Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-23
Suggestions and Practical Thought
In the Arena at Corinth.

HCdtlOH. O.I.
Suggestions and Practical Thought.
In the Arena at Corlnth.
Let us In imagination to-day sit In
the great Co%rinthian amphitheater,
looking down upon Christians strug-
Cling with temptations, and perplex.
ing questions Of duty, and evil pas
sions, as they had often seen gladiators
trying to overcome wild beasts and
armed antagonists. and ready to spill
the last drop of their blood to gain
victory.
The Christian church was living In
this arena, and trying to live and
teach a pure and heavenly life. There
arose many moral problems and ques.
lions, two of which come before us in
our lesson for to-day.
The first problem was concerning
the Sabbath. How strictly could they
keep the Sabbath whore there were
no Sabbath laws or customs; where
the whole machinery Of life moved
on the plan Of all days alike? What
holy days should they keep-the
Christian anniversaries, the Jewish, the
Christian Sabbath-and how should
they keep them?
The other problem was concerning
food offered to idols, This was the
most generally perploxing question
for a small band of Christians living
in Gentle cities like Corinth. To
some extent the Jews had prepared
the way for its solution. The i'm
p%ortance of this problem Is hard for
us to realize. Paul discusses 1t at
length in Romans IA, and his discus
sions in / Corinthians begin as far
back as the eighth chapter. Much was
to be said pro and con.
There was much to be said on both
sides, and there was danger Of a rup-
ture in the church.
Paul's CounseIs as TO the Settlement
Of These Questions.
With what weapons and in what
spirit Christians should gain the vic.
tory.
stand by Your Personal Liberty.
"Ye, brethren, were called for free
dOm.' Gal. b:l3.
"Why is my liberty judged by an
other conscience?" I Cor. 1929.
But control your Liberty by the
Law of Love.
IAN things are lawful, but not all
things are expedient. All things are
lawful. but not all things edify." 1
Cor. 1923.
Let no man seek his own, but each
his neighbours good" 1 Cor. 1924.
ut is good not to eat flesh, O to
drink wine. nor to do anything where.
by thy brother stumbleth." Rom.
1920, 81.
3.-Keep Your Conscience Pure.
Happy is he that judgeth not him.
self in that thing which he approveth."
Rom. 14:22.
Each one of us shall give account
Of himself to God" Rom. 1912.
4.-Consider the Effect Upon the
Conscience Of Others.
LET us not therefore judge one anoth.
er any more: but Judge We this rather,
that no man put a stumbling block In
his brothers way or an occasion Of
falling" Rom. 14:13.
5.-The Practical Conclusion.
Wherefore, If meat causeth my
brother to stumble. I will eat no flesh
forevermore, that cause not my
brother to stumble" 1 Cor. 8:13.
Even as ! also please all men In
all things, not seeking mine own
profit, but the profit Of many, that
they may be saved" 1 Cor. 1898.
In the Arena Of Modern Life.
The author of Hebrews pictures us in
the world as in a huge amphitheater
where mighty contests are going on;
while encompassing us, like the
crowds on the seats of the stadium
watching the games. are a great cloud
Of witnesses. The heroes he had been
describing in the previous chapter
heroes who had gained the victory, are
looking down upon us from heaven to
see how the battle is going with us
But the n that concerns us at this
hour is intemperance. What shall be
our attitude toward the use Of strong
drink which prevails everywhere, and
Ia doing so much mischief?
Paul's principles which he enunci
ated to the Corinthians and to the
Romans apply to us.
And we should meet the question
practically, as the author of Hebrews
taught the Christians of his day.
Wherefore seeing we also are com
passed about with 80 great a cloud o.
witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight
"and the sin which doth SO easily
beset us
"and let us run with patience tn,
HoOo that Il cot hR~,> !.