LESSON IX.—SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1899
29 "Who hath wo? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions?
Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause?
Who hath redness of eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine;
They that go to seek out mixed wine.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
When it giveth its color in the cup,
When it goeth down smoothly;
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent,
And stingeth like an adder.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange things,
And thine heart shall utter froward things.
34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea,
Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, and I felt it not;
When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again." NOTE.—Verses 29, 30, 31, and 32 may be dwelt upon as the four drunkard pictures; first, a mirror in which he may see himself; second, his pedigree; third, his snares; and, fourth, his inevitable harvest. Drunkards are not born, they are made; and they are made of just such material as the teacher of this lesson has before him. All drunkards were at first moderate drinkers. The perfect armor is total abstinence. They who refuse to touch liquor can never become drunkards. They who tipple are on the main line to a drunkard's goal, and there are very few switches. Golden Text: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Prov. 20: 1. (1) What is the first question the wise man asks concerning the intemperate man? The second? The third? The fourth? The fifth? The sixth? V. 29. Note 1. (2) What is his first answer to the questions? His second? V. 30. Note 2. (3) What warning does he give? (4) What specifications does he mention of the dangerous drink? V. 31. Note 3. (5) What is the final effect of the intoxicating draught? V. 32. Note 4. (6) What will the drunkard see? How will he speak? V. 33. Note 5. (7) To what does Solomon liken a drunken man's unreasoning and dangerous doings? V. 34. (8) What is the condition of one who is completely under the influence of liquor? Notwithstanding the evil effects of his intoxication, what does he say? V. 35. Note 6. 1. Who hath wo?—There is no naming the terrible15multitude of wos that crowd in upon the one who allows himself to be ensnared with strong drink. There are wos to himself, and wos to his family, diseases, poverty, disgrace, loss of self-respect, and finally loss of soul. The drunkard realizes these wos in his sober moments, and then tries to drown them in the drink that caused them. Contentions.—Quarrelings, bickerings, and the struggle within himself between what he does and what he ought to do. Complainings.—All the evil and unpleasant traits of one's disposition are magnified by drink. Wounds without cause.—Those received in causeless or unreasonable quarrels, when inflamed by drink; also wounds received in accidents due to drunkenness; and, above all, the wounds of character. Redness of eyes.—The word refers to the blurring or dimming of the vision. 2. They that tarry long at the wine . . . go to seek out mixed wine.—The tendency of drinking is to continue at the bar; often the whole night is spent in carousals, quarreling, gossiping, and talking evil things. The mixed wine evidently refers to that which has been medicated for the purpose of increasing its intoxicating effect. The Septuagint reads, "Those who hunt out where carousals are taking place." 3. Look not upon the wine.—Do not put yourself in the way of temptation. It is too dangerous a viper to take into one's bosom even for once. When it is red.—"Red wines were most esteemed throughout the East."—Peloubet. Therefore it was the more dangerous to tamper with. Giveth its color.—"The beaded bubbles upon which the wine-drinker looks with complacency;" "carries a bead." 4. Biteth . . . and stingeth like an adder.—This refers to the deadly bite or sting of the poisonous reptile. The East has many of these whose bite is death—a fit illustration of the intoxicating cup. 5. Thine eyes shall behold strange things.—There is no doubt that this refers to the terrible experience of the drunkard in delirium tremens, when his brain is on fire, and he sees a multitude of hissing reptiles of every sort. 6. I will seek it yet again.—The continued indulgence gradually but surely weakens the will power of the individual until he has no ability to resist the cravings of his unnatural appetite. He is then a slave; and only God can break for him the chains of that slavery. But the drunkard too often has lost his appreciation of divine things; the religion has been burned out of his soul, and he is lost.