Milford chronicle., 1907-04-12


where there is the greater certainty.
The Greed, the Lords Prayer and the
Ten Commandments are now to me as
my daily bread and drink, and as can
speak and write over them again and
again so l had rather read and hear Of
them than of any of the school nice
ties. And this l observed also with
Richard Hooker and with many other
men" Had Baxter thought to put it
IN he could have ended that beautiful
sentence thus: "And this 1 observed
also with Paul and with many other
men,"
II / was called to a church where
Tue pastors for generations were ac-
eustomed to wear a gown and the peo-
pie liked it. / would wear a gown. 1t
is a nonessential. II a new church
member should come to me and say,
"Pastor, the more 1 study the Bible
the more l believe that immersion is
the true baptism" I should say: Very
well. Come; we will go to a Baptist
church, and will immerse you there"
If an Eplscopalian should come to me
and say, 81 believe in the apostolic
succession Of the Episcopal church"
should at once reply: "All right my
brother. You are my brother, though
we differ on that subject l wish you
gOdspeed. 10 not care much whether
you believe in the apostolic succession
Of the Episcopal church as long as
you do believe in Jesus Christ as the
Son of God and you do accept him as
your pardoning Saviour" The doc
trine of the atonement OF the cross we
hold to with a viselike grip Of Paul.
May God help US to let all the nom
essentials go.
PauPs Reason.
But there was still another reason
why I think Paul said, II will eat no
meat" What might have been a non
essential 70 Paul in his spiritual life
might have been more than a nom
essential to some one else. Therefore
think can hear Paul say to himself
when this question came up: "Of course
If give up eating this sacrifclal meat
shall have to work harder than 1
otherwise would. I may have shorter
hours for preaching. I may even have
to work at my tentmaking trade when
return home at night But what Of
It? Again I say, what Of It? I can
afford to 90 to any extreme rather
than put a spiritual stumbling block
in the way of my fellow men. If meat
make my brother to offend, l will eat
no meat as long as the world stand
eth" And Paul was right My broth
er, are you ready to firmly and un-
equlvocally refuse to throw any spir-
itual stumbling block in the way of
your fellow menl
Certain amusements In themselves
are harmless. but those amusements
on account Of their evil associations
may be most pernicious to others, and
especially to our young folks as a
whole. When I was a lad, my father
hired for me beautiful western mus
tang. AS a riding pony he was simply
perfection. He could run like deer
pver the toughest roads, and he was as
sure footed as an Alpine goat. In the
few months had him learned to love
that pony as an Arab does his thor
Oughbred. He would follow me around
like a dog, and he would carry me like
the wind. I begged my father to buy
him. He was only mustang and not
of much value, and the owner was
willing to sell. But my father answer
ed: mo. You can have him as long as
you are in the country, but you cannot
have a horse in the city. know how
you love the beast. Horseback riding
is one of the most exhilarsting and
healthful exercises, but when young
man owns horse in the city the temp
tations of the stable and of the road
taverns are too strong. When a young
man rides a horse in the city he too
often rides into sin" Horseback rid
ing In itself is no harm. Theater going
for you may be harmless, but what are
the surroundings of the average thea
teri If you as church elder, if you
as a church member. If you as a Sun
day school teacher go to the theater, do
you not see that the example you may
be setting may encourage some to
20 who are not morally and spiritually |
as strong as you aref Do you belleVe
Jesus Christ, if he was upon earth, |
would ever be seen in a theater? |
What would Paul say if you asked him |
to go with you to the theater? l know.
You know. He would answer: NAY.
II this amusement, like the sacrifieial
mea u cause my brother to offend,
will tain as long as the world
How about the card table and the
dance hall? You say they do no per-
sonal harm. If you indulge in them,
will your personal example do any one
else any harm? This Lords day
have made a most earnest plea for ev-
cry man, woman and child to come to
our next Wednesday Night prayer
meeting. You know and snknow that
the most essential meeting Of all the
church life is the midweek \ prayer
meeting. That young man is g5tng to