Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-05-10

\ man is known by the company
which he keeps. We are 50 made shat
we seek companionShip. and, while it is
Il truth everywhere recognized that like
begets like, it is equally true that like
seeks like, or, in the words Of the old
saying Birds of feather flock to-
gether." We do not expect to find the
dove fockng with crows nor do we
look with approval on the one who
seeks goodness and right living if he
seeks constant cOmpanionship among
the vicious and depraved. 1t is well
known that "evil communications cor
rupt good manners" We become like
those with whom we consort. No one
can be constantly hearing vile language
without acquiring to greater or less eX
tent the faint of such speech. On the
other hand. no one can he long in tie
company of the gentle and refined
without taking on somewhat of their
manners and tone.
The Bible is emphatic in this matter.
The Proverbs are full of admonition
against cOmpanionshp with the evil.
and the young person who makes tie
reading of that book a daily religious
exercise soon comes to n way of look
ing at things that leads him to in
stinctively avoid evil associations.
There is no manual of conduct and adj
vice in existence which approaches in
value this ancient book of wise say
! ings The New Testament is equally
strong in advice to come out from
among them and touch not the unclean
thing" There is a vast difference be-
tween clean and unclean in religious
and moral things, and this difference
is shown all through the Bible. We
are to be a peculiar people separated
unto God and good works.
But all this does not in any way i'm
ply that we may not have dealings
with the morally wrong ones If our
purpose is to bring them out of their
evil into companionship with Christ
and His church. Our Lord was friend
to the publicans and sinners, but never
partaker of their evil deeds. He met
with them to show them the path to
better life. So we are warranted and
commanded to seek the lost ones as
He did, that we may bring them to
salvation. We must, however not fail
to accomplish their reformation-at
least they must not be allowed to de-
form us and make us come to their
standard. We must associate with the
evil only to reform them.
Levi makes great feast for Jesus.
Levi is a publican and Is accounted
by the goodish people as very bad
man because he collects the revenue
for the government, which they hate
Jesus discovers in him the craving aft
er a gody life in spite Of his unpopu-
lar occupation and so eats at the feast,
not as "A gluttonous man and wine
bibber, as lie is called by the goodish
people, who have. never tried to reach
Levi, but he eats as friend or sin
ners and as their best helper
So he goes TO the house of Zaccheus.
The crowd may murmur at it as i'm
proper, but Jesus has come to seek
and to save. the lost, and in the
strength OF His rightness and sympa-
thy for those not right He can safely
TO Himself and TO them go to these out
of the way and bring them into the
right path of life.
This association is unto salvation
No one can safely walk in the way of
sinners or stand In the councils OF
the ungodly or pass close by the seats
of the scorhful unless he is strong IN
the Lord and upheld by His mighty
power.
There is vast difference between
the man of God and the ordinary mar
of the world. The Christian must dc
business with the men of the world
but he must not do business as they
do otherwise he s'no longer the mar
of God. We must meet to some extent il
social life with them. but not seek the
intimacy of friendly society excep
among our kind" and not partake OF
their frivolties and dangerous dissi
pations OF many kinds.
Be friendly with all men that yot
may bring them to know your Chris
, as their personal Saviour, but you viii
never so bring them unless they SCI
that you live in close companionshiI
with Him yourself. They must SCI
Him in you.