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March 17, 1909.. THE PRESBYTERIi
of heart and life^ and godliness are considerations that outweigh
our use of liberty. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink,
or whatsoever ye do( do all to the glory of God." Let us remember
that the apostle who wrote these words was the one
who dwelt most upon our liberty in Christ.
Many a gambler has started his career by watching the
game in the home circle. Many a drunkard has been en
couragod to form the taste for drink by seeing the wine
giving.its color in the cup in the social life of the family.
Many a libertine has received his first suggestions of impurity
while sitting in the family box at the theater. "Not seeking
mine own prom, diu me prout oi many, tnat tbey may be
saved," is the law of Christian expediency.
Sunday School
' TEMPERANCE LESSON.
Prov. 23:.29-35.
March 28, 1909.
Golden Text.?"At the last it biteth like a serpent and
stingcth like an adder."?Prov. 29: 32.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q. 48. What are we specially taught by these words, "before
Me," In the first commandment?
A. These words, "before Me" In the first commandment
teach us that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of,
and i3 much displeased with, the sin of having any other
god.
DAILY HOME READINGS.
(Permission of International Bible Reading Association.)
M.?Prov. 23: 29-35. T.?Prov. 23: 15-25.
\Y\?Isa. 5: Jl-24. . Th.?1 Kings "20: 13-21.
F?Matt. 24: 42-51. S.?Gal. 5: 13-23.
S.?Eph. 5: 6-20.
TOPICAL OUTLINE.
Temperance Teaching 3,000 Years Old?
The question, vs. 29.
The answer, vs. 30.
The picture, vs. 31.
The warning, vs. 32-35.
LESSON COMMENT.
The present is a time of great activity in the cause of
temperance and the present lesson should be most faithfully
prepared and taught. The years of agitation, faithful preaching
and earnest teaching are being. rewarded by results that
mean much for the future of our beloved country. As is true
in other matters, so in the discussion of temperance the utmost
care should be exercised to lay broad and deep a foundation
of principles. That the statements from Proverbs assigned
as the lesson for consideration are principles will be apparent
on the first leading. They might have been written in
our own time. The question asked in verse twenty-nine can be
nnswered with the unswer of verse thirty by those who
have investigated modem life. The words written three
thousand years ago need not be changed one whit. When
they were written the strong drink consisted of fermented
liquors; today, with distilled liquors on sale, the truth of the
statements of the wise man is simply intensified. Mrs. Maud
Balllngton Booth, who has had exceptional opportunity for
investigating prison conditions, says that nearly eighty-five
* 4- *
\N OF THE SOUTH. I5
per cent of crime is traceable directly or indirectly to strong
drink. This statement she makes after questioning a large
number of prison wardens. That the removal of the saloon
reduces wee, crime and disaster is attested by a great mass
of facts, so easily obtainable as not to require repetition
here. Dr. Eliot, of Harvard, who has recently made a tour
of the South, was converted to the cause of prohibition by
what he saw of the results of no-license in Cambridge.
The wise man proceeds from fact to exhortation. If it
be true that tarrying long at the wine, indulging in strong
drink brings sin and evil, refrain. The cause of prohibition
will be more easily promoted if there be a zealous adherence
10 the simple principle found in the passage we are studying
Make no compromise with evil. Do not waste time arguing
as to whether a town will be injured in a business way
by prohibition. Stick to the principle that a thing which
is admittedly the cause of great evil ought to be outlawed,
revenue or no revenue. All the quibbles of the
advocates of tho saloon are used for the purpose of delaying
a decision in the popular mind on the main question. They
are but muddying of the water. Do not be afraid to set up
the statement that if the thing is wrong it ought to gc
and then stick to it. In teaching boys stress should be laid
on the value of the power to say NO. Those who undertake
to cure the liquor habit say that whatever they do
must be backed up by the will-power of the patient. They
u?n, mey ciaim, remove me pnysicai craving for drink, but
Its continued absence will depend altogether on the fact
that the man does not take another drink and be himself is
responsible for that. They distinctly say, that while they
recognize its need, they cannot make moral character. Let
it also be recognized that, if the present work in overcoming
the liquor business is to be abiding it will be so because
the next generation has been taught the true principles of
temperance. #
"At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an
adder." Here is a verse worthy of stress. No man ever
started out to be a drunkard. Men, of course, reach a point
where they do not care, but they did not start definitely for
that point. The way at first seemed safe and pleasant and
harmless. The first drink and many subseauent ones seemed
to have no lurking evil, but, oh, what a difference
"at the last." Then the sting was apparent. Let us urge
those whom we are- teaching to ascertain what is at the
end of the road before starting out. If we desired to reach
a certain point we would not take a road that attracted
us because it seemed pleasant and was beautiful. We would
take a road that at the first seemed less attractive, providedit
would get us to the destination we were desirous of
reaching.
A word to teachers: We sometimes rather resent the
fact that the regular order of lessons is broken to permit
the introduction of the special lesson on temperance. Should
?V uwb ivw6iuav tuat tuo impui UlUV-O UI tUO DUUJCt'L UCIIItlUUS
that this be done? Is it not true that a great deal of the intelligent
zeal now manifest in the great fight on the saloon has
come out as a direct result of the intelligent teaching of temperance
principles in the past? The men of today were the
boys who were yesterday in the day school and the Sunday
school taught the evils of strong drink, and we see the
results in the wonderful progress now being made. If the next
generation, now in its formation, Is to continue the work and
to make further progress, if it is even to hold fast to that
which has been obtained by this generation, it will do sobecause
the teachew of today have faithfully instructed.
Geo. D. Booth.