The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-28
QUESTIONS or conscience
baptist Cieraymen Drifting into Discussion OF
neer drinking mud Tobncc0 UsInR.

Tho Baptist ministers discussed on Mon
day the question OF how far the conscience "
professor II Christianity is to be governed by
Tint ~ brothers weaker conscience. The
Rov. II. VI. Sanders Il Nonkcrs. in prclim-
mary essay, said that when n brothers. or sis
ter's conscience Is extremely tender we should
in most cases, yield. Christian is not to please
himself. Christ did not and il tho servant
greater than the mastcry The cssayist insist
ed. however, that the question whether an
action is right or wrong depends very much on
circumstances. not SO much on those that sur
round the thing dono rs on those In the mind
OF the docr. To one Christian n decd may be
perfectly right; to nnothcr entirely wrong.
Brother Justin u. Fulton sad that the sub
the right Of doing under some circumstances
what would he wrong at another time. Brother
Fulton knew of some church members who
drank beer when they went To Concy Island
and could minglc With their fellow Christians
afterward; A minister, too, Of ms ncquaint-
ibe go TI' nSopt half Of he time Once upon a
time he tDr. Futonl went with that minister to
"A hotel for dinner. Tho order given 10y tho
rnre for me; cold water for him beer Tor mo"
While dining. continued the speaker, tho fol-
lowing hit OF conversation took place:
DR.. Fulton-Did you ever read novel?
Minister (scurnfully Never
Or. Fulton-Humph too pious. s'posel
Minster-lts bad example to set.
And yet" exclaimed DR.. Fulton. "he would
drink becrl We ought to declare that no tobnc-
go should ever he used eNrcut 10 XIII ticks on
sheep and no liquors should be- drank ut all.
But its a big question, and may God help YOU
TO understand itl'
Brother Haines said that he liked his cigar.
and saw no wrong in i now, ~ md by II
might become sinful for him. He believed that
there IL no formula by which 10 learn steady.
undertaking standard Of right and wrong.
Brother Heddrn wanted To- know whnt con-
science is. any way. A good many Christians
think that their bigotry * righteousness. while
hu knows that IL isn't. lInughicr.l IL he
wanted his own way then he would claim to ho
weak brother and demand submission TO him
self under the rule established ly tho essayiet.
As it is. he is expected to have charity for mon
with conscicnccs that are not cOnscicnccs NJ all.
Such men dance. and drink. aud do wicked
deeds. and then expect to be pardoned because
e That's so. said several voices
Brother Hughes asked what n pain man
could make out OF this mnzo Of logic. Whit
Straightforward course could be mid out for I'M
tutored men to follow. He believed that the
only rule to follow IS thc main great truth;
and drinking, the discussion Of 1t didn't do
much good.
Brother Halsey Knapp tho Washington
with weak Christians. He related how sister,
who had Tor q husband drunkard. begged
him tBrothcr Knapp To dismiss wine from the
communion table She was u good woman, but
she WIS too weak on that point. Another in
stance, he continued. with u duizzlcal look. was
when he was about to be- married. A sister
came 10 him. her eyes filed with tonrs. her
bosom hcaving. and her whole form shaking
with distress, aud said: oh, Brother Knapp.
don't marry Don't. don't :" But. continued
tho brother. Of course tho marriage couldn't be
broken IN for TINT and Tho marriage took
place. brother knarp said ne is smoker.
always has been: II agrees with him. or course
there are different reasons for nagging n man
about smoking. II may bo that the obIector has
some time or other been made very sick while
trying 10 use tobacco aud Brother Knapp put
his hand 20 his bare head and made a wry face.
which made the brethren laugh.