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A LESSON ON TEMPERANCE

—PROVERBS 23:29-35—MARCH 25—

Golden Text:—”At last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder.”—v. 32

THE Bible contains numerous cautions against intemperance, and declares that no drunkard shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It follows that this must be a proper portion of the meat in due season. However, since probably only a very small minority of the “saints” are thus endangered, we need not give the subject great prominence in this journal. We do desire, however, to let all know that we are in sympathy with temperance in respect to intoxicants and “in all things.”

We are in sympathy with the spirit of “total abstinence,” too, though we cannot subscribe to all that is said and done and hoped for by its advocates. All true “saints” would surely be glad to forego their own liberty that thereby they might promote the general welfare and fulfil the advice of the Apostle, that—”We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Seeing the terrible injury being done by strong drink throughout the civilized world, surely every reader of this journal is now and always will be a temperance advocate—especially by example—while telling the “good tidings of great joy.”

Among the many things for which the people of this land may well thank God is the temperance sentiment which prevails here as nowhere else in “Christendom.” (Strange to say, “Christendom” is far behind Heathendom on this question.) Throughout all Europe the blight of intoxication is awfully prevalent. The statistics of Great Britain, France, Russia and Germany show conditions very much worse than prevail here.

Germany has long boasted that her people, even the children, drink wine and beer freely without injury; but changed conditions show changed results now. Mark the following report:

CHILDREN HABITUAL DRUNKARDS

TEMPERANCE WORKERS IN GERMANY FIND STARTLING CONDITIONS PREVAIL

Berlin January, 6.—Friends of temperance reform in Germany have been collecting some startling statistics regarding the habitual use of alcohol by school children in the Thuringian States, where their investigations were mainly pursued. They found in one class of forty-nine children of the average age of seven that thirty-eight of these regularly drank wine, forty regularly absorbed schnaps, and all of them drank beer. In the higher class of girls, twenty-seven out of twenty-eight regularly drank wine, fourteen schnaps and all beer. Of these twenty-one admitted that they had been more or less intoxicated on the occasion of weddings, birthdays, etc. In the town of Ortelsburg, in East Prussia, the condition of affairs is very bad. In one school fourteen children were found with brandy bottles in their pockets, which they had received from their parents. Boys nine years of age had to be sent home because they were drunk.

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— March 15, 1906 —