The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-06-29

GOLDEN TEXT.-"It IS good neither TO
eat flesh. nor to drink wine, nor anything
whereby thy brother standardization
I4,2l
rIME-Paul wrote this epistle, from
Ephesus. about A.. p o.
PIACE--It was written to the cnurcn
at Corinth, one Of the most worldly ana
luxurious cities Of the Tune Faul nau
lived and preached there for nearly TWO
years "a. D. So. 53 and knew the people
well.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES--Tem
anee and power: Cor. 9;25-2I; Hos, 4:u'
Pet. 1:1s. Temperance and honor; Prov
Sl;5 Tim S:2, 8. 8; TIT 2:2-4' od., o.. Agn- EN-
perance and wisdom; ProV. N1' Ase.
2S;7; Dan. 1921; Amos. s;o, Lenpsta.l1o JIG
and the future: / Cor. 8: 10; Matt z4,4o-
81: Luke. 21:s4; GAL 5:2l; l Thes. OS;
Pet. At.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Problem-Before Paul and Be-
fore Us.-The new religion that Paul
preached was, as was said Of 1t, turn
ing the world upside down. IL intro
duced new tests of conduct and SET
up new and exacting standards OF liv' 4
ing. 1t banned as wrong, deeds that's
for centuries had been accepted as !
proper and even pious. 1t is no won
der. therefore, that Paul, writing In
those disturbed times, was often
Obliged to discuss questions OF con-
duct that perplexed the Christians
themselves. Some Of these were the
matter of rest day. whether they
should observe the Jewish Saturday
Sabbath or the Christian Sunday or
both; the matter OF divorce; the ques-
ton whether the Gentle converts
should be required to become Jews.
But the most generally perplexlng
question, at least for Christians living
in Gentle cities like Corinth, was
whether they should eat meat that
had been offered to idols
On the one hand, they should re-
fuse to partake of such meats, because
% the practice had been forbidden
by the decree of the council at Jeru-
salem seven years before (Acts
1920. (2) Because the act was pc
culiarly offensive to their jewish
brethen. CD To use the flesh which
had once been offered to heather
divinity "even in ordinary circum-
stances, would be an encouragement
of the practice Of sacrifice; much
more to partake of the banquets
which took place in the precincts OF
the temple itself, and on the scene OF
those licentious orgies with which
the heather worship was so often ac-
companied. Stanley. (See l Cor.
s:913.) (4) There was especial dan
ger that the disciples themselves
would be led not only into the cere-
monial, but the moral pollutions con-
nected with idolatry (5) There was
danger of leading into temptation
those who were not strong in the
faith, and Of inducing them to act
contrary to their consciences.
On the other hand, it seemed right
to partake. III The decree at Jeru-
salem "given in Acts IS was intended
for special circumstances, and not for
a universal rule The letter contain
ing it was addressed only to the
churches Of Antioch, Syria and Cili-
Cambridge Bible. (2) There
was no essential wrong in lting such
meat. "An idol is nothing in the
world" "If they abstained, they
seemed to say that an idol was real
being, and SO they gave sanction
to superstition."-F w. Robertson.
(s) The prohibition interfered with
the Christian liberty, and such liberty
is Of the utmost Importance to ALL
(4) The prohibition would cause
great deal of difficulty in obtaining
meats for food (5) Any unnecessary
burdens on disciples hindered Others
from becoming Christians. (6) II
compelled the disciples to keep away
from almost all social and civil as
semblles, and prevented them from in
fiuencing their heather neighbors to-
ward the gospel CD Such emphasis
on matters not wrong in themselves
would call attention away from real
sins and crimes. It is always danger
Gus to lay as much emphasis on incl
dental things, as on the great truths
and principles.
The parallel with the modern liquor
problem is very close in all this. The
Eftl VI cliOH5 NAiuA AdAAAAro ~AeAs
where. There is scarcely a trades
man but may be called upon to work
in the interests Of the saloon. News
papers with their advertisements, poll
ticians With their laws, citizens with
their votes, artists with their pictures,
poets with their songs, farmers with
their corn and rye, pharmacists with
their drugs. and even confectioners
with their candies almost every one
is liable to become involved in the
sin Of the saloon. 1t touches, soon or
late, every household. Here also. as
in the matter of meat offered to idols,
there is the fear Of driving men from
Christianity by appearing to be over
sl;sct, censorious, and cranky" How
far shall a Christian go in conformity
to the saloon, and to a society where
strong drink is such a power? This
is an important practical problem for
every one.