The Coolidge examiner., 1937-08-26

JUNIOR TOPIC-When a Man Drinks.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Why Beverage Alcohol Is So
cial Foe.
The use Of intoxicating liquors is
financially improbable to the ma
ton, scientifically unwise and de-
structive. socially degrading, and
morally wrong We have, therefore,
in our series of lessons for 1887.
four which are devoted to the drink
problem. touching it from each OF
these viewpoints: the financial on
January 81; the scientific on April
l8; the social today; and the moral
yet to come, on October 81. Let us
make sure that this grave issue is
being faced both in our homes and
in our churches.
I. The Problem.
The selected Old Testament scrip
lures which comprise our lesson
present the use Of intoxicants as
causing four socially undesirable re-
suits.
L. Religious disobedience Oev.
1912; Isa. 23:O. Two things we
may rightfully expect Of those who
serve the nation in its religious life:
Cd vision of God and obedience
to that vision in life and service,
and (2) the exercise of sound God
guided judgment in the affairs Of
the people. But note what happens
when the prophet and the priest
turn to wine and strong drink. They
err in vision" Qsa. 28:D. That is,
they have no clear concepts Of di-
vine truth, and lead the people into
error. Further, we see that they
stumble in judgment" To every
true servant of God comes repeated
ly the opportunity and the need OF
rendering judgment, that is, Of ad-
vising and counseuing those to
whom he ministers. If his mind is
befuddled by the use Of alcohol Cor,
for that matter, of any other kind of
worldly indulgence) he will "stum-
ble," and cause his people to stun-
BILE.
A sad incident is related in Lev.
1912 Of the sons Of Aaron. appoint
ed to the priesthood and instructed
in its privileges and duties, but
coming with strange fire to be Of
he Il
terrible was the judgment they re-
ceived. We are not told directly
that they were intoxicated, but it is
implied in the fact that there IS an
immediate injunction against the
use Of wine by the priests.
Lest someone think that such a
thing could not happen in our day
the writer mentions word which re-
Gently came to him that a leading
seminary has professors on its staff
who defend the so-called moderate
use Of alcoholic drink.
2. Political disorder prov. 1:5).
While political leaders make sancti-
monious protestations that govern
ment agencies are not influenced by
the liquor interests, it is common
knowledge to even those who are
slightly informed that the two are
closely associated. The result Of
that unholy alliance is rightly de-
scribed in Prov. 31:5-"They for
get the law. and pervert the judg-
ment of any Of the afflicted" Much
Of the sad disorder in the body poll
tic is traceable directly to the door
of the makers and sellers of alco-
holic beverages.
8. National decay Qsa. 28:1-6).
Overcome with wine"-stricken
down, useless in life, without true
ambition, such is the picture of the
man who gives himself to drink.
Poverty, with all its attendant So
cial problems, follows on the heels
of the sale and use of intoxicants.
Some liquor dealers are beginning
to sense a rising tide Of opposition
to their business, and are advertis-
ing, I'VE do not want bread mon
ey," but the fact is that it is all
too often bread money that goes for
liquor, and the vile stuff is still on
sale where the poor man may read
lily spend his bread money" for it.
4. Personal degradation Qsa. %:
3. 'Vonit and filthiness' are not
very nice words, but they describe
accurately the ultimate condition of
the drinker and his surroundings.
The writer knows a young man who
boasts that he never gets drunk
because the booze" makes him so
sick that he vomits it up. Imagine
a supposedly intelligent man drink
ing stuff so vile that his stomach
(evidently having more sense than
his head sends it back-and then
boasting of his ability to drink
more!
III. The Solution, a Divine Princi-
pie Rom. 14:2D.
Thousands of Christian people
have solved not only the drink prob
lem, but practically every question
of conduct and social life by apply
ing this principle. Surely no true
follower of Christ will be guilty Of
doing anything that will cause any
brother to be offended, to stumble,