Hosea 7:1

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria.

The great deceiver and spoiler of the nation

We identify the deceiver as strong drink.

I. The dangerous and insinuating character of intoxicating drinks. “The thief cometh in.” Compare the movements of thieves with the manner in which these drinks operate upon different classes of our fellow-men.

1. The thief will often seize the property of others under false pretences. So the strong drinks pretend to give strength to the weak, and to preserve the strong from becoming weak. Those drinks pretend to act favourably upon the sympathies of our nature, and to promote good fellowship among neighbours and friends. But when and where did strong drink perform such wonderful things?

2. The thief commits his depredations under the guise of friendship.

II. you are known to have money, many will offer friendship, and when they have gained your confidence, they will strip you of everything you possess. And it is thus with the friendly glass.

3. The thief pounces upon his prey at unawares. And the thief, strong drink, acts very much in the same way. To be forewarned is in many cases to be forearmed, but too many refuse to take warning, and hence the thief pounces upon them at unawares, and they become an easy prey.

4. The thief pays no respect either to age or sex. The thief is known to seize upon male or female, old or young, any party, or under any circumstance, if he can but meet with a victim. And the thief, strong drink, acts precisely in the same way. In every walk of life, in every condition of society, and under every variety of circumstance this thief commits his depredations.

5. The thief, in the accomplishment of his object, often takes away the life of his victim. Here is another most painful characteristic of strong drink. By this thief multitudes of men die and go to their long home.

II. The evils inflicted upon our country by the traffic in strong drinks. “The troop of robbers spoileth without.”

1. The vast-extent of this source of evil. Thousands are engaged in the manufacture of strong drink.

2. The traffic fails to give an equivalent for what it costs.

3. The traffic in strong drink spoils the morals of our country.

4. The traffic is spoiling the efforts of the Church.

III. The means by which these evils may be removed.

1. The real cause of these evils must be kept distinctly in view. Individual example is the matter requiring supreme attention.

2. The manufacture and sale of intoxicating drinks, except for scientific and medicinal purposes, must be condemned.

3. The practical rather than the doubtful should be steadily pursued. There is always a danger of our having our minds diverted from the real to the visionary. It is a delusion to trust to acts of parliament. Personal and individual abstinence is the one thing to urge. (D. Sunderland.)