Total Abstinence a Safeguard in Responsible Positions
Leviticus 10:9-11
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die…


On almost all boilers connected with engines there can be found a safety-valve. Whenever the boiler gets too full of steam and is in danger of bursting, this little valve opens and lets the steam out. No one has to watch it, for it opens of itself. There was once a man who wanted to travel on a certain steamboat. He went to the boat and examined the machinery, but he found that there was not an efficient safety-valve on the boiler, so he said to the captain, "I won't go on your boat, captain. You haven't a proper safety-valve, and I am afraid the boat may be blown up without it." "Come down with me to the engine-room," said the captain, "and I will show you the best safety-valve in the world." When they reached the engine-room the captain went up to the engineer, and laying his hand on his shoulder, said, "There, sir, is my safety-valve, the best to be found anywhere — a man who never drinks anything but cold water." "You are right, captain; I want no better safety-valve than that. I will go on this boat." He knew that the engineer would always watch the machinery, and if anything went wrong he would know it instantly. Only a sober man ought to be trusted in such a responsible position; and when boats have such engineers they have the best safety-valves in the world.



Parallel Verses
KJV: Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

WEB: "Drink no wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, that you don't die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations:




The Value of Abstinence
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