The Republican., 1941-10-23
CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY RE-
GARDING BEVERAGE ALCOHOL


GARDING BEVERAGE ALCOHOL
LESSON TEXT-Deuteronomy 5:32 33;
u:26-28; Isaiah 28:1-6; Habakiuk PIP
GOLDEN TEXT-Righteousnes eXalteth
nation: but sin is a reproach TO any
people.-Proverbs 14:34.
Legal approval of the sale of alco-
hoic beverages has largely taken
the matter out of the hands of the
home and the church and has made
liquor civic problem. That, of
course, does not provide US with a
convenient excuse for evading our
personal responsibility, for the ma
ton is made up of you and me, of
your home and mine, of your church
and mine We must share the ma
tion's responsibility gladly and ac
lively if we are to be worthy of our
citizenship. Especially is that true
of the Christian, for he sees the
spiritual and moral implications of
the matter, and he also knows what
to do about it.
1. Righteousness Exalteth a Ma
ton; but Sin Is a Repr0ach to Any
People" (Deut. 5:32-33; 11:26-28).
That may sound a bit old-fashioned
and it may appear that men have
abrogated that principle, but if we
wait bit we shall see that it still
works.
l. Righteousness Brings Blessing
(Deut. 5:32, 33; 1925, 27). In this
callous and Indifferent generation
we need to repeat with emphasis the
fact that there is laid down in the
very constitution of the universe a
moral distinction between right and
wrong. Right is always right and
wrong is always wrong.
The book Of Deuteronomy presents
the fundamental laws of God. In
this fifth chapter there is a review
of many of these laws and a practi-
cal appeal for obedience. 1t is point
ed out that the way of liberty in the
walk of life is to turn neither to the
extreme Of legal bondage nor to the
opposite extreme of human license,
but to walk in all the ways which
the Lord your God hath commanded
you" Walking in His ways brings
all the blessings of Deuteronomy
5:33, promise which is repeated
in 11:27.
2. Unrighteousness Brings Judg-
ment (Deut. 1928. Turning aside
from Gods ways must bring upon
man His curse. 1t is no light mat
ter to be under Gods disapproval.
We who know how much the approv-
al or disapproval of frail human be-
ings around US may mean, should
consider what it means in the life of
a man (or of a nation) to have the
eternal, omnipresent and omnipo-
tent God against him.
Then what about a people which
countenances the manufacture and
the sale of intoXicants, which they
well know bring about Wickedness
and vice which can only call for the
judgment of God. Many believe that
the great war in which the world is
embroiled is simply Gods judgment
upon the nations (including England
and America) because they have
turned aside from His holy ways.
That means that the most effective
way to stop the conflict is national
penitence and prayer. Why not be-
lieve and practice II Chronicles
TIA?
ii. Civic Greatness Cannot Be
Built on Sin and Oppression (Isa.
28:1-6; Hab. 2:12).
Yes, that sounds old-fashioned
too! The theory of today seems to be
that the road to greatness is by way
of disregard of Gods laws, and by
the application of the mailed fist of
cruel conquest. But let us remem-
Der that others have tried the same
violation of Gods law, and let us
recall what happened to them. Did
you ever hear of Napoleon?-of AL
exander the Great?-of the GLORY
that was Greece" ?-and the world
conquering power of ancient Rome?
Modern military leaders could well
afford to spend less time on their
books of strategy and their war
maps and more time reading the BIZ
BILE and the pages of history
l. Drunkenness and National De-
cay Go Together Elsa. 28:1-6) The
leaders of Israel (Ephraim) fingered
long over their wine bowls as they
spoke with pride of their nation,
and especially of Samaria, its
crown. It was a city beautifully
situated on a hillside surrounded by
a fertile terraced hillside.
Does not that all have a vaguely
familiar sound? A great nation of
our day which now lies in bondage
to its neighbor dictator not long ago
spoke with pride of its attainments
and its security, while (according
to the testimony of its own leaders)
the use of intoxicants went on apace,
even in the army.
2. Permanent Power Cannot Be
Built on Oppression (Hab. 2:12).
Here again history reveals the cor
rectness of Scripture. Many a ma
tion has sought TO find its ''place in
the sun" by building with the blood
of its vanquished enemies. 1t has
never worked, and it will fail now
just as it has in the past.
What about the city, state, or ma
tion that attempts to promote its
own growth out of the taxes on liq-
uor and its sale?