The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-02-20
MORRIS COUNTY, CHRoNICLE FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 90 1908
EPWORTH LEAGUE.
Topic For the Week BEGINNING Feb.
~, "The Christian Man In Public
Life"-Text, II ChrOn. xvii, 3, 4;
xxx, 2O-27-29; Rom. xii, 3, A.


1t is easy in the world to live after the
worlds fashion. 1t is easy in private
TO follow your own The hard thing in
! life is to so mingle with men as to
have influence among them and still to
keep virtue unsullied and the heart
sweet.
The Christian is not distinguished
from other men by his opinions of any
sort He is Christian because, and only
because, he recognizes and follows NOR
al obligations as defined by Jesus
| Christ. He holds to truth. He cannot
deny it. He will not compromise it.
He must do right-right as he sees it
at the time and under given circum-
stances, wherever it may lead and
whatever the consequences. And this
not obstinately, not fanatically, but
with firmness and reasonably. Courte-
Gus to all men and tolerant of opinions
differing from his own, he holds his
own position none the less tenaciously
and yields only to conviction of truth
and right.
Whatever difficulties may lie in the
may of pure and devoted Christian
life in private, that is very simple
matter compared to living a consistent,
earnest Christian life in public. Diff
culties multiply. The opinions and
wishes and actions of other people
must be considered and unavoidably
affect us. We meet customs and ira
ditions which have almost the force of
law, but which are different from and
in some cases contradictory to our pre-
vious notions and accustomed ways of
life. Whether we ought to conform to,
openly oppose or try to silently ignore
these new conditions and requirements
taxes the soul to decide.
Sometimes an old proverb or maxim
learned in childhood has great influ-
ce-such as, when you are in Rome,
do as the Romans door it may be
red light danger signal flashes up on
the track ahead and we remember,
MY son, if sinners entice thee, consent
thou not"
All the truth stored in the soul in
private in communion with God and all
the rules of life learned from His word
and in practice become invaluable as
aids in the wider experience of public
activity, whether in business, political,
professional. industrial or social life,
but all must be newly adjusted in APP
plication to new circumstances and I'M
familiar requirements. The doings of
others cannot be our guide without
careful examination.
Good citizenship requires that we
have opinions based on our own ex-
animation of the questions at issue,
that we act as we believe to be right
and not merely as one of crowd. No
association with any party can obligate
Il person to 90 what is morally wrong
for him to do as an individual or JUS
tify him in such action. Every one is
held everywhere and at all times to
tell the truth and do the right so far
as he can know it. Ofticeholding can
never make it right for a person to Sc
cure his individual gain by violation of
his trust.
Fraud and deceit have been all too
powerful in public affairs in times past.
A hopeful sign of the times is a de-
mand for more rigid ideas of duty. Ev-
cry Christian must be Christian in pub
lie as well as in private.