himself in the fact that he could drink or let it alone, and thought that it
was all right to take a "social glass" occasionally. Election time came
around; he fell in with his friends, and, as one always will do sooner or
later who tampers with it at all, went too far. Before he knew it he was as
low in the gutter as a beast. It was three days before he was a sober man
again. He work had ceased, he had disgusted his fellow-workmen,
disgraced his Christian family, and had humiliated himself so that he was
ashamed to look any man in the face until he had repented of his sins
before God, and had promised Him, by His help, that he would never
drink another glass. What a pleasure it was to hear that old man, as he
is close to sixty years of age, to hear him tell in a spirited religious
service of how he had strayed from his path and had got lost in the woods,
but thanked God that he was out of the woods, and by His help would
remain out. When we become undone in Christ He lifts us up and starts
us on our new way rejoicing in His love. If Christ Himself were here in
body, do you know what He would advise on this point? He would say:
"As it is written;" "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it
giveth its color in the cup, when it goeth down smoothly: at the last it
biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder." Beware of the social
glass, my friend, for though it promises pleasure, it gives but pain; it
promises joy, it gives but sorrow; it promises deliverance, it gives but
eternal death!

III. STUDY THE DRINK EVIL.

We hear it said, "No use to picture the horrors of the drink evil;
every one knows them already." In part, this is true. All of us
know more than we wish it were possible to be true; and yet no
one can ever realize its horrors until caught, and torn, and mangled
in its pinching, jagged, griping meshes. It is one thing to know by