The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-02
FoR FHR CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
LEST I BE A CASTAWAY.
REPLY TO "w. t. P"

noe eAihA oAOoAN AN'N
who was at work "to impeach brother HAVE
softly for mixing up things" even thOug
the initials of his name had not betrayed hin
1. / did not intend to "take to task" an
one; nor to appear wiser than others. A
a minister of the gospel l simply wish t
teach as many as l can reach. Therefor
only do write. If l advance this or tina
view in sermon or article, it is because l be
lieve it to be the true one. Yet / am ready
20 "stand corrected, rather than have
4 4'se3i iU gescaed. Bother 2. has not con
vinced me that am wrong, however; there
fore will "gO ahead"
2. | not only abide in the Interpretation
already given, but will now show further
that it is correct. 1t is said by "W. T. P. >
that in verses %, %. Paul certainly talk:
about his own salvation" And that in
verses "A, 25, he alludes again to his own
salvation and that of his hearers And "W,
I. P" says this is certainly" 50. Now
our mere assertions will prove nothing. Let
US therefore examine the record itself. 81
am made all things to all men, that l might
by all means save some." Is Paul not here
showing what he does to win souls? Let
him answer for himself, (Verse %, "And
this l do for the Gospels sake" See; not
for "his own salvation" but "this do for
the Gospels sake" Why does he not say,
Sand this | do in order to make sure of my
salvatiOn?' Simply because he was not
talking of this matter, but of the sacrifices
and struggles which he endured to give his
ministry Of the gospel success. Thus far
then it is " for the gospels sake not for
Paul's salvation. But how about the reasons
attached; "that l might be partaker thereof
with your" Let it be remembered that the
minister is not the only one who is called
and expected to honor the Gospel, and to
commend it in his own life not the only
one who must endure sacrifices and strug.
giles with self, lest his "iberty" prove a
" stumbling block to them that are weak. :"
See the law for all Christians in chapter viii
especially verses 9-12. "This liberty of
yours" "I If any man see thee" " Through
thy knowledge: "But when ye sin so''-
these addresses are not to Paul, nor to min
listers generally, but to all Christians. And
they are given not to show these Christians
how to earn their own salvation, but for
their guidance lest they hinder spiritual life
iR others. And Paul often declares his own
conduct in this matter in viii: 19, and tx:
1928. He clearly teaches that the minis
ter and his people should work together for
one common object--to win souls, or to avoid
driving souls away from obedience to the
gospel If then Paul and those Corinthians
were thus to work for this object together,
it is no marvel that he says "This | do for
the Gospels sake, that | might be partsker
thereof with you" He had exhorted them
in chapter viii, so to strive, even to the
surrendering of their own liberty often, that
they would not wound a weak conscience, or
destroy weak brother. 81 do this 1t is
as much your duty to do 50. We are par
takers, strivers, strugglers in the same work.
Nor has he said one aOrd IN all this about
has salUatiOa or that of has hearers" 1t
seems to me that "W. T. P" ought not to
have said He certainly talks about his own
salvation in these verses"
Next let US look at verses 24-27. is
Paul going to "mix up things?" $50 run
that ye may obtain, he says. Obtain whatH
Why the object for which you and l are
struggling of course. What is that object?
To set good example and win souls. To
avoid reprOaching the Gospel which we re
present in word and deed. How are we to
triumph? The answer is in illustrations.
He who wins race must run with proper
diligence. He "that striveth for the mas
terry must be temperate in all things" In
the ancient games men acted by these laws
to win "crown of fading leaves" That
was their object, to obtain which they left
nothing undone. Are not souls worth more
Is not the reward of winning them far great
erl 1t will be as san inCOrruptible" crown.
Therefore (verse 26) my striving is earnest,
active, labOriOus; my struggling is not a
mere sham. I have an infinitely great and
sacred end in view, and l am working with
all my might to attain unto it. yield
nothing; strive to omit nothing that will
help me forward in this work. "But l keep
under my body, and bring it into subsection,
lest that by any means, when have preached
to others, l should be rejected by them in
my work, and so fail to obtain the object in
view. That is Paul's reasoning here, and
there is no mixing up of things in it. -
This could not be said however, had he
stopped talking of winning adverse p. This
is Paurs consistency throughout" And
if brother "P" prefers not to put too fine a
point on the Apostles meaning" l cheer
fully cOncede to him the right to interpret it
as may seem good in his eyes. But l can
not surrender my own Interpretation, until it
is proven to be OrOng. With me, grave ques-
tions are here involved. know that min.
ister may be deceived man. But l know