The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-01-07

of our temperance (?) friends who
claim Bible justification, for drink
ing a little wine, from this verse.
They see the force Of the wine
drinking but fail to gee the force of
no water.) In verse IA Paul orders
all young women to get married.
l. this applicable to-day? IT so,
what a great sin many of our young
ladies' are committing. In verses
9-l2 Timothy is forbidden to admit
to the charities of the church any
who have not "brought un children"
who have not "washed the saints
feeT and etc. etc. Who will insis,
that this rule is applicable to-day?
And yet if the rules given in the
2nd chapter apply, then certainly
those in other chapters must apply.
Or better, ifrules in the 5lh chapter
do not apply, then those in the 2nd
chapter do not apply. The same is
true OF Corinthians. If a part of
the rules there laid down are in
force to-day then all are in force.
And yet we thin k there are none
who contend that Paul's opposition
to the marriage relation in l Cor
7 applies at this time. Hence we
conclude that while Paul laid down
in these letters certain great princi-
pies applicable and beneficial for
all time, he did not intend that
rules adapted to the presentation of
these principles in the lst century,
with its immortality and ignorance
should necessarily be followed in
the enlightened 10th century.
But what then did Paul intend to
teach by these passages? AS we
see it, the principle here taught is,
accommodate yourself to the cir
cumstances. Do that which will
tell the most for the cause. But
some ole says: "that kind Of advice
will do Cor the politician, but 1t
" On't do for the Bible teacher.
Truth don't change with circum.
stances. What il true In Rome Is
true in Jerusalem" Let Us see
what the Rihic 81 ia When lf3xsi
attended the Council at Jerusalem,
the other Apos les, less broad in
thought than he, insisted upon cir
cumcision as an essential in their
creed and demanded that Titus,
who was with Paul, should be cir
cumcised. Paul absolutely refused
to have Titus circumcised. And
yet a short time after when Paul
was in Asia, where his work was
almost wholly confined to the Jews,
In order to please them that he
might thereby gain their confidence
and thus help them the more, he
did circumcise Timothy. Many
similar cases might be cited.
Timothy had charge of the church
ut Ephesus which was similar to
that in Cor!nth in every respect.
Hence we hnd Paul giving the
same rule 70 the churches at Ephe-
sus and COrinth. Both were Greek
cities with a very similar state OF
society. In these cities there were
two classes of women. The first
consisted OF the retired, moral and
/, ignorant class who never appeared
in public. The second consisted Of
the bold, immoral and educated
class whe were found in the tenn
Piles, on the street and at all public
gatherings. They took part in all
discussions. They were always
longing for some new theory, VI
teaching or religion. This latter
class invaded the church and took
their immOralities and love for dis
+. cussion and argument with them
J 1t is no wonder that Paul insisted
that the women in these two church
es should keep quiet. There is moi
a minister in this State who would
not have done the same thing. Blu,
some one says, "these immoral wO
men would not be admitted to the
church." Read the Epistle, espe
t cially v, 1. Those who will &C
: quaint themselves with the condi
ltion of Greek society, and th'
makeup of those churches at th'
4 time Paul wrote these letters, viii
, see that he, in giving instruction
) that the women should keep silent
did only what common sense woult
lead any one to do. AS these con
! ditiOns did not exist at Colosfe o
I Rome or Galatia, 1t was not neces
e sary for him to lay down any sucl
t rule at these places. Neither dit
D these conditions exist in Cret'
e where Titus was laboring and thu
we see Pauls reason for writin,
two entirely different letters (,