The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-10-26
W. SERMON.
Guess-U'0rk."
By IRVING A. sEARLEs

had brought into the temple.-Acts' "a, z''
We learn from the incident Of which this
verse is in part descriptive that when principie
ia not at stake II Is best sometimes to yield our
personal opinions for the sake OF peace. he
mort had been circulated that Paul had not been
taeniuc the law OF Moses but he had openly
spoken against it. This prejudiced the Jews
against him. To do away with this prejudice
he conforms himself to that ceremonial law.
He regarded il OF no avail one way or the other,
but IL prejudice could be removed he would
conform himself TO the customs of the people
among whom he moved. 90 L nto the Jews l
became as a jew, that might gain the Jews
10 them that are without law as without law,
that l might gain them without law. ! am
made all things to all men, that might by all
means cave seme." Not that Paul would yield
where principle was involved but in matters
non-essential he would not stubbornly urge his
own opinion.
low much Of this spirit is needed in every
church. There are hundred questions COM
ing up regarding which we cannot all agree.
How can two or three hundred OF us remain in
the same church and yet disagree about such
questions az, shall we have choir or congrega-
uonal singing, shall this man or that man
preach for u.s. shall we rent the pews? Evil
IDENTIFY there must be a yielding on the part Of
some one. To have church where all things
should be managed just according to our idea,
would require that each man have q church of
his Own. Let the aim of each member be. not
to see how frequently he can have his own way
but how often he can cease urging his own
personal opinion for the sake Of the general
good. Don't be mulish church member
2. Again, under the plea of party, deeds may
be committed that would not be tolerated for
moment in an individual. These Jews raise
the watchcry, "Men OF Israel" They appealed
to party in their effort to develop mob against
Paul. 1t would have been wrong for en- indl-
vidual Jew to have killed Paul. but under the
guise of party great company Of them might
have killed him with impunIty. What is wrong
for an individual is not wrong for large col
lection of individuals. Here is railroad owned
BY company consisting Of five hundred men.
An accident occurs involving the loss OF many
lives. The responsibility Of that accident is
not brought home very forcibly TO any one OF
them. They divide the responsibility. Each
stock holder says, / am only one fye-hundredth
part to blame. \ church hires janitor. They
get behind in their payments. The bill is pre-
scented to the church. Each member says, oh,
well. that is not my debt-that is the church
debt. Yes but bless you, who or what is the
church if 1t is not the individual members OF
which it is composed Each s-ould feel as
morally bound 10 pay that debt as though ne
were the only member
3. Great harm is sometimes done by suppos-
ing things that we have no business TO suppose.
Guessing is sometimes fraught with very great
ev1l. This is the man that teacheth all men
everywhere against the people. and the law and
this place, and further. brought Greeks also
INTO the temple, and hath polluted this holy
Mace. For they had seen before with him II
the city Trophimus, an Ephesian, whom they
snnposed that Paul had brought into the tenn
ME" 1t was contrary to jewish law and Gus
tom to allow a foreigner to enter their temple
Over the temple door was written, No for
eicper can enter here on pain OF death" The!
had seen Paul in company with Greek out II
the city, then they see Paul in the temple will
some persons whom they suppose TO be Greeks
This is the occasion of great revolt that come
very near costing Paul his life. All this troubl
brought about by a supposition. There Is
great difference between fact and inference
going down the street tomorrow l find dea
man on the sidewalk with his throat cut fror
ear To ear make that statement TO our Nal
shal. Another man comes along and seem
the dead man, reports TO the Marshai that
MURDERED man is lying on the sidewalk Al
other passes by and reports that SUICIDE
living there. These last state inferences an
not facts. 1t is a fact that dead man liz
there with bis throat cut, but that he was mu
dered or committed suicide are mere inference
from that fact.
These differences may DO great injustice
the raIties to whom alusIon is made. r
markable case OF this kind occurred mar
years ago in Northfed Summit county, OH
Mr. Vlers and Mr.. Charlesworth lived neigI
bors. Charlesworth suddenly disappeared
Careful search failed to discover bis wher
abouts. Suspicion of foul play began to a
pear. This eliminated in the arrest and trl
Of Mr.. VieIs for the murder OF Charleswort
Suspicious circumstances without number we
found After lengthy trial Viers was acqui
teC, sOlelN IOt TIC Whul VI pOribfO SNluOhC
Nearly everyone believed him guilty Of Il
crime charged. Mr.. Viers said that he con
not rest with that stain upon bis reputatio
He began an ndefatigable search for the mis-
ing Chaglesworb, visited all parts OF II
country and even went to Europe. He foul
the missing man in hotel in Detroit. lie to-
him back to Mortified and appointed day Z
the people to come and satisfy themselves
to the identity of Charlesworth. AL save on
we're convinced that this was the real Charlie
worth, and that Viers had been wrongly Q
cnsed. In this case there we're one or two fac
but great many differences. These inferenc
came very near costing Viers his life.
Our everyday life abounds in these inft
ences The merchant gives you the wro
change. making the mistake in his own fave
and you Immediately infer that he intended
cheat YOU. In going down the street you me
friend who fails to recognize you, and y
infer that 1t was an intended slight bu
ness firm fails and you infer that they bro
down with their pockets full OF money. Y
see LADY, acquaintance walking down the strt