The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-16

st. PAuL's Second Epistle TO the Corin-
thians, where he says, d" BE ye not unequal
ly yokcd together with unbclicvcrs;" aud
then hc proceeds to dilate on the subject
There is no doubt Of the wisdom Of st.
PArL's advice tO the Corinthian converts,
when its true nature and bearing, and the
circumstances under which II was gwen,
are taken into account. But Brother
MOODY must he careful to study these CIR
cumstanccs. before he makes practical APP
plication of the language in his sermons in
the 1Iippodrome. There are portions of
the Scriptures which are obscure in our
translation, and there are passages in the
Pauline Epistles which need tn be viewed
in the light of the times in which they
were written. Uulcarned men are In dam
ger Of misunderstanding much OF the adj
vice which PAUL aud the other apostles
gave to the early adhcrents of the young
Christian Church. Thus, when PAUL
urges these same Corinthians to refrain, as
n matter of policy. from eating meat Of
fered to idols, he gives advice which was
suitable then, but which has no direct or
literal application at the present day. We
might make similar comments upon many
other passages In PAUL's Epistles; and
therefore II Is that We say IL is necessary
for Brother MooDY to beware of misundcr-
standing them. Even the Founder OF
Christianity said. "If thine eye offend
thee, pluck It out;" butlBrother Moody
himself does not take this advice literally,
as n plain matter OF fact
The clergy nro bound, according to
Brother MooDY's argument, to refuse TO
perform the marriage ceremony in cases
where they are not sure Of the rcgcnera-
ton of both parties TO it. They are bound
to refuse the pecunary offerings of the
unconverted. They are bound TO disci-
pine those church members who GO into
business with worldlings, or visit the
opera, or read uuregencrated papers, or
join almost any society in existence. We
have not yet heard OF many clergymen
acting thus in these matters; but they
may be engaged in the study Of Brother
MooDY's reasoning.
Certain II is that II church members are
to lie class apart from the rest of the
community, exemplary in their lives and
ways, the churches must be more particu-
lar rs TO whom thcyadmit TO membership.
They must begin 10y excluding therefrom
| many of those who are now regarded us
| pillars OF orthodoxy. They must cast out
wrong doors and evil livers. not n
| few. They must purge themselves OF
! dishonest men, falsiners, practisers OF
| impur.ty. hypocritcs, backbiters, prcsump-
tuous men, the followers OF injustice or
cajoleiy, pretenders, swaggercrs, frauds,
| cheats and all ia ose who are base cruel,
scurrilous, mean, hard hearted, or SANDER
Gus, gluttonous, or Incorporate. They
must show that their difference from the
rest Of the world. ana their superiority to
| II, are practical and palpable. They must
make ii manifest wherein the children of
| light are better than tho children OF
darkness. If any one Of them has an unre-
generate partner in business. he must be
more / ghtoous in all his transactions. If
any wife among them has an unconvorted
| husband size must show HIM the power
Of her piety. If any of them belong to n
society of unbeh,vcrs, he must give evil
dcucc Of his Icng.on in his practices. And
SO on.
As il Is, We do not always find that those
who call themselves children Of light
stand ont Ia sufficiently marked contrast,
practically, with the children Of darkness
Many of them even make n disadvania-
geous display in comparison with those 10
whom they claim superiority.