The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-25
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We have consented hereafter 10 eu''e""e' vas
column of the FREE TRADER, once IN TWO VEGAS,
q, original articles, to be contributed by local
.I.,,ymcn and Others, on religion, morality, tenn
r,orsnce and kindred topics, the object being, IN
his way, TO elevate the moral tone OF commuh'
itv and TO awaken attention to evils IN our mios'
mat are attaining fearful magnitude, ana against
which II is proposed, If possible, to nauguratc an
effective warfare. While much-possibly all
the matter thus contributed may be such as we
should endorse we prefer, in ADVANCE TO ab-
,o,ve ourselves of all responsibility for any pc
culiar doctrines or ideas that may be advanced,
proposing to lay no restraint upon contributors
to this column beyond a reasonable conformity
70 The main object in view, and the use OF be
citing and decorous language. The article Dc
low Is the first contribution under the propose"
arrangement:
The Law of Liberty and the La" Oh Low.
In Pauline dicteu the law of liberty Is stated
thus: "All things are lawful Tor me- anu '"'
law OF love thus: "But all things are nos cNpe
dient;r or In words more explanatory "he'o
fore, II meat make my brother to oneha, WIN
cat no flesh while the world standelh' vi
course the application of these laws Is 10 thihgS
Indifferent in themselves. They cannot apply 10
things positively right aid positively wrong
Respectinc these there can be no honest dlier
eIee of opinion and practice among rght-miho'
ed people These positive things are not Varia-
bleouanitics in the problems of life, but the same
always and everywhere They change not WIN
the changes of time place and circumstance
Thus it is wrong at all times, in all places and
under all circumstances TO dcfraud TWAS wrong
in the first century and in the eleventh and IN
ira seventeenth. Ii is as wrong to defrund in the
nineteenth century as at any previous ume'
And Il will be just as wrong in the twenty-third
century as il is now. No variation Is allowable
in the moral quality OF act the because OF va
ration in the element of time. Nor do changes
Of place and circumstances modify the moral
tone of the action 1t is wrong to steal in Otta-
wa under the pressure of strong temptation, or
without such pressure. It is equally wrong UNI
der like or unlike circumstances to steal in Bonn
bsy, or Pcking, or London, on Washington. 1t is
right TO be honest irrespective of gains and losses
tlrnes and places, friends and foes. Hence men
have no liberty Of choice in these fixed, unchange
able things The right must be done, the wrong
left undone
But there are other things OF a edrsddh nature.
At one time and in one place they are right; at
anyther time and in another place they are wrong,
The rghtuess and the wrongness do not inhere in
The actions themselves, but depend on tme,placc,
circumstance. Respecting these variable things,
actions that are right in themselves and wrong
only because of tine, place and circumstance
there may be and frequently OF necessity must be
honest difference OF opinion and practice among
rigb,-mindcd people. This difference OF opin-
ion and practice may arise from two causes.
One cause il this: some are slow In determining
Questions Of casuistry. Cases OF eoncence cas-
Ily confuse them. They fail to see In many par
SECULAR cases why II thing is right at one time
and under given circumstances, it Is not right
"a another time and in changed circumstances
rho multiplied and complex problems OF life
are bewdering to such minds, and they become
weary of the continually recurring task OF scpar.
ating essentials from non-esscntials In the prac'
teal questions brought before them. II 1t was
light 10 drink wine In Palestine during Christs
stay among men, it is right now In America, at
any time, in any place, under any circumstances.
They cannot feel the force Of modifying elc'
ments In such problems.
Another cause which produces difference Of
opinion and practice on this point, is the too
liberal Interpretation and too wide application
gwen to the law OF liberty. Many In the church
AZ Corinth, having heard Paul teach this broad
law of liberty made it still broader by constru'
ing 1t to mean, that man has the liberty to do
whatever he wishes TO do Hence they perverted
the law 10 the extent OF advocating and practic.
rag selfiudulgence, the grossest grathcation OF
the appetites and passions. IL ID easy 10 see
low this exaggeration Of the law OF liberty came
about They, finding themselves suddenly freed
from Jewish law with its thousand burdensome
restrictions, naturally went too far In the use
Fl their new-found principles OF liberty, The
hrst crude application OF any new theory
either in politics or religion is almost always
vide OF the mark. Heretofore restricted Ia their
meats, their drinks, their holidays, their Sab
l,sths, their new moons and all such rites and
ceremonies, when freedom from these came with
the new order OF things in christianity, they
eald, I'VE may cat what We will, drink what we
will, do what we will. We are free from all mar
row limitations. All things are lawful for us. "
thus their christian liberty dcgenerated into un.
christian license.
Many OF the French people, and among them
even some leaders, abused their liberty when de-
'syercd from the restrictions OF monarchy
The colored people OF the south. when first
led out iuto liberty, made sad work OF applying
ihe grand principle Involved in their rights.
Their conduct proved most cOnclusively that
they had only feeble understanding of the full,
,cep meaning Of the great law OF liberty.
In these cases, cited and In others like them,
liberty degenerates to the low level OF license.
Yet are there not some men ut the present
rme thus abusing this grand charter-right Of
the faith, II Is 10 be feared that many under
The cloak OF liberty are using great license in
lhings rot absolutely wrong but relatively wrong,
because out Of time, place and circumstance.
Hence alongside Of this broad and blessed law
Of liberty stands by divine appointment the law
II love These are related to each other. The
relation is this The d,c Of liberty is limited by the
higher lau Of lore. Take an Illustration: sup
pose one, who has gained great liberty In the
Use OF the Sabbath day, so that he is above the
,aere letter OF the law and near to the Master
himself in catching and keeping the spirit OF il,
finds himself In community, where the chris
tsn people observe the day scrupulously as TO
she letter Of the law. What shall be doney He
has liberty in the use Of the Sabbath. BY this
liberty he is free from the rigid, formal, puncti
sous method of keeping the day. Shall he as
iatcd from Others he might give the loose rein
20 his liberty; but being placed In close fellow
.hin with lhnse who have not his charter. Tight