Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-23

might refrain-each acting according to
his conscience. On that basis great free
'.an vas poss lie without criticism. But
tne case coGld not be adjusted in that
way W hout DANCE to III church. He
wAoSe .onsCiepCN forbade the eating
W ulr 20. gy.eved when h saw his brother
eati < me- offered 20 idols The higher
sentiments OF re-. gion VIII not permit one
o overlook what he bel yes TO be wrong
simply because anothcJ does not believe il
to ne wror f the two are III the same
"hurCh iie former must suffer intensely
IN bong OBLIGED to fellowship another
whose practice he does not approve.
tndc' such aiTnstal ces the latter is OBJ
igaied to I,lrain for his hIo-her's sake:
+ re is enuno iated that rol law of
Christian love whicH max one liv'. not
Tor himself. but for q hers. tbs law the
apostle applied to f'Hlself in very forceful
WORD IL Cor, v.5.-'3j, when discussing
the Same srbj@ct for the auet. of The
church at CoriG'h,
KINGDOM.-rne progress n The
thought of the apostle led him at tits
point, to . moro comDrehensiV rs well as
accurate Wow If tho Chrstia, religion.
lie would hav. he Rom believers know
that there were mary " e',htier matters
than the question OF nle1. .ld drink ABOUT
which they Id contended Werse Ia.
They were nlembe $ of tie king ON of
God, which :. I'M ne Baptist proclaimed
Matt. hi:2. which Jesus m. > e-tab-
lish Mat, iv:23y and w'll His follow
ers ought to promote Matt. WHO. That
Kingdom Was one # rirh -nouSness and
peace and joy In the Holy Ghost-a right
eousneSs obtained by faith. anG peace and
joy resulting Com, VIZ. Men are tn
be accepted on that ground Verse 1S). and
not because ~ any O0"n abstinenC from
food or any performance of rite To lift
up the thouHat t. this grauder conception
and make tie people and nrstand the ma
ture f the very system which they had
adopted was calculated to deliver them
from disputes, and 10 enlist them IN an
earnest seeking after that which was es-
sential
UNITY.-Tho three closing verses ot
the lesson 1920 I'D form an earnest
plea for unity based on the ideas previ.
ously advanced. Let us therefore,"
Paul says, an eXhortaton following an
ar-ument. He first Of al commends thos3
things which make for peace and tho
things which edify, things that are ual-
ly conjoined hecause divisions enfeebs
the church and hurt the individuals COM
posing it Games. iii:1). He Goes not
specify particular things, but offers a reg
ulating principle. That principle acts on
both sides in any controversy anG de-
mands a change of temper and a. don
The apostle. however. deems it wise to
reiterate the teaching on charity, given
in verse 10, as n corollary of the principle
The man whose conscience does not con-
denim him must regard his weaker brother
The strong must always yield 0ial..Vi:2).
1t is good. Chrlstlike and beautiful to in
dulge in practice, however innocent.
whereby another is offended. The very
object of the church is TO JOIN the weak
and the strong for the special benefit of
the former CRom., Xv:D.
REFL substance of
our lesson NAV be briefly set forth in
these few prece pts: l. No Christian should
condemn another, because God is the
judge of all. and all are to answer to
Him alone. .. No man is hereby licensed
to act independent of his brother. but IS
Obliged SO to live as to avoiu judgment.
3. Outward conduct is good Dad
cording to the motive that prompts 1t.
but as men cannot see the motive they
are disqualified for proper judgment. 4.
The Christian Church is not society for
finding fault with men, but the kingdom
of God. seeking Righteousness, peace and
holy joy. ;. They only will be { aptable
to God and approved by men who serve
this kingdom according TO its true spirit.
6. All ought to labor for the peace o. the
church and the upbuilding of its members.
7. Though all things are in themselves
pure, men must keep their consclences
clean. s. The strong should deny them
selves whatever tends % make others
weak. or to turn them away from Christ.
These are all high truths. distinctively
Christian, deserving our study and prac-
tice.