The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-07

reason, no different from any other
meat.
1t was human for some such Chris.
tians to be boastful of such knowledge.
They we're proud to know more than
their heather neighbors. This know
ledge conferred on them certain liber-
ty in regard to the use of idol conse-
Grated meats. They used this liberty
without thought of others.
1t is toward such selfish appropria-
ton of knowledge that Paul offers his
Christian protest.
The knowledge is good in itself. But
mere knowledge, apart from the Spirit
OF Truth, will make but an empty re-
ligious character. KnoWledge-so held
pufeth up. 1t initiates a man. But
love edifeth. Love builds. Love is
Christ-like, Divine. 1t allies one to
Eternal Truth, to the Immortal Life.
These old, crude Christians, these
boosters of superior knowledge. knowl-
edge which
''Plays round the head but comes not
near the heart,
have in our days some imitators.
Our religion puffs and does not build
us up. if it consists of self-gratulation
that we are better informed than our
fellow Christians. We in that case may
know great deal; yet know nothing
as we ought to know.
To have pride of knowledge to the ex-
tent of saying that we Enow intoxicat-
ing drink can do US no harm, and there
fore to persist in its use, is worse than
conceit Of knowledge. 1t may be truly
said Of idol-consecrated meats that it is
not, for its conservation, harmful except
as it as imagined to be, or except
an imaginary quality is conferred upon
it. But this cannot be said of alcoholic
drink. 1t deceives its victims. Wine is
"mocker."
Yet, even il stimulants could confer
on US merely personal benefit, is it
not turning knowledge to selfish use,
to personally indulge the drink habit?
The glad bondage of LOve,-vs.
713.
Christ teaches that we are related to
our fellow as really as we are to
God. God is our Father; man is our
brother.
Do not, therefore, writes Paul. des-
pise your weak brother. He may be
more susceptible than you are to the
sacred things of his past. He may be
struggling against vestiges of his cast.
off idolatry. To him the act of eating
idol consecrated meat may imply real
recognition of the idols. Take heed
lest by any means your liberty become
an occasion of sin to the weak. For if
any one see thee, who hast knowledge,
sitting at the consecrRted meat in an
idols enclosure, will not his conscience,
if he is weak. be encouraged to wrongly
esteem the things which have been Of
fered to idols?
Thy knowledge, thy liberty, may thus
cause one for whom Christ died to lapse
into moral pollution of paganism.
To be follower of Christ is to assume
the obligation to act brothers part
toward the whole family of men.
This thought settles the matter, simp-
ly and finally, with Paul: To sin
against weak brother. to wound afresh
conscience already clouded, is to sin
against Christ. Wherefore, says Paul,
If meat make mig brother to stumble, I
will eat no flesh foreUermore. that I
make not mig brother to stumble.
Likewise to act the Christian
part is to be humbled, rather than
pulled up, because of our assumed clear
er or larger vision of truth. That others
have not our knowledge. is not our glory
but our shame. Not to boast of our know
ledge, but to be it's ministers in all hum.
BILE and useful service, is trait Of the
Great Example.
To give our life-infuence for
temperance, and not by selfish example
to help to ruin those brothers of Christ
who are beginning dangerous self-indul
gence; to feel for drunkards' wives and
children; to remember the bound as
bound with them, to use whatever in.
fiuence we may have for their emanci-
patton; this is to exalt Christian liberty
by consecrating it to Christian end.
The bondage Of love is the most
exalted liberty ever achieved by man.