The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-14
The international Sunday School Les
son for Feb. 15-"Christian SeIf-Con-
troll" /. Cor, 8: 4-13.

Progress brings problems. Every
| advance step on the part of a nation
| or of an individual is a step into new
perplexities. The Corinthians among
whom the Apostle Paul had labored, as
told in the lesson of week ago, had
come out from heathendom in large
numbers. But it was difficult for them
to know at just what points to sever
themselves from their former associa-
lions and customs. For one thing, the
whole life of the city was bound up
with the worship Of idols; many prac-
tees innocent enough in themselves,
had come to have an idolatrous signif-
lcance. On almost every table and in
every market place was meat that
had been sacrificed to idols. Should
Christians. partake of this and thus ap-
pear to countenance idOlatry? This,
with other allied questions, was graVer
than we at this distance can under
stand, and so Paul was appealed to
for advice. The missionaries in foreign
lands can better appreciate the per-
plexities of those Corinthian converts
than we, for they are frequently
brought face to face with similar prob
lens. What shall a polygamous ma
tive do with his surplus wives, when
he becomes a Christian? If he puts
any away, which ones? How far may
| converted Chinaman show respect
or worship to the graves of his ances-
tors? What attitude shall converts dis
play toward heather feast days? How
far may their yield to their native
customs in working on Sunday? Paul
was called upon to give counsel in a
difficulty very similar to others that
are being met today by his fellow
missionaries.
Indeed, in some form, the same ques-
ton confronts every Christian. To
what extent should he conform to the
world? Shall he come out entirely
from it, as was the way of the mont
astic orders? Yet for most Christians
| this is not possible, even if it were
wise. 1t is only by the contact of
Christians with the world that the
world can be made Christian, and if
the religion of Jesus cannot be lived
right here and now, in this present
Workaday world, it is not worth pos
sessing or protesting. The duty of the
disciple, as set forth by his Master
himself is to live in the world, but
separate from it's evil. He is to grow
the souls graces and bear the souls
best fruits in the soil of this old
earth
Freedom, Net Bondage.
Whoever represents the Christian life
as mere conformity to any set Of rules
does injustice to the great gospel of
Jesus. The law of Moses was Obedi-
ence to code; the law of Jesus is
obedience to the Spirit. And Where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is lib
erty." Becoming a disciple of Jesus
is entrance upon freedom, not upon
bondage. Christ came to break chains,
not to forge them. He set men free
from the punctilloes of the old dispen-
sation, which humanity had never been
able to observe. Now the servant of
God is free to follow his divinely il
Illuminated conscience. His is a life
of liberty and of peace and joy and
love. Paul dwells upon this. In Civ
ing his advice to the Corinthian con-
verts he carefully prefaces his words
by clear statement of the great truth
of Christian liberty. He knew that
then as now the largeness of the gospel
was in danger of being limited by man
made regulations and restrictions.
Small Souls and Petty Rules.
The broad minded apostle would
have had small patience with the peo-
pie of our own day who would reduce
the infinite gospel of Christ to a set
of regulations which their petty preju-
diceS have devised. He was not pro-
claiming a string OF little 'donts." AS
he expressed it, the gospel consisted
of certain vital, all-embracing truths
of conduct. Infinite harm has been
done to the cause of religion in the
present time by the spreading abroad
of the impression that becoming a
Christian is little more than giving
up dancing, card playing, theater go
ing and few other forms of amuse-
ment If that is all the Good News
We have to tell, we are in a sorry way
indeed. But we know that the gospel
is vastly more than this; these are
merely man-made prohibitions, which,
while often important, have been Civ
en- at times an undue and even PERM
cious prominence. If the truths that
were taught and incarnated by Jesus
take hold of person, these lesser
queS lions Of conduct will settle them
selves.
The Law of "Otherisnn."
Important and fundamental as is
the law of Christian liberty, there is
yet a higher, and by it the former is
safeguarded. This supreme law of the
Christian life is love, especially as ex-
pressed by Self-sacrifice. We are Civ
en- liberties, but we are also given the
privilege of surrendering them at the
command Of this better law. Someone
has said that the best thing about
our rights is that they are ours, and
therefore we may give them up. So
Paul reasoned and taught. A Corinth-
Ian convert had a right to eat meat
offered to idols, for idols are nothing
and he was free from those old super
stitions. Nevertheless, it was and is
Christians privilege, and may also be-
come his duty, to surrender his clear
ly defined liberty for loves sake. Much
that he may do he may also refrain
from doing in the name of his Mas
ter. And as some of the members
of the Corinthian church could not eat |
meat that had been offered to idols
without feeling the old heather ties
tightening upon them, the apostle sug-
gested that for their sake their breth- |
rem abstain also.
Number One and Number Two.
Look out for Number One" says
the world; but Christ says, Look out !
for Number Two" The genius of the |
gospel is altogether against seIfishness.
Do as you please, and you are likely |
to please Satin. "Self-interest is the |
first law of hell" says one. A Chris !
tian'S conduct is to be determined not !
by the straight line of the law of his |
privileges, but by the standard of the |
cross, which is forever the symbol of |
mans divine right to sacrifice himself |
in the service of love. IT was by the |
REIMBURSEMENT of the rights of the |
Son of God that we are saved: |
Though he was rich, yet for our sakes |
he became poor" Paul was speaking |
by the same lofty law when he made |
his familiar declaration, IF meat |
causeth my brother to stumble, I will
eat no flesh forevermOre. That is the !
nub of this entire lesson; that was the |
principle laid down for the Corinthians
to help them decide doubtful questions,
and it is still the best and most Christ
ly principle for any man today, be his
problem one of business or of amuSe-