The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-09-07
SUNDAY MEDITATION
A Study of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Sept
II, 1893.

L1HoVl Leoooh APpoIhtCu iol SeR"
II, 1898.
Subject: Personal Responsibility. ROM,
Ia:I2-23.
lone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
INTRODUCTION.
We pass from the Acts of the Apostles to the
Epistles of st. Paul. The Apostle felt great
interest in the churches which he established
and when absent from them wrote them letters
If he heard any one of said churches was Ia
trouble he Immediately wrote to it and tried
to adjust the difficulty. Many causes of divis-
ion sprung up calling for his advice and direc-
ton. Since similar difficulties liable to
originate, the epistles have been very valuable
as teaching the Church how to manage in such
cases.
No Christian can afford not to study quite
critically the IA Epistles of st. Paul. 1t was
fortunate the early Church had a 80 discreet
manager as was St. Paul. Not only decision as
to facts was needed, but also spirit of fOrbear-
auce and patience and persistence. Charitable
ness must accompany Judgment. Piety with
out good sense would fail With frmness as
to essentials, there call for tolerance in all
matters not absolutely appealing to conscience
into ono body. All opinions must be met and
brought to bear on one central fact, salvation
through Christ.
In the lesson before US we have an example
of st. Paul's method. Many laws of the Jews
were enacted only for temporary purposes
Many practices Of the Jewish Church were only
preliminary to the introduction of Christianity.
At the same time, the great moral principles as
to Deity as to the right and the wrong, as 70 the
spirit of worship, az to the relations of man
kind, as to the mutual obligations OF society,
ETC.. were of eternal force. and can never be
modified. COIN promised, lessened in force, ex-
planned away, removed for substitutes.
Another important fact to be considered Is
that mankind is composed of individuals and
cannot always DO moved in mass. The rights
of each member must be respected. As result
no person acts for himself alone, but as a
member of community. He must not, there
FORE consider only individual preference, but
mutual rights. A man who would act in a
given case so and so if wholly independent
actor, is obliged to modify his course of action
when he finds that every one of his acts does
not end on himself, but is related to the entire
community. No man has the right to forget
be is a member of society, in certain allow
able sense owned by society.
Rev ID. +. Lamson, referring to Ro., ID: IL,
says: 1.-The design of the Apostle in this chap
ter is to show the freedom of Christianity from
the trammes of local customs and traditional
usages. There were teachers in the churches
who endeavored to incorporate into Christian
ity the ritualism of the Mosaic faith, to en-
graft upon the new religion that which was
temporal and ceremonial in the old. Thus they
attributed peculiar sanctity to the sacred times
and seasons, the festivals and holy days of the
Jewish calendar, and sought in many instances
to enforce an observance Of these not only upon
Jewish but upon GENTLE converts. Many,
too had come to entertain morbidy con-
T,r,, ri apfr npatG
sacrificed to heather deities and afterwards
offered for sale in the public markets. The
spirit of ascetism and Journalism, which subse-
quently wrought so much harm in the Church,
which SO dimmed its glory and hindered its
progress for sges, had thus begun already to
manifest itself Paul could not be silent when
the very life of Christianity was thus put into
jeopardy. He lifts his voice, in this chapter,
in indignant protest against such a msconcep-
ton of its spirit; against the attempt TO ham
per and restrict it by outward ceremonies and
ritualizing practices. He argues that these
things are not essentials TO true piety; that
they are sometimes outside OF true religion,
not part of it"
We may date the writing of the Epistle to
the Romans A. d. So. 1t was in the Spring of
that year, and corresponded with the first part
of the fourth year of the reign of Nero as En-
peror of Rome.
Where.
The Epistle was written at Corinth and sent
to Rome. The note at the end of the epistle.
found in our Bible declares Phebe carried it
to Rome. She was deaconess. All along we
see what active part women took in the estab-
lishnent of Christianity. St. Paul felt that
much of his success was due to feminine aid.
Phebe belonged TO the church at Cenchrea,
the eastern port of the city of Corinth. (Ro.,
10: l, 81 st. Paul way to Jerusalem re-
manned three months at Corinth. Acts, 20:3)
1t was during that stay he wrote to Rome.
Verse l6 shows it was in tho Spring.
Notes.
Verse IL brings out the principle of individ-
nal responsibility. We must all give account.
Each must render account. The whole ac-
count is to be the sum of tho detailed &C
counts. But the accounts are separate. No
excess of good of one person laps over to the
credit OF another who lacks. God is the one
who examines. Strict accuracy and unques-
toned fairness will characterize the process.
To live is serious not a haphazard fact.
Verse l3 shows we must consider ourselves
first of all i'll passing on human conduct.
Rather than looking to discover faults in
Others, must be constantly on guard for
their welfare, and do all We can to keep out of
their way every harm.
Verse IA emphasizes the voice Of conscience
What might cause one to feel grieved may
please another. We are not to consider, there
FORE so much the thing in itself its good or
bad effect on others. We must in all our rela-
tions to society give place for individual con-
scientiOusness.
Verse ID shows it is more important not TO
offend others than to crafty self In matters
not absolutely essential it is better to forego
disqualification than grieve those whose con-
sciences will not permit them to sec the acts i'll
the same light as you do. One cannot be called
on to lose his soul for others, but at times he
may lose the realization of some pet notions,
the qualification of some Ito him) innocent
habit.
Verse 16 There is use in being so scrupu-
lous as to the carrying ont of details in nom
essentials to be offensive. There is some
times kind of piety (so-called professed)
that might he classed with nuisances, hyper
critical, cantish, hypocrtic. pharsaic. Piety
need not necessarily be offensive. The good
opinion of one on the part of society is almost
essential to his success No Christian can
afford to despise current sentiment az to his
conduct. As Christians we are to draw even.
Verse II is very important. 1t states
negatively and aflirnIatively the nature of the
Kingdom OF God. which is practically the
Church of Christ. /. Negatively: IL is not
meat b. 1t is not drink. 2. AffirmativeIy: a.
1t is righteousness. b. Peace. C. Joy ia the Holy
Ghost. Christianity has reference to meat and
drink, teaching temperance IN their use; but
the bill of fare is generous, and tastes mscel |
laneous Hence there is rbom for all warrant