Arkansas State press., 1943-10-29

tCNttt tAFNs " 1hNt |
GOLDEN TEXT-Beware. l pray thee.
and drink no wine nor strong drink
Judges l3:A. :
Total abstinence from all alcoholiol
liquors is the only sensible and eff
feetive policy for Christian people.
Some, VINO want to use alcohol Them
selves, like to stress the Bibles
teaching Of temperance. They point
10 the use Of wine ON the part of peo-
PIE In biblical times, although they
fail to note that more often than
not 1t was n~on.alcoholie. tSee The
Bible and Wine" published by Loi-
zeaux Brothers.)
Another thing they ignore is that
we live In a different day with o.
mechanical society. when alcoholic
beverages are offered through high
pressure advertising and in highly
distilled and potent form.
What we are most interested in Is
what the Bible teaches about the
matter. We note that
Abstinence Is Necessary
]. For Spiritual Obedience Lev.
1912. BID.
In the religious life Of a nation
one expects the leaders to set tho
example for the people to follow.
Two things we may rightly demand
of those who serve the nation In its
religious life: IL a vision of God
and obedience to that vision in life
and service, and CD 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
lisa. 28:D. That is. they have no
clear concepts of divine truth. and
lead the people into error. Further.
we see that they stumble in judg-
ment."
To every true servant Of God
comes repeatedly the opportunity
and the need of rendering judgment,
that Is, Of advising and counseling
those to whom he ministers. II his
mind Is befuddled by the use of al
cohol Cor. for that matter. by any
other kind Of worldly indulgence) he
will Stumble" and cause his peo-
pie to stumble.
A sad incident Is related in Levitt
Gus 1911. 2. Of the ions Of Aaron.
We are not told directly that they
were intoxicated, but 1t is implied in
the fact that there is an immediate
injunction against the use Of wine by
the priests LEV. l0.8-l1).
II. For National Order prov. 81:
4, 50.
It Is a notorious fact that the liq-
uor interests strongly influence the
political life of a nation. tSee 'eThe
Wrecking Of the 18th Amendment"
by Ernest Gordon.)
While political leaders may make
sanctimonious protestation that gov
eminent agencies r not influenced
by the liquor interests, it is common
knowledge q to those who are
slightly informed that the two are
closely associated.
The result Of that unhcly alliance
Is rightly described in Proverbs 3l:5
They forget the law, and
pervert the judgment Of any of the
afflicted" Much Of the sad disorder
in the body polite is traeeable di-
rectly to the door Of the makers and
sellers Of alcoholic beverages.
1t is a depressing and disturbing
hing when the leaders Of a nation
are known to lean on c'rcholic slim
alants--the broken reed on which
mar can only be pierced. The de-
structive influence Of their example
can be imagined.
III. For Personal Usefulness
lLnRe III. lo-lOl,
John was to be born into a life Of
such blessed usefulness TO God and
mar that he was to be a 10y and
gladness'' to his parents. great in
the sight OF the Lord" and instru-
mental in turning many Of the chill
dren Of Israel to the Lord"
Such a life is worthy OF emulation
ON the part Of every young man and
woman. What is the secret Of it?
Undoubtedly, fine Christian parent
age had much TO do with 1t.
Other elements also entered in,
such as rearing and training, but Of
great Importance was the fact ".
l5) that he was not to be driven by
the false stimulants Of this world,
but by the milling Of the Holy Spirit
Of God. No wine nor strong drink"
but being 'hlled with the Holy
Chost"-there, young people, Is the
secret Of a happy and useful life.
Note that John was to be great
10 the sight OF the Lord ". 49,
nothing finer OF more distinctive
could be said about a man. That
greatness simply could not exist
along with Indulgence In wine nor
strong drink" Being hlled with the
Spirit precludes the use Of intoxi.
cants. "
Let us bear that in mind when we
are tempted TO be led astray by the
smooth arguments Of those who talk
Temperance" as o ground for in.
diligence. Our boys and girls-yes,
our men and women-need a con
slant warning against the evils OF
alcoholic liquor. (See Alcohol, a De-