The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-05
InLIri,lnal RcsnnnaibIIifY.

Individual Responsibility.
II a featnre Of the Christian religion that
Il uuts especial emphasis upon each mans
nersopal responsibility. This was found also
IN the Jewish religion. but less marked IN It's
usual expression. The jewish was national
Cburch suited for feudal times. People were
born IN H. and tho religion was In large part
one of forms, provided by the priesthood.
People became jews by birth and the rite OF
circumcision, and. naturally. expected saliva
ton thereby. Yet nowhere IS better express
sion 30 be found III all the Bible OF the truth
OF individual responsibility tpan IN me won
derful eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel, III which
God appeals 10 the people testifying TO them
that he treats each one on his own personal
merits. without regard 20 father or son; and
he repeats, with all the emphasis that either
tho Hebrew or the English can give 10 the
prOnoun; The soul that slnnethlt shhii ule',
But in the time OF Ezekiel the Jewish Church
was not ready for this doctrine. Kings and
princes ruled. and the people were followers
or serfs in either government or religion Ana
80 when our Lord came he had 10 bring out
again this doctrine. lie put II IN the most
emphatic way man must hate his iather
and mother He must let the dead bury Their
dead Follow thou me- A mans Toes
shall be they Of his own household" lie
came not 10 bring peace but sword. And
when the day OF his coming appeared he
should gather all nations before ms bar. ana
they bnOQlO be scpdlaItt. Silccp iiDiu bH"to'
each according to his own works. and not by
race or religious profession. What must l
do to be sayedY" asks the jailor, Just as Saul
had asked before Lord, what will thou have
me 10 dot'
The Church grew on this doctrine But it
was not ready for it. Society, government
was not ready for il. SO the Church degen-
Grated again into old Jewish ways. Men were
born into it, baptized into it. were religious
in the mass; and religion. being no longer
matter first of individual responsibility. but
preserved by Church authority and the au-
thority Of the State. became lax and degraded.
Then arose Luther preaching personal talth.
and going out from the old Church with his
professors, an age of reformation III the
Church.
But the age was not then ripe for the doc.
trne Of individual response blllty. Ii required
conformity, rs had Rome before 1t. Men
were born and baptized into religious profess
sion, and to-day q man cannot be married,
and scarce buried in Germany, without show
ne first when he was baptized. Confirmation
was not matter of Christian experience, but
of age and the Church included good and
bad alike.
In our dav the doctrine Of individual re-
spOnsibility TO God has new emphasis This
is doctrine better fitted to our age. We
have now learned it in the State. We no
longer trust few men to rule us, but every
body is a ruler. All must vote and all must
be educated TO know how to vote. because all
are responsible for right government. We
no longer have feudalsm or serfdOm In the
State. and the time is past when people should
be taken into the church because their
parents were. and they bave reached the pro-
per age They must take the VOWS Of the
church only when they desire 10 be real
Christians and serve God all their lives. Re-
ligion is personal matter. God speaks TO us
each, one by one. and bids us repent and live.
We must answer one by one. and settle il with
ourselves and him whether we will give our
lives TO his service.-The Independent.
"Somebody Pays"
A druggist in one Of our large cities said
lately: If | am prompt and careful III my
business owe it to lesson which learned
when | was an errand boy IN the house Of
which am now master | was sent one day
70 deliver a vial of medicine Just at noon. but
being hungry stopped to eat my luncheon.
The patient, for lack of the medicine. sank
rapidly, and for some days was thought 70 be
dying.
al felt myself his murderer. The agony of
that long suspense made man OF me. |
learned then that for every one of our acts Of
carelessness or misdoing. however petty.
some one pays in suffering. The law is the
more terrible TO me because it is not always
the misdoer himself who suffers"
This law is usually ignored by young poo
pie The act of carelessness selfshness is
80 trihing, what harm can it dor No harm,
y.
his way, but somebody pays.
young girl TO make conversation thought
lessly repeats piece of gossip which she for
gets the next moment. but long afterward
the woman whom she has malinged finds her
good name tainted by the poisonous whisper
had, accustomed TO take wine. persuades
a chance comrade to drink with him. partly
out of good humored wish 10 be hospitable.
partly, it may be, out of contempt for ''ianati-
cal reformeTs."
He goes on his way, and never knows that
bis chance guest having inherited the disease
OF alcoholism. continues 10 drink, and be-
comes hopeless victim.
Our .grandsathers expressed this truth in o
way of their own:
For the lack of nail the shoe was lost
For the lack OF the shoe the rider WAS lost
for the lack OF the rider the message was lost.
For the lack Of the message the battle was lost"
Our blindness TO the consequences of our
shortcomings Is merciful provision Of God.
Who could look composedly upon the rank
outgrowth Of all his vice or folly from child
hood 10 middle ageY
But though We do not see it. we do we'll 10
remember that IT is there; and 10 remind our.
selves at the beginning of every day that
each careless act. each unkind word in it.
VIII De paid for, not by us perhaps, but in
WE want or pain of some one