The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-09-01
Published by request.
EXpediency.


ify not. So Paul substantially af-
firmed. A position of licentious
tendency, if not well qualified. As
defined by its author, it is perfectly
safe. He only assumed that there
were many things which he might
lawfully DO, which were not eHpedient
for him to do. He might. for ex-
ample, have married a wife, eaten
the flesh OF either Jewish or pagan
sacrifices, or drank the wine Of their
Hbations, ETC., ETC., according to the
Christian law; but in the circum-
stances of his peculiar vocation and
localities, to have done these things
would have been inexpedient.
Law itself is, indeed, at best but
an expedient-a means, supposed,
at the time of its PRONUNCIATION, suit
able TO some rational end. But,
owing to the mutability of things,
laws often fail to be the best means
to the ends proposed; and are,
therefore, abolished, or, for the time
being, suspended. This is true of
all laws and institutions prescribing
the modes and forms of action,
whether in religion or morality.
Moral laws. properly so called, are
indeed, immutable; because the
principle of every moral law is l0Ue,
and that never can cease to be not
only a way and means, but the only
aCay and means, to rational, to hu-
man happiness. Positive precept5,
however, prescribing the forms Of
religious and moral action. emanat-
ing from God himself, have been
changed, and may again be changed,
while all the elements of piety and
morality are immutable.
There is, therefore, laa0 Of cape
diency, as we'll as the expediency OF
law. This law of expediency, as it
is, indeed, the basis of the expe-
diency of the law in the divine goy~,
eminent, has been, as in the case Of
David eating the loaves of the Pres
ence, and the priests profaniug the
Sabbath by the labors Of the temple,
occasionally elevated above the pre-
cepts that prescribe the forms of re.
ligious and moral actions. True, in
deed, that such cases are exceeding
Iy rare; and they are rare reasoners
who can safely decide when any par
ticular precept prescribing the form
of action may, for the sake Of the
action itself, be waived or suspend
ed. It is, moreover, exceedingly
questionable. whether, under the
more perfect institution of Chris.
tianity, the law Of expediency can
ever clash with any moral or relig-
ious precepts in the New Covenant.
Still, there are many things left to
the law of expediency, concerning
which no precepts are found in the
apostolic writings. To ascertain
these is the object of this chapter.
They are then, in one sentence,
those things, or forms of action,
which it was impossible or unneces-
sary to reduce to special precepts;
consequently they are not faith,
piety, nor morality; because what
ever is of the faith, of the worship,
or Of the morality of Christianity,
was both possible and necessary TO
be promulgated; and is expressly
and fully propounded in the sacred
Scriptures. The law of expediency,
then. has no place in determining
the articles of faith, acts of worship,
nor principles of morality. All
these require a 'tbRS saith the Lord
in express statements. and the sa.
cred writings have clearly defined
and decided them. But in other
matter-they may be called the Cir
cumstantials of the gospel and of
the Church of Christ--the people of
God are left to- their own discretion
and to the facilities and exigencies
of society.
Many things, indeed. that are of
vital importance to the well,being
and prosperity OF the kingdom of
Christ. are left to the law of expe.
diency. A few examples will suffice
Can any one imagine any measure
of more consequence than the safe
keeping of the apostolic writings,
the multiplication of copies, the
of them into different {
languages. and the mode of distrib-
1ting them throughout the whole
world? Now, who can show posi- Il
tive or special precept on any of s
these four vital points2 Scribes or
2opyists, papermakers. printers, e
book-binders and vendors Of the :
oracles Of God, are as unknown to II
The apostolic writer's as mails, post e
offices, railroads and steamengines. n
Next 10 these are meeting. houses, Ii
1aptisteries, Lords tables, the en- y
loaf and cup, times of con-. o
arrangements for the day, G
tc. Acts or Parliament, decrees OF e