The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-04-09

desire Of his body, mind and soul, con
verge to the one purpose of preaching
Jesus Christ to the world and Of bring
Ing sinful men to bow at the cross OF
Christ. He was not constituencies
derelict upon the great sea of humanity
to be driven about by every stormy
wind and TO be beaten off his course
by every divergng current When a
principle was at stake, you could not
swerve Paul from his course There
never was gospel preacher who
hewed closer to the straight line of
truth than did this man Paul
A Closer Look.
Come, let us look little closer at
this resolve. Do you suppose Paul per
sonally liked to eat this meat from off
the heather affairs? / think not. Would
you have liked to eat it? No; YOU
would no more have desired to eat that
meat than you would like to eat the
flesh of some animals killed in a Span
ish bullfight. | had dear friend who
some years ago went to the Mexican
capital and saw some of these Door
helpless animals slain by the mata-
dores. He said that it was the most
sickehing sight of his life For day;
and nights he could see the poor
wounded beasts, some of them with
their entrails dragging upon the
ground, and he could hear the screams
OF the frightened horses ripped open
by the merciless horns. Just outside of
that arena he saw the butcher wagons
standing. On his way back to the city
hotel he saw these wagons rumbling
past filled with the carcaSSes of the
slain bulls. When he saw those wagons
he said that he felt he was looking at
the dead carts carrying away the de
capitated corpSes from the French gull
lotine during the tragic ascendcncy of
RobeSpierre. a Marat and Danton
why. so Sickening was the sight" said
he, that during all my stay in the
Mexican capital l refused to eat beef
for fear | would eat some of those
poor creatures slain at that awful bull
fight That was the way. | think.
Paul felt when he looked upon the
meat which was taken off the heather
affairs. | do not believe he could di-
vorce that meat from it's vile associa-
tons. Neither could YOU.
When Paul saw that meat. there
doomed up before him the beautiful
Greek temple dedicated to the Worship
of Venus. That worship was the most
hnStint Ion
corrupt of any temple in the east par
alleli3g the worship of ancient Baal.
so corrupt was this worship that for
centuries the name of Corinthian was
Il synonym for debauchery But,
though every refined sensibilty Of Paul
think | hear Paul say as he looks at
it: Paul, you do not want that meat.
but remember it is not tainted 1t will
give strength of muscle and Of brain
Remember, Paul. if you buy this fool
cheaper there will be less need for
your long hours now devoted to tent
and then you will have longer
lime to preach Jesus Christ" SO Paul
bought that meat. So Paul stfed
every personal repulsion which he
might have in order to be able to
spread the gospel further and preach |
Jesus Christ to the people of Corintii |
Even in his food he economical in or
Ter that he might become a flaming |
Oh. my brother. are we |
our pOcketboOks. our |
whole lives. our every desire, to bring |
he message of the cross nearer to the |
hearts of men. as Paul did in the |
market place of Corinth?
But. though Paul was not like spir- |
tual weathercock. easily turned this
way and that by every popular wind,
ny text proves that he would change
when there was sufficient reason. Paul
vas ready and willing to yield about
if thereby he could win
he good will of his fellow men and
" that good will make men more will
ng to heed his message. He was not
ne of those ecclesiastical sticklers who
want to put the whole world into Il re
lgious straitjacket and compel others
O think as he thought and do as he
III. lou k1OW tlleIe are SUlle ptot'lt
orn in this world who never have any
aspect for the individuality of other
eople
They are so convinced that theirs is
he right way to worship God that they
emand that their fellow men worship
i'm i'm the same way, with the same
turgy and using the same hymn book
nd with the same rites. They say,
If you do not do as | do and wear
" ecclesiastical gown and my surplice.
God, cassock and stole, then you are
OF true Christians Now, 1t was men
{ this kind who were worrying Paul
bout this trifie of the meat that had
cen offered to idols. AS he told them.
n idol was nothing In the world
nd the meat offered to 1t was not
armed by being offered. But he saw
nat opposition to them diverted their
1oughts from the higher questions Of
aith and holiness. so he yielded to
lem, that they might be free to think
{ the essential things. Some of the
uestions of ritual that men dispute
bout now are of the same character