The Columbian fountain., 1846-04-28

.. .s#a, ~e~--A.t ss &a" '.a
The following sermon was preached pre-
vious to the late election of County Com
missioners in Vermont. 1t gave great Of
fence to several influential individuals,
ownels and keepers of ftippling houses and
grog-shops, who at once declared that they
would withdraw their supprt from the au-
thor of it. The church and society, as
body, approved Of the sermon, but in con-
sequence Of Efuss" made by the rummes,
Mr.. Walker was induced TO ask for his dis,
mission. This is rum persecution in 1886.
What disgrace to Brattleborough.
A SERMON " ,@
Preached at the Centre Church, Brattle-
boro' VT, Dec. 2sth, 1915.
BY REV. CHARLES WALKER.
"Bm Judge this rather, thetno man PIT d
stumbling block, or an occasion to fal1 in
his brothers. uay." Rom. IA Is.
The obvious meaning of this text, taken
by itself, is, that no man should tempt ano-
ther to do wrong, To put stumbling
block or an occasion to fall in brothers.
way, Is oplace means and inauencesareund
HIM which occasion him to transgress,
which lead him astray from the paths of
morality or religion, or which cause him to
fall into habits which injure him, or crimes
which disgrace him. Every manis forbid
den to do that which will affect others thus
|injuriously, by the precept of the text, and
by every righteous law, human and divine.
The meaning of the text, taken in the
connection'in which il stands with other
verses, is that no man should eat certain
kinds OF meats, or food if his doing SO would
encourage Others to do it to their injury
Some thoughtit wrong to eat any thing
which had been offered up in sacrifice to an
idol, and if they did it they would violate
their consciences and bring on themselves
a moral injury. Others, more enlightened
and having stronger faith, cared nothing
for the idol, and although they ate that
which had been offered in sacrifice, they
neither acknowledged the idol nor violated
their conscences. They were above the
influences OF idolatry, and looked on the
whole OF its pretended services with, con-
tempt.
But their habits in this respect injured
their weaker brethren These thought that
such practices countenanced idolatrv, and
they were, therefore, either grieved by the
conduct of the stronger bretheren, or they
were emboldened themselves to do like
them, and TINS violated their consciences
and involved themselves in guilt. For the
apostle, says" To him that esteemeth any
thing to be unClean, to him il is unclean'-
and he that doubteth is damned If he eat, be-
cause he eateth not of faith''--i e. because
he hisks he ought not to do it, and therefore
violates his own conscience when he does
it.
In view of these facts and influences, the
apostle urges the stronger TO do nothing
which may injurc the weaker. He says,
/" lfthy brother be grlcved with thy meat,
now wallest thou not charitable"-i. O. |
thou dost not conduct in love towards that
brother ''DeStroy not him with thy meat
for whom Christ died" l. e.--better for
90 thy own gratiicaton than injure broth
er. Better yield up what is not essential
to thyselfthan by perslstlng in it, to bring
ruin on fellow man. And the apostle, |
true to his own principles, determined to
govern himself accordingly He said
Z" l(meat make my brother to offend, will
eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest
| make my brother to offend" This was
a noble resolution. 1t was charitable s,
kind. It showed mind that would not be
seIfsh-that would not seek its own graft
6caton by means which would grieye or
inurc others. .."
Would TO God that there were more of
this disposition among men ! Would that
all who profess TO feel kindly towards their