that far, but the
fact is that such is the tragic con-
clusion for hundreds of thousands Of
men and women-damned for time,
and eternity by drink.
Again in this passage we have. the,
answer to. our problem. Not lefor-,
nation, not education, not culture.
desirable and useful though we
recognize these things to be9, but
being washed" "sanctifedi" and
''justifhed'' in "the name of the Lord
Jesus and in the Spirit of God" Try
that On your town drunkardl Thank
God, il works!
llR. Drunkenness Is a work Of the
Flesh (Gal. 5:16-24).
The fiesh-that is our bodies ruled
over by seh-will as opposed to Gods
willis revealed in the Scriptures
to be thoroughly bad, and in opposi-
ton to God. Consider the appalling
list Of the works Of the flesh in
verses 10 and 20 And note that In
the midst Of them stands drunken
ness.
It is the lowest in man that re-
spends to intoxicants. Little won
der that the Brewers Journal came
out right after the election of 1882
with the statement that mot one
tenth of one-per cent Of American
youths know the taste of real beer.
We must educate them" In other
words the normal taste of an in
telligent person would revolt at the
stuff, but once give it chance to
stir the lusts of 'the flesh" and the
victim is caught.
Once again, note the antidote-
live in the power of the Holy Spirit,
and the flesh with its lusts is cruel
fed ". 24). How shall we have the
Holy Spirit and his power in our
lives? BY taking the Lord Jesus
Christ as personal Saviour.