THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S But is there a deeper lesson for us as followers of the Lord Jesusf In this country, after long years of conflict, the best element of the people has succeeded in bringing about the prohibition of the manufacture and sale of intoxicants, for which we can rejoice and praise God; but the Church has not yet learned the lesson of obedience to God’s law of sep aration of life; the lesson of refusal to be conformed to this world. (Rom. 1 2 : 1 , 2 .) One may refuse to use the fermented juice of the grape, yet be carried away by the divers lusts and pleasures of the world, and refuse to live soberly, right eously and godly in this present age. The heart of the lesson is—obedience to the commands of our Lord. They are' not grievous. Here we have no con tinuing city, but look for one to come. We are strangers and pilgrims, and are entreated to submit ourselves to every ordinance of God (1 Pet. 2:11-17). The Rechabites were obedient to the law of a man, but Israel was disobedient to the law of Jehovah. PRACTICAL POINTS. (1) The advance in material appliances is not proof of advance in moral accomplishments. (2) The obedience of the children of Rechab was better than the sacri fice of the sons of Judah. (3) The users of strong drink are the losers of sterling descendants. (4) It is to the performer of good promises, that God gives the pre eminence. (5) Fidelity to the faith of our fathers will command God’s commendation. (6) Pride goeth before a fall. (7) While liquor has slain its thou sands, lust has slain its tens of thousands. (8) The Rechabites stultified them selves by staying in Jerusalem; their place was on the plains.
1027 (9) There are a thousand roads which lead to ruin. Be temperate in all things. Diogenes, being presented at a feast with a large goblet of wine, threw it on the ground. When blamed for wast ing so much good liquor, .he said, “Had I drunk it, there LESSON would have been ILLUSTRATIONS double waste. I, as W. H. Pike well as the, wine would have been lost.” “I figured out, years ago,’,’ said a prosperous farmer, “that with very moderate drinking, I ’d drink an acre of good land every year. So I quit.” Here is a temperance lecture, done up in a small parcel, convenient for hand ling. The Drink Tree. There is said to be a tree in South America, called the Judas tree. It has beautiful scarlet blossoms, but it has a, deadly opiate. The insects are charmed with it. But under and all around this tree are millions of dead carcases lying, lured to their death. It is rightly named Judas Tree. A good name for intemperance is the “Judas Tree.” “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are gone out of
the way.” Isa. 28:7. Figures Will Not Lie.
Raphael George Levy, of Paris, has issued statistics of 24 families, chosen at random, 12 of which were temperate and 12 of which ■frere alcoholic.
Alco- Tem- holic perate
Died in infancy................... 12 Deaf and Dumb—............ ... 2 Affected with St. Vitus Dance................................ 2 Idiots __ ...' 8
5 0 2
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